Joint and ligament pain is a global problem for people living in the 21st century. Due to improper lifestyle, low mobility, wearing beautiful and at the same time uncomfortable shoes, diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis appear. At the same time, statistics and facts state that these diseases are getting younger from year to year.
How to deal with them? Which joint pills are the most effective and safest to take? You will find answers to these questions by reading this material.
Arthritis and arthrosis
Before going to the pharmacy and asking the pharmacist exactly which joint pills are best to buy, it’s worthwhile to talk a little about the diseases themselves that cause joint pain - namely, arthritis and arthrosis.
Arthritis is the collective name for a group of diseases that are inflammatory in nature and affect joints and cartilage. In this case, those diseases are most often called that during which the whole organism is involved. Arthritis can indicate serious violations in human health, a metabolic failure, a malfunction with the endocrine system, and so on. Arthrosis is a problem involving only inflammation of the joints. That is why in the article we will talk primarily about how to cope with arthrosis, which pills for joint arthrosis to take.
Symptoms
Symptoms of arthrosis include:
- Pain. The most obvious, he is the first sign of arthrosis of the joints. Pain with arthrosis differs from pain due to trauma in that it occurs only with movement, and its area is limited to one joint (usually).
- Crunching joints. Strictly speaking, joints tend to crunch just like that and for no particular reason. However, the crackle of joints due to arthrosis sounds more “dry”, in addition, it is accompanied by pain.
- Impairment of joint mobility. Muscle spasms caused by the growth of tumors in the bone impair the mobility of a particular joint. This symptom is observed only at 3-4 stages of arthrosis. Starting with this symptom, joint treatment pills are of little help.
- Joint deformity. This includes severe swelling, a change in the appearance of the joint. Joint deformation is usually accompanied by the last, 4 stage of arthrosis.
If you observe these symptoms at least in the initial stage, it is likely that you will soon need pills for joint pain or other treatment.
Risk factors
Risk factors and causes causing a high likelihood of arthrosis include:
- Improper nutrition.
- Various injuries.
- Obesity, which leads to an increase in the load on the joints.
- Hypothermia.
- Age over 60 years.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Poisoning.
- Thyroid disease.
- Often colds.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Low blood coagulability.
In addition, arthrosis is called a professional disease of the dancers - because of the high loads that the representatives of this profession constantly subject to their joints. You can also include women wearing high-heeled shoes, as a result of which, after a certain period of time, they have to take pills for pain in leg joints.
Osteoarthritis also affects pianists and programmers, that is, representatives of professions in which a large load is also created, only on the joints of the fingers and hands.
Ointments and gels
Before drinking tablets for joints, try topical preparations - various gels and ointments rubbed into the skin in the area affected by arthrosis of the joint. Local medicines such as Fastum Gel, Diclofenac, and Voltaren have proven themselves well in pain relief. Their effect is obvious, they reduce inflammation quite effectively.
However, due to the low level of their accessibility to the joint (only about 5% of the external drug reaches the joint itself) they do not always completely solve the problem, in some cases only alleviating the pain, but not eliminating the inflammation. That is why in case of insufficient local therapy, it is possible to recommend the introduction of injections directly into the affected joint.
Injections
An injection of an anti-inflammatory drug can be a more effective remedy than a traditional joint medicine (pill). In this case, the agent is injected directly into the synovial fluid, which provides a direct effect on the cartilage tissue and the joint itself, and therefore gives a strong and quick effect.
Corticosteroids are usually given as injections. Hyaluronic acid administration may also be recommended. This relatively new method of treatment has already proven itself in the best way, but it is still quite expensive and not everyone can afford it at present.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
It is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are most often meant by the expression “joint pills”. Indeed, NSAIDs are one of the most popular treatments for arthrosis. However, it will be useful to note the fact that they do not treat the cause, but only eliminate inflammation and reduce pain, that is, have a symptomatic effect. The root causes of these pills for joint pain will not eliminate. The most famous NSAIDs include the well-known Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Naproxen.
In addition to the fact that NSAIDs “drown out” the symptoms of arthrosis and can play a cruel joke with the patient, suggesting that everything is in order and after the pain is eliminated, further treatment is not required, they can also cause some side effects. The most common of these are irritation of the gastric mucosa, water retention in the body and subsequent increase in pressure, the development of heart failure.
Chondoprotectors
Chondoprotectors are drugs of a completely different level of exposure. These are not just pills for joint pain, they are medicines that protect cartilage and help restore it. In other words, chondoprotectors do not just eliminate pain and inflammation, as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do, but eliminate the cause of arthrosis.
However, it is worth remembering that for joints and ligaments pills of this type will not give a quick effect - they have a very long duration of action. You can see the first effect only after 3-4 months of regular use of chondoprotectors, and on average, the course of treatment prescribed by the doctor will last from six months to a year. It is also worth noting the fact that chondoprotectors make sense only in the early stages of arthrosis. In the later stages, they will no longer help, since there is almost nothing to restore and nourish there. However, in the early stages, when arthrosis is not so much launched, they show themselves very well.
The most effective chondoprotectors are Arthra, Don, Teraflex, Structum, Chondrolon. Most of them are available in the form of capsules for oral administration, as well as ampoules for administration intramuscularly directly into the diseased joint.
Medication Warning
Before taking any medications for the treatment of arthrosis and arthritis for a long time, be sure to consult a doctor, as their uncontrolled intake can lead to serious negative effects on the body, and instead of treating one disease, you risk getting a second.
Other methods
Other treatments include:
- Physiotherapy.
- Physiotherapy.
- Spa treatment.
- Oxygen therapy.
Also, speaking about alternative methods of treatment, one cannot fail to mention the need for dieting. Proper nutrition will help not only prevent impending arthrosis, but also significantly help in the treatment of what has already been earned. It is worth emphasizing the consumption of foods rich in B-group vitamins - they are responsible for the correct metabolism, the disturbances of which are so often the cause of arthrosis.
Do not forget about the consumption of products rich in collagen - an ideal example of such a product is jellied meat, a national Russian dish. Natural collagen contained in large quantities will help restore elasticity and strength to damaged cartilages and joints.
And, of course, do not overeat and gain excess body weight. Excess fat in the body automatically means an increase in the load on already weak joints - while there can be no talk of any treatment for arthrosis.
Remember, any medicine for joints - pills, ointments or injections - will not give the proper lasting result, while your lifestyle contributes to arthrosis! Wear comfortable shoes, eat right, keep a moving lifestyle. Then you will not be afraid of any arthrosis and arthritis, and no pills for the treatment of joints will be needed.