Before answering the question of how to restore synovial fluid in the joints, we will try to clearly explain why it is needed. Imagine an iron robot created in the likeness of a human. It is assembled from separate parts connected by hinges, with the help of which the robot can bend, bend its arms, raise its legs. If the hinges are lubricated, all movements occur almost silently, and the easier it is, the better the lubrication. If for some reason the robot is not lubricated, he, poor fellow, will begin to creak terribly at every step or inclination, in the places of friction of his joints, the metal will begin to wear out, and it will soon break. The same thing happens with us people. Our skeleton consists of “parts” - bones connected by “hinges” - joints, the lubricant of which is synovial fluid, or synovia. As long as it is, we move easily as we want. But as soon as problems arise with our “lubricant”, the joints first begin to “creak”, and then completely collapse. Is it possible to restore synovial fluid in the joint to ensure its normal functioning? Is it necessary to resort to the help of doctors for this, or can I do it myself at home? What are the treatment options?
Briefly on the role of synovial fluid
It is difficult to explain how to restore synovial fluid in the joints without saying anything about the joints themselves. They are only similar to the hinges of a robot, but they are much more complicated. Depending on the location in our body and the performed loads, the joints are divided into simple and complex, complex and combined, cylindrical, spherical, cup-shaped, saddle-shaped, flat. Each of them has its own characteristics, but in any there is a joint surface of the connected bones, covered with hyaline cartilage, a joint capsule with an inner layer in the form of a synovial membrane and a synovial fluid produced by this membrane.
For the joint to work well, its
hyaline cartilage must be of the correct thickness, the joint capsule and
synovial membrane are not inflamed, and the synovial fluid in the required amount. If it is less than normal, the cartilage begins to rub one against the other, causing us pain and slowly collapsing. That is why restoration of synovial fluid in the body is so important. But the biomechanical role is not the only work of the synovium. When a person moves his arm and leg, his joints first contract. At the same time, the so-called interstitial fluid is released from the cartilage, which is mixed with synovia and purified from unnecessary substances. When the arms and legs return to their previous position, the interstitial fluid is drawn back. That is, the synovial fluid feeds the cartilage, carries out metabolic metabolism, removes dead cells from the joint through the lymphatic vessels, and performs a barrier (protective-immune) function.
Physical properties
In appearance, the joint fluid is a transparent, light-yellow mass, viscous, elastic in consistency, slightly resembling mucus. It is bad for the joint to work when it is small. Not better when there are a lot of synovia. Her excess must be pumped out, otherwise the synovial membrane may become inflamed. Normally, in a healthy person, the synovial fluid should be from 2.5 to 4 ml. This is data for the joints of the limbs. In the vertebral joints, it is much smaller. How to restore synovial fluid in the right volume, prompt the reasons leading to its decrease:
- decrease in immunity;
- loss of water (dehydration), which can be caused by elementary heat and low consumption of life-giving moisture, as well as any infection;
- helminths;
- lack of nutrition of foods rich in vitamins and minerals, especially A and calcium;
- high and frequent physical activity.
As can be seen from this list, it is possible to restore synovial fluid, if its losses are not associated with diseases, simply by changing the load regime and nutrition. But there are also reasons for the decrease in synovia in the joints, which a person cannot influence. One of them is age. Over the years, the synthesis of many necessary substances, for example, hyaluronan, decreases in our body. Therefore, to extend the life of the joint, we must either stimulate the body to produce what we need, or take it from the outside.
The role of hyaluronan for joint health
How to restore synovial fluid without knowing what it consists of? Its composition is somewhat reminiscent of blood plasma, only there are about 3 times less proteins in it, because the synovial membrane does not pass molecules with a large molecular weight, plus there is hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan in synovium. This polysaccharide is the most important component of synovia. It is produced by the villi of the synovial membrane. From how much it is in synovial fluid, its volume in the joint mainly depends. The main role of hyaluronic acid is to prevent the exit of fluid from the joint capsule. That is, it holds water molecules and other substances. In our body, hyaluronan is not only in synovia, but also in saliva, in the skin, in the vitreous. In joints, this very important substance provides the desired viscosity of the synovial fluid, and is also part of the cartilage, making them elastic.
Cholesterol and other components of synovia
In addition to hyaluronan, in the synovial fluid there are proteins that provide viscosity, and cholesterol in the form of arachidonic, palmitic, oleic, stearic acids. Cholesterol molecules are located on the articular surfaces, overlapping each other. This reduces cartilage friction. Thus, the answer to the question "how to restore synovial fluid" is this: to make up for the lack of its components in the body.
In addition to the necessary elements, living and dead cells (synoviocytes, lymphocytes, histiocytes, monocytes and others), microscopic fragments of cartilage wear, proteins (mainly globulins) are present in the synovia. In the synovia of a healthy person, there should be no more than 31.5 g / l of proteins. If these numbers are exceeded, then the joint is inflamed. In order to restore not the volume, but the chemical composition of the synovial fluid, you must first find out the cause of the inflammation (this can be an injury, arthritis, arthrosis, synovitis, bursitis). If there is a need, for example, difficulties with establishing the correct diagnosis, a series of studies of synovial fluid are carried out, the main of which is puncture. It is performed without pain relief, since novocaine is able to change the analysis data. The results determine the volume of synovia, its viscosity (should be approximately 0.57 PaHs), transparency, color, pH (norm 7.3-7.5), density, mucin clot, percentage of leukocytes and phagocytes, the presence of microcrystals of sodium urate salts (above normal for gout). If qualitative changes in the synovial fluid are found, which also causes pain during movement and the destruction of cartilage, prescribe treatment with appropriate medications.
Replenishment of Hyaluronan by Food
First, consider how to restore synovial fluid by the simplest and most affordable methods, which include a balanced diet in the first place. In a healthy adult, synovia should contain from 2.45 to 3.97 g / l of hyaluronan. The body begins to reduce its production due to natural causes (without disease) from about the age of 30. To find out how much hyaluronic acid is contained in synovia, it is possible in a medical institution with the help of a puncture. But you can not resort to such cardinal traumatic methods. Hyaluronan not only knows how to retain water, it is able to change its liquid state to a gel state, thereby making the skin elastic and more resistant to undesirable environmental influences.
The first signs of a lack of this component are expressed in fine wrinkles on the face, in a decrease in skin tone and its fresh appearance. In the future, people’s vision deteriorates, since hyaluronan must be in the right proportions in the vitreous, and the joints begin to creak and crackle. When such "first swallows" occur, you can add the following products to the diet to restore synovial fluid, namely hyaluronan:
- chicken bouillon;
- aspic;
- jelly;
- jelly;
- stew;
- soy and soy products;
- red wine and generally grapes in any form;
- potatoes and other products containing starch.
Dietary supplements
Proper nutrition is effective in the early stages of reducing synovia, and if the process has gone too far, it is a good help for more effective means, such as dietary supplements. Their difference from food is that they contain much higher concentrations of hyaluronan. In principle, the knee joint does not care where the hyaluronan came from - it was developed by the body itself or entered with food, the main thing is that there is enough for it.
When choosing a dietary supplement, you need to carefully read its composition, because it may not contain hyaluronan. For example, in Gelenk Narung it is not, although it is also offered for joints. In pharmacies, you can buy a good dietary supplement, which is called “Hyaluronan” (or Hyaluronic Acid).
In the Russian market there are many companies engaged in the production of such products. One of them is ARGO. It has existed since 1996 and enjoys an excellent reputation because its employees, who are representatives of 27 manufacturers, know very well how to restore synovial fluid in the joints. Preparations "ARGO" are of high quality and at the same time affordable prices. In total, the company has about 600 types of products, including not only dietary supplements, but also ointments, creams for external use in case of joint problems, as well as massage products.
Injections
For those who have a very significant lack of hyaluronan, and its renewal is unproductive even with the use of dietary supplements, there is only one thing left - to do injections with hyaluronan in the joint. One of these drugs is Fermatron, which is also called the prosthesis of hyaluronic acid. It is used mainly when the damage to the joints is already significant, which is accompanied by pain with any movement. How to restore synovial fluid in the knee joint using a protector? "Fermatron" is injected into the joint with a syringe once every 6-7 days. The course of treatment is from 3 to 5 days, depending on the degree of joint destruction. Once in the synovial capsule, sodium hyaluronan, which is the main component of the drug, begins to perform the work of natural hyaluronic acid, and in addition, induces the body to increase its production. In addition to the joint capsule, sodium hyaluronan enters the muscles surrounding the joint, ligaments, and membranes, so the effect of injections is always good. This method cannot be used with:
- inflammatory joint diseases;
- pregnancy;
- not reaching the age of 18;
- open wounds;
- skin diseases;
- venous or lymphatic stasis.
Replenishing Good Cholesterol
It was indicated above that for the joint to function properly, some fatty unsaturated acids must be present in the synovial fluid. It is difficult to balance their number, therefore it is undesirable to take them separately in the form of bioadditives, but replenishing them with food is very useful. This is another answer to the question of how to restore synovial fluid in the joints at home. What products should I “lean on” for this purpose? Seafood, spinach, pumpkin seeds, low-fat cottage cheese, beef liver restock vitamin B, which stimulates the production of arachidonic acid. Mackerel, salmon, soy are suppliers of linoleic acid. Beef, pork and cod fat, as well as several dozen oils, including olive, sesame, cashew, cocoa, and corn, help replenish oleic acid reserves. There is a lot of stearic acid in lamb fat, palm oil and some other vegetable oils. Butter and lard should be consumed to replenish the amount of palmitic acid.
Synovial fluid recovery folk remedies
In addition to eating foods containing hyaluronan, traditional healers advise using some herbs that help cleanse the synovia and renew its amount.
Here are some recipes:
1. Tea from lingonberry leaf. Preparation: pour a glass of boiling water into 2 teaspoons (1.5 dessert cans) of dry raw materials and let stand in a water bath for 10 minutes. Insist. Strain. Take during the day, be sure to pre-drink any alkaline mineral water.
2. Alcohol tincture of saber Preparation: in 0.5 l of vodka add dry raw materials (50 g of roots) and let stand in a dark place for 3 weeks. Usage: taken orally before meals on a tablespoon of tincture diluted in 50 ml of water, externally do compresses on the affected joints.
Some healers advise treating the joints with bees, using bee products at the same time, practicing bee sting and alcohol tincture from death.
How to restore synovial fluid in the spine
The upright posture of a person has led to the fact that his spine has a unique structure. It consists of individual vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which have taken on the role of shock absorbers. Therefore, synovial fluid in the joints of the spine is very small. Every day, each person loads his spine, even when just sitting. Injuries, diseases, heavy loads (for example, lifting weights), postural curvature, poor nutrition and many other causes lead to deformities in the intervertebral discs and a decrease in synovial fluid. To solve these problems, specific treatment for each disease is performed. But you can strengthen the spine, create conditions for self-healing of all its structures without resorting to doctors, for example, according to the Evminov technique, which is based on strengthening the back muscles. This helps maintain the spinal column and improves the diffuse nutrition of the intervertebral discs. In combination with proper nutrition, exercises to stretch the spine can again restore his health.