Rheumatoid arthritis: treatment with modern and traditional methods. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with medications

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) – chronic illness. It is impossible to completely get rid of it. To slow down the progression and improve the patient’s future quality of life, it is necessary to promptly diagnose and properly treat this disease.

Joint deformities in rheumatoid arthritis limit the patient’s life activity.

In order to make a diagnosis of RA, the doctor focuses on the data laboratory research. Special criteria have been developed, assessed in points. The number of joints that are swollen or painful when palpated, the duration of changes (more than 6 weeks), the presence of rheumatoid factor or antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide in the blood, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate or the concentration of C-reactive protein are taken into account.

At external evaluation changes in the distal interphalangeal joints (located between the middle and nail phalanges finger), as well as in the first carpometacarpal and first metacarpophalangeal joints (located on the hand and related to the thumb). The diagnosis includes the hip, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow joints, as well as small ones - wrist, metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, and interphalangeal joints thumb hands. Damage to the temporomandibular joints and clavicle joints is taken into account.

Additionally, widely used methods instrumental diagnostics. Based on their data, it is impossible to diagnose RA, but it is possible to identify structural changes, that is, joint destruction, determine the rate of disease progression, and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.

At the first visit and then annually, all patients with RA are shown a plain radiography of the hands and distal feet. Using this method, characteristic symmetrical damage to small joints is revealed. X-rays of large joints are performed only if damage is suspected.

X-ray of organs chest prescribed at the first visit and then annually. With its help, lung damage caused by the rheumatic process and associated diseases, such as tuberculosis, are identified. If a rheumatoid process in the lungs is suspected, a computed tomography chest organs.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the hands can be used to diagnose articular lesions at an early stage. However, the diagnosis of RA cannot be made with confidence based on this study alone.

Patients with suspected RA may be prescribed ultrasonography(ultrasound) of the hand or large joints. It helps to assess the structure of the articular surface and identify changes in the periarticular tissues. There is no evidence to support the benefits of ultrasound over conventional examination and careful palpation of the affected joints.

The diagnosis of RA cannot be established based only on instrumental data without clinical symptoms.

Treatment

The main goal of RA therapy is to reduce disease activity as much as possible and achieve remission. In addition, it is important to reduce the risk of comorbid diseases that often accompany RA and worsen the prognosis, primarily myocardial infarction.

Treatment of RA is carried out by a rheumatologist. In cases mild course It is allowed to observe a patient with RA by a general practitioner or local therapist with the advice of a rheumatologist. If necessary, the patient is examined by a cardiologist, orthopedist, neurologist and other specialists.

Effective influence on the disease is impossible without the active participation of the patient, his interest in the results of therapy, and adherence to treatment. It is important to inform the patient about his condition, explain to him the meaning of medical prescriptions, instill confidence in a favorable outcome, and provide printed teaching materials and links to sources of information.

Patients are advised to avoid stress, acute infectious diseases and other unfavorable factors that can cause exacerbation of arthritis. It is necessary to stop smoking, which impairs the nutrition of peripheral tissues. You need to strive to normalize your weight to ease the load on your joints.

The main role in the treatment of RA belongs to the following groups of drugs:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
• glucocorticosteroid hormones (GCS);
• disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drugs (DMARDs);
• genetically engineered biological products (GEBP).

The use of NSAIDs should be limited due to the risk of adverse reactions from of cardio-vascular system and digestive organs. These medications relieve pain, swelling and inflammation, but do not slow down joint destruction or improve the prognosis of the disease. They can be used for a short course during exacerbation of arthritis until a clinical effect is achieved.

GCS should be used only as an addition to DMARDs during exacerbation of arthritis. For long-term monotherapy, they can be used only if taking DMARDs or GEBD is ineffective or impossible.

Without exception, all patients with RA should be prescribed DMARDs, primarily methotrexate, as early as possible. In this case, it should be monitored at least once every three months. clinical effectiveness therapy.
Once or twice a year, the effect of treatment on the processes of joint destruction should be assessed.

GIBPs have different mechanisms of action:

• inhibit tumor necrosis factor alpha (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept, golimumab);
• suppress the activity of B-lymphocytes (rituximab);
• block co-stimulation of T-lymphocytes (abatacept);
• block interleukin-6 receptors (tocilizumab).

Thus, these drugs influence the biological mechanisms of RA development and progression. They are usually prescribed when DMARDs in combination with methotrexate are insufficiently effective.

When remission is achieved for more than six months, NSAIDs and corticosteroids are gradually discontinued. Then carefully controlled withdrawal of the GIBP is possible. If remission is stable, a gradual withdrawal from DMARDs is possible, but only by a joint decision between the doctor and the patient. In other cases, DMARDs are continued for life.

Methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis

Methotrexate is the leading drug for long-term treatment RA. Its effectiveness and safety have been proven. Other DMARDs, such as leflunomide or sulfasalazine, should be used only if methotrexate is intolerant.

Before starting treatment, the patient should be informed about the incompatibility of this drug with alcohol intake, evaluate general and biochemical blood tests, exclude pregnancy, viral hepatitis and HIV infection, perform a chest x-ray. The patient should be explained the advantages of methotrexate over other drugs for the treatment of RA, and also be informed about possible unwanted side effects.

Reception begins with a dose of 10–15 mg per week, increasing it by 5 mg once every 2–4 weeks until an effective dose of 20–30 mg per week is achieved. During treatment with this drug, you need to take 5 mg folic acid in Week. If the effectiveness of tablet forms is insufficient or there are mild side effects, methotrexate can be administered subcutaneously. Treatment is carried out under regular monitoring of general and biochemical blood tests.

Side effects of methotrexate develop when uncontrolled use significant doses and include:

1. Damage to the digestive organs: stomatitis, gingivitis, loss of appetite, nausea, in rare cases, pathology of the intestines and liver.
2. Inhibition of hematopoiesis.
3. Fatigue, dizziness.
4. Violations menstrual cycle and sperm formation.
5. Kidney failure.
6. Skin rash, increased sensitivity To sun rays, furunculosis, acne.

Methotrexate is contraindicated in cases of significant renal or liver failure, decreased number of blood cells, pregnancy, immunodeficiency. In such cases, the issue of prescribing other DMARDs or GEBD therapy is considered.

Rheumatoid arthritis is systemic disease of unknown etiology with widespread damage to connective tissue, mainly in the joints, with erosive changes in them, with a chronic, often recurrent and progressive course. The trigger can be an infection, a cold, or an injury.

The pathological process leads to complete destruction of articular tissues, gross deformations and the development of ankylosis, which leads to loss of joint function and disability.

In severe cases, they may also be affected internal organs(heart, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, muscles, etc.), which significantly worsens the prognosis for rheumatoid arthritis. We will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods in detail in this article.

Statistics

Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis among the adult population of different climatic and geographical zones averages 0.6 - 1.3%. Annual incidence for last decade remains at the level of 0.02%.

An increase in rheumatoid arthritis with age has been noted; women are more often affected than men. Among people under 35 years of age, the prevalence of the disease is 0.38%, in people aged 55 years and older - 1.4%. High frequency The disease was detected in first-degree relatives of patients (3.5%), especially in females (5.1%).

What is it: causes of occurrence

Why does rheumatoid arthritis occur and what is it? Rheumatoid arthritis refers to autoimmune diseases, that is, diseases that occur when normal functioning is disrupted immune system. As with most autoimmune pathologies, the exact cause of the disease has not been identified.

It is believed that the provoking factors for the occurrence of the disease are:

1. Genetic predisposition— close relatives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis develop this disease much more often.
2. Infections - arthritis often occurs after an infection, herpetic infection, hepatitis B, mumps.
3. Unfavorable external and internal environment - hypothermia, exposure to toxic products, including occupational hazards, stress, as well as pregnancy, breastfeeding,.

Under the influence of these factors, cells of the immune system begin to attack the cells of the joint lining, which causes inflammation in them. This process causes the joints to become swollen, warm, and painful to the touch. Cells of the immune system also cause damage to blood vessels, which explains the so-called extra-articular symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (Still's disease) is inflammatory disease joints, it is characterized by a progressive course with a fairly rapid involvement of internal organs in the process. This disease occurs in 5-15 people per 100,000 children.

The disease occurs in children under 16 years of age and may continue long years. The appearance of the disease can be the result of various influences - viral and bacterial influences, cooling, medications, increased sensitivity to certain factors external environment and many others.

First signs

Rheumatoid arthritis can begin acutely and subacutely, with the latter type of onset observed in most cases.

The first signs of RA:

• chronic fatigue;
• constant muscle weakness;
• weight loss;
• the appearance of muscle pain for no apparent reason;
• sudden and causeless jumps in temperature to a subfebrile level (37-38ºС);
• increased sweating.

As a rule, such manifestations of the disease remain unattended, and then articular syndrome and extra-articular manifestations of the disease develop.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: joint damage

In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, when studying the patient’s complaints, special attention is paid to the following symptoms:

1. Pain in the joints, their nature (aching, gnawing), intensity (strong, moderate, weak), duration (periodic, constant), connection with movement;
2. Morning stiffness in the joints, its duration;
3. Appearance of joints (swelling, redness, deformation);
4. Persistent limitation of joint mobility.

A patient with rheumatoid arthritis may also have other symptoms:

1. Hyperemia of the skin over the inflamed joints;
2. Atrophy of adjacent muscles;
3. With subluxations in the proximal interphalangeal joints, the hand looks like “ swan neck", with subluxations in the metacarpophalangeal joints - "walrus flippers."

Upon palpation you can detect: an increase in skin temperature over the surface of the joints; soreness of the affected joints; “lateral compression” symptom; muscle atrophy and skin thickening; subcutaneous formations in the area of ​​the joints, most often the elbows, the so-called rheumatoid nodules; Patellar balloting symptom to determine the presence of fluid in the knee joint.

Depending on clinical and laboratory data, there are 3 degrees of exacerbation of RA:

1. Low (joint pain is assessed by the patient as no more than 3 points on a 10-point scale, morning stiffness lasts 30-60 minutes, ESR 15-30 mm/hour, CRP - 2 plus);
2. Moderate (pain – 4-6 points, stiffness in joints up to 12 hours after sleep, ESR – 30-45 mm/hour, CRP – 3 plus);
3. High (pain – 6-10 points, stiffness observed throughout the day, ESR – more than 45 mm/hour, CRP – 4 plus).

In RA, peripheral joints are primarily affected, but we must not forget that this is a systemic disease, and pathological process Any organs and tissues where connective tissue is present can be retracted.

Extra-articular symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis

The development of extra-articular (systemic) manifestations is more typical for the seropositive form of rheumatoid arthritis with a severe long-term course.

1. Muscle damage manifested by atrophy, decreased muscle strength and tone, focal myositis.
2. Skin damage manifests itself as dryness, thinning skin, subcutaneous hemorrhages and small focal necrosis.
3. Impaired blood supply to the nail plates leads to their fragility, striations and degeneration.
4. Presence of rheumatoid nodules- subcutaneously located connective tissue nodules with a diameter of 0.5-2 cm. They are characterized by a round shape, dense consistency, mobility, painlessness, less often - immobility due to adhesion to the aponeurosis.
   The presence of rheumatoid vasculitis, which occurs in 10-20% of cases.

The most severe course of rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by forms that occur with lymphadenopathy, damage to the gastrointestinal tract (enetritis, amyloidosis of the rectal mucosa), nervous system (neuropathy, polyneuritis, functional autonomic disorders), involvement of the respiratory system (, diffuse fibrosis, pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis, bronchiolitis) , kidneys (glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis), eyes.

From the side of the great vessels and heart, endocarditis, pericarditis, myocarditis, arteritis may occur in rheumatoid arthritis coronary vessels, granulomatous aortitis.

Complications

• pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
• nervous system dysfunction;
• blood diseases;
• damage to the respiratory system;
• kidney diseases;
• damage to the joints and musculoskeletal system;
• skin lesions;
• eye diseases;
• gastrointestinal dysfunction;
• mental disorders;
• other pathologies.

How to distinguish RA from other diseases?

Unlike rheumatism, with rheumatoid arthritis the inflammation is persistent - pain and swelling of the joints can last for years. Different from arthrosis this type arthritis in that the pain does not increase with exertion, but, on the contrary, decreases after active movements.

Diagnostics

American Rheumatological Association Diagnostic Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis (1987). Having at least 4 of the following signs may indicate the presence of a disease:

• morning stiffness for more than 1 hour;
• arthritis of 3 or more joints;
• arthritis of the joints of the hands;
• symmetrical arthritis;
• rheumatoid nodules;
• positive rheumatoid factor;
• radiographic changes.

Indicates the presence of inflammation in the body: the appearance of special inflammatory proteins - seromucoid, C-reactive protein, and rheumatoid factor.

Making a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is only possible by assessing the totality of symptoms, radiological signs and results laboratory diagnostics. At positive result treatment is prescribed.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

When accurate diagnosis rheumatoid arthritis, systemic treatment involves the use of certain groups of drugs:

• basic drugs;
• hormonal substances (glucocorticoids);
• biological agents.

At the present stage of development of medicine, the following goals are set in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis:

• reduction and, if possible, elimination of symptoms of the disease,
• prevention of destruction of joint tissue, disruption of its functions, development of deformations and adhesions (ankylosis),
• achieving stable and long-term improvement in the condition of patients,
• increase in lifespan,
• improving quality of life indicators.

Treatment consists of a complex of methods of drug therapy, physiotherapy, therapeutic nutrition, surgical treatment, sanatorium treatment and subsequent rehabilitation.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

This group of drugs is not included in basic therapy rheumatoid arthritis, since it does not affect the destructive process in the joints. However, drugs from this group are prescribed to reduce pain and eliminate stiffness.
in the joints.

Most often used:

Prescribed during periods of exacerbation of pain and severe stiffness. Prescribed with caution to patients with gastritis.

Basic drugs

In combination with hormones, they help reduce the activity of rheumatoid arthritis. The most common drugs for treatment currently are:

• gold preparations;
• leflunomide;
• penicillamine;
• sulfasalazine.

There are also reserve drugs: cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, cyclosporine - they are used when the main drugs do not give the desired effect.

Biological agents

Monoclonal antibodies to certain cytokines neutralize tumor necrosis factor, which in the case of rheumatoid arthritis provokes damage to its own tissues.

There are also studies suggesting the use of lymphocyte differentiation regulators as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. This will avoid damage to the synovial membranes by T-lymphocytes, which are incorrectly “directed” to the joints by the immune system.

Glucocorticoids

These are hormonal drugs:

• dexamethasone;
• methylprednisolone;
• triamcinolol;

They are prescribed both in the presence of systemic manifestations of the disease and in their absence. Today, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, treatment is practiced with both small and large doses of hormones (pulse therapy). Corticosteroids are excellent for pain relief.

Methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis

According to reviews, methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis is actively prescribed in Russia and European countries. This is a drug that inhibits cells of the immune system, prevents the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the joints and aggravates the course of the disease. Now it is used very widely.

The drug has several side effects, therefore, it is used under the close supervision of the attending physician; during the course of treatment, the patient must regularly undergo blood tests. Despite this, methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis is the most appropriate solution, and in some cases it is simply irreplaceable.

The price of the drug varies depending on the form of release in the range from 200 to 1000 rubles.

Physiotherapy

Only after it is removed acute form illness, blood tests and temperature return to normal - massage and other physical therapy methods can be used for rheumatoid arthritis. The fact is that physiotherapy has a stimulating effect and can enhance inflammatory process.

These methods improve blood supply to the joints, increase their mobility, and reduce deformation. Phonophoresis, diathermy, UHF, ozokerite and paraffin, infrared irradiation, therapeutic mud, and balneotherapy at resorts are used. We will not dwell on these methods in detail.

Operation

Surgery can correct a health situation in the relatively early stages of the disease if one large joint(knee or wrist) is constantly inflamed. This surgery (synovectomy) removes the synovial lining of the joint, resulting in long-term relief of symptoms.

Joint replacement surgery is performed for patients with more severe joint damage. The most successful operations are on the hips and knees.

Surgical intervention has the following goals:

• relieve pain
• correct deformities
• improve functional state joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is primarily medical problem. That's why surgery is prescribed to those who are under the supervision of an experienced rheumatologist or physician.

Nutrition

The rules of the diet are as follows:

• inclusion sufficient quantity fruits and vegetables;
• reducing the load on the kidneys, liver and stomach;
• exclusion of foods that cause allergies;
• replacing meat with dairy and plant products;
• consumption of foods high in calcium;
• avoidance of foods that cause excess weight.

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment with folk remedies

Treatment folk remedies provides for the use medicinal plants, which have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.

1. To relieve pain in rheumatoid arthritis, you should take equally elderberry flowers, parsley root, stinging nettle leaf and willow bark. Grind everything, and then brew 1 tablespoon of the mixture with 1 glass of boiling water, then boil for 5-7 minutes over low heat, then cool and strain. Take two glasses of decoction, morning and evening.
2. Flowers collected during chestnut flowering filled with high-quality vodka (you need to take one part of vodka for two parts of flowers). The mixture is infused for two weeks in a dark place, filtered and after that the tincture is ready for use. You need to take the tincture 5 drops three times a day an hour before meals.
3. Dissolves in one hundred grams of alcohol 50 grams of camphor oil and add 50 grams of mustard powder. Separately, beat the whites of two eggs and add them to the mixture. The resulting ointment is rubbed into the affected joint and relieves pain symptoms well.
4. Burdock will help relieve joint pain. It can be used in the form of tinctures. Grind the leaves of the plant in a meat grinder and pour in vodka (500 ml of vodka for 500 g of leaves). Shake the mixture and put it in the refrigerator. At night, apply gauze soaked generously in this solution to the sore spot. The pain goes away after several compresses. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with folk remedies can also be done by wrapping whole burdock leaves at night.

At home, you can make compresses, rub in homemade ointments, and prepare decoctions. It is important to follow the correct eating style, which helps restore metabolism in the body.

Prevention

Prevention of the disease and its exacerbations is aimed, first of all, at eliminating risk factors (stress, smoking, toxins), normalizing body weight and maintaining a balanced diet.

Compliance with these rules will help avoid disability and prevent the rapid progression of RA.

Forecast

Rheumatoid arthritis shortens life expectancy by an average of 3 to 12 years. A 2005 study by the Mayo Clinic found that the risk of heart disease is twice as high in those with rheumatoid arthritis, regardless of other risk factors such as diabetes, alcoholism, high cholesterol and obesity.

The mechanism by which the risk of heart disease increases is unknown; Availability chronic inflammation is considered a significant factor. It is possible that the use of new biological drugs can increase life expectancy and reduce risks for the cardiovascular system, as well as slow down the development of atherosclerosis.

Limited studies demonstrate risk reduction cardiovascular diseases, while there is an increase general level cholesterol with a constant atherogenic index.

Some people believe that there is no permanent cure for rheumatoid arthritis and that you can die from it. However, many doctors do not agree with this opinion and convince that a cure is quite possible if the disease is diagnosed initial stages and appointed correct treatment. They resort to drug therapy and prescriptions traditional healers And . Special attention patients will need to pay attention to lifestyle and nutrition.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is a difficult but completely doable task.

Why does the disease appear?

Doctors cannot give a definite answer about the causes of rheumatoid arthritis. However, doctors identify the following risk factors:

• Hereditary predisposition. If parents are diagnosed with arthritis, then the child’s chance of developing it increases.
• Infectious diseases.
• Permanent stressful situations and nervous tension.
• Hypothermia and joint injury.
• Disturbances in the activity of the endocrine system.

How to recognize pathology?

Rheumatoid arthritis has the following symptoms:

• increased body temperature;
• general fatigue;
• swollen lymph nodes;
• inflammatory processes in the joints;
• weight loss;
• stiffness of movement in the morning;
• deformation bone tissue;
• painful sensations when moving.

How to permanently cure rheumatoid arthritis?

Essential Medicines

The disease is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. First of all, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, the action of which is aimed at suppressing cyclooxygenase. Under normal conditions, this enzyme is found in the body in small quantities, but its concentration increases when inflammatory processes develop, including as in rheumatoid arthritis. Cyclooxygenase accumulates in the joint area and provokes pain. To get rid of inflammation, doctors prescribe the following pharmaceuticals to patients:

• "Ibuprofen";
• "Piroxicam";
• "Naproxen."

Rheumatoid arthritis begins to be treated in every situation, this is especially true for a disease that is in a minimal or moderately active stage. Removing the disease, as doctors note, is largely due to individual characteristics each individual patient. For example, for young patients and the elderly, drug treatment is prescribed especially carefully, taking into account all possible unwanted reactions. In cases where the pathology occurs in a severe stage and if the patient has any extra-articular manifestations, arthritis is cured with the help of cytotoxic antidepressants.

Additional medications

Basic medicines

They serve to interrupt the course of the disease, as well as to prevent the destruction of joints and subsequent possible exacerbations. Therapy with such medications takes quite a long time, the first results are visible after at least 30 days. The most popular medicine from this group is Sulfasalazine.

Glucocorticosteroids

These pharmaceuticals are used either orally or intra-articularly. The choice of method of application depends on the severity of rheumatoid arthritis and its location. If the patient takes the medicine orally, then medications from this group can suppress inflammatory processes and stop changes in bone tissue. The joint administration of glucocorticosteroids is used to combat inflammation when oral medications are ineffective. The following medications are used:

• "Prednisolone";
• "Dexamethasone."

Therapy using traditional medicine

Healers claim that rheumatoid arthritis can be cured if simple recipes using medicinal plants are used. Let's consider the most effective folk remedies:

• Nettle infusion. 200 grams of plant leaves are mixed with the same volume of burdock and elecampane roots. You will need to take 3 tablespoons of this mixture and pour them with a liter of water. The ingredients are put on the stove until they boil, after which they are placed in a warm place and left to steep for an hour. The resulting infusion is consumed until recovery occurs.
• A decoction of aspen bark. You will need to take 3 tablespoons of the ingredient, place them in a saucepan and add 3 glasses of water. Send to low heat and cook for 30 minutes. After this, the broth is filtered and consumed in small portions. It should be used until rheumatoid arthritis is completely cured.
• Sea ​​buckthorn. Both the leaves of the plant and its fruits are suitable for preparing the infusion. You will need 2 tablespoons of raw materials, which are poured into 500 ml hot water and insist for an hour. Drink 100 g infusion before meals 4 r. in a day.

Every person has encountered in his life elderly people whose joints are disfigured. In most cases, old age is considered the main culprit. This is somewhat incorrect. What can cause such terrible deformation of joints? Of course, we will talk about arthritis. The inflammatory process seriously damages the joints. Can this be prevented? And how to treat arthritis? Let's figure it out.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This is an inflammatory disease that has chronic form. Initially, one joint is affected. But in some cases, the disease can affect several at once. Most often, the disease begins its journey from the small joints of the hands or feet. However, initial damage to the elbow, knee, temporomandibular, and hip joints also occurs.

Unfortunately, a progressive disease leads to irreversible processes in the joints. The disease remains forever, gradually worsening the condition of the bones. Therefore, the question arises quite acutely: how to treat rheumatoid arthritis? After all, from time to time the disease makes itself felt with various exacerbations.

The patient reacts quite sharply to injuries, hypothermia, climatic conditions, stress, physical activity, infections. During the course of the disease, internal organs are also affected. These are, as a rule, the kidneys, blood vessels, heart, nervous system, and lungs. Complications occur at any stage of the disease. These consequences are mostly reversible if the patient does not self-medicate and initially discusses the question of how to treat arthritis with a doctor.

The main causes of the disease

The source of the development of the disease can be one (or more) of the following factors:

• Genetic predisposition. It is not the disease itself that is inherited, but a disorder in the functioning of the immune system. An incorrect response to infections can cause arthritis.
• Psycho-emotional stress and physical exercise. Childbirth and abortion often lead to illness. Problems in the social or family sphere can lead to illness. Radiation, chemical, and toxic effects on the body also provoke the appearance of arthritis.
• Infections. To date, several agents have been identified that can trigger the development of the disease. Some of them: herpes viruses, rubella, Epstein-Barr, cytomegalovirus, retroviruses, mycoplasma. But none can become the sole cause of the disease. This is a kind of trigger mechanism that connects other factors.

Visit doctor

When faced with a formidable disease for the first time, patients feel confused. How to treat arthritis of the fingers? (As previously noted, these are often the first joints to be affected by the disease.) The main thing is not to panic.

Treatment for arthritis will only be successful if it is started on time. Therefore, those who do not want to become disabled, in mandatory should visit a rheumatologist. In the meantime, let's look at how to treat finger arthritis.

Medication methods

Modern doctors are able to offer many effective ways to combat the disease. These measures can relieve joint problems in a long period. A medical professional will not only select the necessary therapy, but will also explain in detail how to treat arthritis and arthrosis. Methods to combat the disease consist of the following steps:

• Diagnostics. The type of arthritis and the main causes of its occurrence are determined.
• Prescribing antibacterial drugs.
• The use of non-steroidal and hormonal ointments, tablets. Intra-articular injections may be included. Their action is to relieve inflammation and reduce pain syndrome. Often, the doctor’s choice stops at using the following medications:

  - "Diclofenac" - gel;
  - Celebrex capsules;
  - tablets and ointment "Nise";
  - Movalis injections or tablets.

• Restoration of cartilage tissue. This is very Long procces. Therefore, it is worth being patient. Chondroprotectors "Teraflex" and "Artron Hondrex" are used as restorative agents.
• Physiotherapy. The following procedures will speed up recovery and further consolidate the results:

  Massotherapy;
  - mud therapy;
  - ultrasound;
  - warming up;
  - magnetic therapy.

• Physiotherapy. Exercises in the pool or a special set of exercises are recommended. This method permissible in remission phase.
• Diet. To stop further progression of the disease, you should enrich your diet with antioxidants and vitamin E.
• Surgical intervention. Last resort, which is used only when it is ineffective drug treatment. During surgery, the affected joint is replaced with a prosthesis.

It should be noted that all methods of combating the disease are purely individual. Treatment that suits one patient will not always benefit another. Therefore, you should not self-medicate. All methods and questions about how to treat arthritis of the joints must be discussed with a doctor.

Folk remedies

These measures cannot be used self-treatment. However, their use can have a beneficial effect on the course of the disease. But don’t forget, before treating arthritis with folk remedies, be sure to listen to your doctor’s advice.

This kind of medicine can really help the patient. Especially if, along with the use of folk remedies, correct image life, do special gymnastics.

Marsh cinquefoil

For people seeking to find an answer to the question of how to treat rheumatoid arthritis, traditional medicine advises the above-mentioned herb. It is used both as a tincture for oral administration and as an ointment. The results from use are quite effective.

• Sabelnik tincture . The root of the plant should be cut lengthwise. Grind thoroughly. The resulting pieces should be about 1 cm in size. Approximately 200 g of the prepared root must be poured with vodka (1 l). Use glass containers. The composition must be infused for three weeks. Then the solution should be filtered. Squeeze out the roots thoroughly. It is recommended to take the product before meals, approximately half an hour. Single dose - 1 tbsp. l. After drinking the tincture for 4-6 weeks, you definitely need to take a break for a month. It is recommended to keep the solution tightly closed in a dark place. Temperature: room temperature.
• Ointment from cinquefoil tincture. Manufacturing takes place in a water bath. Take goose (pork) fat and combine with cinquefoil tincture (10:1). The resulting ointment should be rubbed into damaged joints overnight. Be sure to remember to wrap the sore areas with warm towels.

Coniferous infusions

How to treat arthritis? Only using integrated methods. Traditional medicine advises the use of antitumor and immunomodulatory agents to combat rheumatoid arthritis. An excellent medicine is an infusion of pine needles. It is aimed at strengthening the immune system.

Grind the pine needles. Pour boiling water over the resulting ingredient, in the amount of 0.5 cups. The latter will require 1 liter. The mixture should infuse for 15-20 minutes. Add 1 liter of cooled boiled water to it. Strain the infusion. Next, put it in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours. Carefully, without stirring the settled sediment, drain the infusion. The dose of this drug is 0.5 cups. Drink the specified amount of infusion 5-6 times throughout the day. If desired, you can add honey, sugar, lemon juice to the product.

Folk ointment

There are many different methods to solve the problem. Enough effective way which allows us to answer the question of how to treat arthritis of the hands is healing ointment. To make it you will need 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp turpentine. - and the same amount of vinegar (apple vinegar). By thoroughly mixing the ingredients, you will get the necessary ointment. This tool should be rubbed into damaged joints.

Onion compress

Quite an effective way to treat arthritis.

Grind one medium onion on a fine grater. The resulting mush is an amazing panacea. Apply the resulting mixture to the damaged joints for about half an hour. It is recommended to repeat the procedure several times a day.

Warming bath

In search of an answer to the question of how to treat arthritis, most people carefully study folk remedies. Doctors do not rule out the use of such drugs as adjuvant therapy. The main thing to remember is that the use of each method should be decided with a doctor.

Enough in an effective way is a warming bath. For this you should stock up on essential oils of sandalwood, calendula or St. John's wort. They can be easily purchased at a pharmacy. Add a few drops to warm water essential oil. Immerse arthritic hands in the liquid for 15-20 minutes.

Potato infusion

Taking one raw potato, chop it thoroughly. You can use a fine grater. Pour the resulting pulp with a glass of kefir. This drug should be used according to a certain scheme.

So, for the first ten days (10 days), drink the infusion daily. In the second, the medicine is applied every other day. During the third decade, drink the drink every 2 days.

Thus, the course is extended over 2 months. Potato infusion allows you to get rid of pain for a long time long time. But, unfortunately, symptoms may return. Therefore, it is recommended to repeat the course after a while for prevention purposes.

Buttercup compresses

Another great way to show how to treat knee arthritis- this is the use of warming bandages. You need to be very careful with this method. Applying a compress to the injured knee is only necessary for 2 hours. Otherwise, you are guaranteed a severe burn.

To make a compress you will need a handful of ranunculus flowers. Grind them to form juice. Apply this paste to the damaged joint. Wrap the compress in polyethylene. Secure carefully with a bandage. After 1-2 hours (time varies depending on the severity of the disease), the compress should be removed.

This product will leave a small burn on the skin. The next day the area will be covered in blisters. You shouldn't pierce them. Wrap with clean gauze as they will get wet. Healers promise that blisters are completely painless, so you should not be afraid of them. But with their disappearance from the skin, arthritis will completely disappear.

If blisters do not appear the next day, then, unfortunately, the procedure must be repeated again.

Conclusion

Be sure to discuss all questions about how to treat arthritis with your doctor. This will avoid unpleasant complications and consequences. After all, only a doctor is able to correctly diagnose the disease, exclude individual intolerance, and take into account the interaction of various drugs. Therefore, remember, using any prescriptions without consulting a doctor is a huge risk of acquiring a “bouquet” of complications.

Scroll medicinal groups, used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is impressive. The list of side effects they cause is even more impressive.

But the medicine can be synthesized in unlimited quantities in the leaves of plants and contained in common foods!

In the most regular products food may contain medicine

So, 3 cloves of garlic eaten daily can easily replace a whole handful of tablets. And only treatment with folk remedies can quickly alleviate seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, which is difficult to respond to basic treatment. Therefore, when you hear the doctor’s disappointing verdict about an incurable disease, do not despair: treatment with folk remedies will help curb rheumatoid arthritis.

How to treat rheumatoid arthritis using folk remedies?

Most people mistakenly associate traditional treatment using decoctions and rubbing.

In fact, traditional methods of treating rheumatoid arthritis are a whole range of measures, including taking healing decoctions, external use of leaves of some plants and homemade ointments, restorative diets, gymnastics and exposure to the healing heat of a Russian bath.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with folk remedies and nutrition allows you to maintain sufficient health for the patient. good level and curb relapses and, importantly, does not require a grueling hospital stay.

How to treat rheumatoid arthritis at home?

Healing herbs

Herbs for rheumatoid arthritis reduce the inflammatory process, and with it the pain that limits movement.
Some effective recipes from herbs:

• The outflow of inflammatory fluid is promoted by the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with buttercup: 3 tbsp. Grind the flowers into a paste until the juice is released. Place the resulting mass with juice in a plastic bag and apply it to the sore joint for 2 hours. Secure with a bandage.
  

  If everything is done correctly, the skin will turn slightly red, and after a day and a half, blisters will appear on it - as healers say, this is evidence that the disease was “pulled” from the body by the blood and lymphatic system and he will “leave” from it along with urine.

  The remedy is the strongest;

• Herbal treatment will help pacify rheumatoid arthritis, which “fetters” joint mobility. Combine and mix well, 2 tbsp. herbs horsetail and St. John's wort, chamomile and linden flowers; add 3 tbsp. calendula flowers, birch leaves and buds. 1 tbsp. collection, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Drink the drug during the day, 60-70 ml 30 minutes before meals, and before going to bed, apply it as a compress for 3 hours. The product perfectly restores joint mobility;
• Hemlock for rheumatoid arthritis will soothe joints “filled” with inflammatory exudate and relieve intense pain that occurs in muscles, ligaments and tendons in morning hours. A tincture of it is taken twice a day, 5-7 drops.

You will learn more recipes from the video:

Propolis and honey

Beekeepers claim that propolis tincture for rheumatoid arthritis is as effective as aspirin.

Reviews from patients who practice treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with propolis testify: the use of a medicine produced by winged pharmacists allows you to forget about pain after just a few procedures.

Recipes with propolis:

• Keep the container with a piece of propolis and olive oil in a water bath until the propolis dissolves. Lubricate sore joints with a cooled mixture twice a day;
• Add a few drops of propolis tincture to the diluted water and stir blue clay, mix again. Wrap the affected joint in a layer of cotton cloth and coat it with the resulting mixture. Cover the joint with another layer of fabric, cellophane film and a piece of wool. Repeat 10 days in a row, keeping the compress for 3 hours;
• Traditional methods of treating rheumatoid arthritis do not ignore the “liquid gold” produced by winged workers. Heat a fresh cabbage leaf slightly under water and dry with a towel. Cut the large veins. Coat one side of the sheet with honey and apply it to the joint. Wrap the joint in plastic and a woolen scarf and keep the compress on all night.

Propolis effectively relieves pain

Healing sodium bicarbonate

Many patients, faced with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, note the effectiveness of treating it at home with... baking soda! How does drinking soda affect rheumatoid arthritis?

Its internal use helps the body “stock up” with alkali and actively cleanse itself of excess chlorine and sodium. Elimination of the latter promotes the accumulation of potassium in the cells of the body, - important element, supporting the contractile function of muscles.

In addition, the use of soda “balances” metabolic processes in cells, promoting the outflow of inflammatory fluid and increasing their energy potential.

This improves the nutrition of connective tissues and the quality synovial fluid, pain in the joint becomes less pronounced, and its functioning improves.
Therefore, when faced with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, do not neglect the following recipes that traditional medicine offers:

• Combine equal proportions of baking soda, sea salt, honey and mustard powder. Apply the mixture to the joint, wrap with film and a scarf. Make compresses at night for half a month;
• For patients with damage to multiple joints (rheumatoid polyarthritis), treatment with other folk remedies is recommended to be combined with oral soda. Take it on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before each of 3 meals. Start taking it with 3 grams of soda, which is dissolved in a glass of warm water. Then the amount of soda is adjusted to 15 g. The course of treatment is designed for a month.

But taking soda internally requires special caution. You will learn more from the video:

Enjoy Your Bath!

A bathhouse for rheumatoid arthritis promotes the accumulation of heat in diseased joints and literally “pours” energy into them, restoring their former flexibility.

However, “take it to the fullest” bath procedures Rheumatic patients should not.

A 5-10 minute stay in the steam room is enough, after which you need to properly cool down in the shower, working with a stream from top to bottom, starting from the neck. During the period of taking corticosteroids and for a month after it, bath procedures are contraindicated.

But winter swimming and dousing with cold water are unacceptable for this illness. Hardening for rheumatoid arthritis is best done under an invigorating stream contrast shower, - beginning warm water, continuing with hot water, and then with several approaches of alternating cold and hot water. After completing the procedure with cold water, rub with a towel.

Three recognized recipes

Time-tested and generation-tested recipes for rheumatoid arthritis:

Diet against pain

Proper nutrition is very important in treating arthritis

To avoid relapses, limit your intake of salt and sugar, prefer vegetable fats to animal fats, avoid eating meat broths, dairy products, pickles and canned food. Load up on fruits and vegetables, drink decoctions of berries - rose hips, cranberries.

Read more about diet for rheumatoid arthritis

Conclusion

Many patients, faced with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, leave the most positive reviews. Thus, for some of them, the use of golden mustache tincture in combination with the drug Arava allowed them to abandon the well-known side effects Methotrexate, and burdock leaf compresses can sometimes replace an injection of pain medication. Therefore, live without pain in harmony with nature!