Osteoarthritis is a complex degenerative disease that involves the destruction of cartilage tissue inside the joints. This pathological process is the most common joint disease worldwide. According to the latest statistics, it affects about 80% of the population worldwide.
With this disease, various changes and rearrangements occur at the articular ends of the bones for a long time, and inflammatory processes develop. As a result, degeneration of the peristaltic tissues occurs.
Treatment of joint diseases with folk remedies is carried out in order to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and improve motor functions. But it should be understood that their use does not bring immediate results.
With this disease, the destruction of the joints takes place for a long time, respectively, there will be no curative effect in a day or two. Therapy should be prolonged and systematic.
A few words about the disease
Arthritis is a disease in which the destruction of cartilage elements and deformation of the bones is noted. It develops most often against the background of trauma, congenital defects of the musculoskeletal system. Also often joint disease is the result of:
- disorders of the thyroid gland;
- metabolic disorder;
- excess weight;
- malfunction of the gonads.
In medicine, there is another term - osteoarthritis. What is it? This disease is a type of joint disease, but there are some differences from it. Osteoarthritis is a disease of chronic nature, in the process of development that cartilage tissue, ligaments, subchondral bone, synovial membrane, joint capsule and periarticular muscle are involved in the pathological process. The cause of this disease is the same as that of the joint disease, but the symptoms are slightly different.
If only joint pain, swelling, and redness are observed, then with osteoarthritis, joint deformity, gait and appearance changes of the limb are noted. In other words, osteoarthritis is an advanced stage of arthritis in which all joint structures are damaged. The same goes for treating conditions, so when looking at alternative arthritis treatments, they can also be used for osteoarthritis.
Basic rules for home treatment
You can treat arthritis at home at any stage of the disease. But in order for folk remedies to really bring positive results, it is necessary to adhere to some of the following rules:
- The use of alternative medicine does not mean that you need to refuse to take your doctor's prescription medication, exercise procedures, and physical therapy. Folk remedies are only an adjunct to the treatment of joint diseases, not the main one.
- Study recipes carefully. No components can be replaced. Without them, you should find another way to treat your joint disease at home.
- In any case do not change the amount of ingredients used. Their number must fully comply with the indicators described in the instructions.
- In the preparation of the "home remedy" you need to use only fresh and high-quality ingredients. Keep a close eye on its expiration date.
- If you need to mix something, use a wooden spoon. Metal stock when interacting with oxygen will begin to oxidize.
- To cook the broth, it is recommended to use enameled dishes.
- If in addition to dry joints, you also have other chronic diseases (heart failure, stomach ulcers, . . . ) then be sure to consult your doctor before using alternative methods.
Using even the best alternative medicine formulations doesn't mean you can switch to a regular diet. Diet plays an important role in the process of osteoarthritis. During the period of treatment, you need to completely abandon products containing purine. It:
- cocoa, chocolate;
- veal, beef;
- herring, carp;
- pea;
- rice;
- liver, etc. v.
Coffee and alcoholic beverages when suffering from arthritis should also not be drunk. They contain substances that adversely affect joints, reducing their elasticity and strength. You also need to take care of your diet. Water helps flush uric acid salts out. And the fewer they are in the body, the lower the chance of edema and severe pain. It is recommended to drink at least 1. 5-2 liters of water per day. You can replace it with mineral water, juice, fruit juice.
Alternative medicine recipe
Folk remedies for joint disease must be used for a long time. Sometimes treatment is delayed up to 3-6 months. And only if everything is done correctly, positive results will not be long in coming. But even after the condition improves, it is not worth stopping treatment. Results need to be corrected, and for this, it is necessary to apply alternative drug formulations for several more weeks.
horseradish
Joints can be treated with folk remedies at home with the help of horseradish. This will require the root part of the plant. It is used fresh in summer and dried in winter. Before starting treatment, the roots should be thoroughly washed under running water, then chopped with a grater. After that, the resulting mass must be transferred to an enameled vat, filled with water so that the material is submerged by 2-3 cm, next, the barrel is placed on a slow flame. It is not necessary to boil the broth, just cook the roots until soft.
Until the liquid cools down, it is necessary to moisten a napkin with gauze in it, and then apply it in a warm form to the diseased area. Polyethylene is necessarily put on top and a warm bandage is applied. Remove the compression bandage after 1. 5-2 hours. It is not worth keeping any longer, as burns may appear. This procedure is best done before going to bed, because after that you should let the joint rest completely.
Importance! Horseradish root contains substances that irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and eyes. And to avoid trouble, it should be crushed on the street or well-ventilated area. And to prevent the appearance of burns, it is impossible to make such a compress with horseradish more than 1 time per day. If after removal, there is a slight redness on the skin, you should not worry. After 1-2 hours it will pass.
medical secret
To relieve joint pain, traditional medicine proposes to use the method of applying medical bile. You can buy it at any pharmacy. But to apply a tablet, in addition to the main ingredient, you will also need:
- iodine;
- Honey;
- glycerol;
- 10% ammonia.
All ingredients are mixed in equal proportions, transferred to a dark glass container and placed in a place protected from sunlight for 10 days. Shake the box daily. After that, the tincture will be ready to use and you can start setting the compression.
Before each procedure, tincture is heated in a water bath. While still warm, a gauze pad is moistened in it and applied to the affected joint. Wax paper is applied on top, a layer of cotton wool, and then everything is fixed with tape. Keep the compress for 2-3 hours. It is best to do it before going to bed.
Such knee treatment can improve blood circulation, restore damaged cartilage elements, and reduce stiffness with movement. But he has contraindications and these include:
- the presence of open wounds, cuts, pus formation on the skin;
- dermatological diseases of various etiologies;
- component intolerance.
cabbage leaves
Cabbage leaves have a pronounced analgesic effect. Therefore, even doctors recommend using them when there is joint pain. And combined with natural honey, they can eliminate stiffness of movements and improve motor functions.
Use cabbage leaves with honey to apply. To do this, you need to choose fresh and succulent leaves, apply honey to their indentations and then apply to the diseased area. It is necessary to cover with a film on top, and a wool scarf is wrapped on top. Place a gauze pad overnight. Take it off only in the morning. The remaining honey is washed off with warm water. The minimum course of treatment is 30 days.
Importance! If you are allergic to bee products, do not use honey. In this case, only cabbage leaves should be used. But before placing a gauze, they need to be beaten a little so that the juices begin to stand out above them.
Eggshells and kefir
In degenerative joint disease, the joints are deficient in calcium. And this element is very important to them, because it is the "building material", otherwise the process of formation of new cells would be interrupted. And to make up for the lack of calcium, you can use eggshells.
To do this, it must be thoroughly washed, removed all the film, dried and ground into a powder with a coffee grinder or blender. Then the resulting powder must be mixed with 2. 5% kefir to obtain a slurry. The finished composition is transferred to a gauze napkin, and then applied to the damaged joint, a layer of polyethylene and a warm dressing is applied on top. Such a compress is carried out daily 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Chalk
This method of treating joint diseases also aims to supplement the calcium deficiency in the joints. Chalk is also used to set a compress. To do this, it is ground into a powder, and then mixed with sour cream or yogurt. The finished mixture is placed on a gauze napkin, applied to the joint, and polyethylene and a bandage are applied on top. Put such a gauze also a few hours before going to bed.
Elecampane
Treatment of osteoarthritis with folk remedies also includes the use of the drug elecampane. This plant has a pronounced anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. It is sold in pharmacies. Used to make alcohol. To do this, 50 g of a medicinal plant is poured into 125 ml of alcohol. The resulting mixture was transferred to a dark glass container and incubated for 2 weeks in a place protected from sunlight.
After the remedy is infused, it must be filtered. Then put in the refrigerator. It is used to rub the affected arthritis areas. Do the scrubbing in light circular motions for 10-15 minutes. Then, the treatment area is wrapped with a warm towel. Such procedures are carried out 1-2 times a day, depending on the severity of the pain syndrome.
dandelion
Osteoarthritis herbs are used in different ways. So, for example, you can use fresh dandelion flowers. They also help relieve pain and stiffness. They make an alcoholic tincture. To do this, a glass jar is filled with flowers on top and poured with alcohol. The remedy should be infused in a dark place for 1 month. Then it will be filtered. Use in the same manner as tincture of elecampane.
Importance! Following the same scheme, you can prepare a tincture of white lilac. It also perfectly eliminates joint pain and has a decongestant effect.
Canary tree
Talking about the most effective means of alternative medicine to combat joint diseases, it is also necessary to mention celandine. Oil is made from this plant. To do this, take the fresh leaves and stems of the plant. They are mixed in equal proportions and rolled through a meat grinder, then in the amount of 8 tbsp. l. pour 1 liter of olive oil.
The resulting mixture is placed in a dark place for 14 days. Once it is infused, it can be used to treat joint pain. To do this, the finished oil is applied to the affected area in a small amount and rubbed in a light circular motion for 5-10 minutes. It is recommended to use this remedy 2-3 times a day.
bay leaf
Bay leaves have the ability to remove excess uric acid salts from the body that accumulate in the joints causing inflammation and pain. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms, you should take 12 bay leaves, put them in an enameled pan and pour 400 ml of cold water. The box was on fire. When the water boils, reduce the heat and cook the broth for 5 minutes.
Then the broth is poured into a thermos and boiled for another 12 hours. It is then filtered and consumed completely during the day for 3-5 doses. The course of treatment is 7 days. After that, take a 5 day break and then continue the treatment. Such treatment is carried out for 2-3 months. The decoction is prepared daily. Its storage time should not exceed 24 hours. There are contraindications:
- pregnancy;
- kidney disease;
- liver function decline.
honey
The use of honey improves blood circulation in the affected joint and enhances the synthesis of synovial fluid, which acts as a lubricant. In the case of arthritis and osteoarthritis, it is used in its pure form for massage. To do this, it is placed in a water bath and heated. During the whole procedure, the honey should be warm. It is applied in a small amount to the affected area and begins to "drive" into the skin with the palm of your hand with light touching movements.
The massage is done for 20 minutes. Once completed, the treated area is wrapped with a warm towel for 1. 5-2 hours. The remaining honey is washed off with warm water. The full course of treatment is 10 sessions. Massage for the first 3-4 days is done daily, then every other day.
In addition, to treat osteoarthritis and dry joints, honey can be used to compress. To do this, it is mixed with salt in a ratio of 2: 1. The resulting mixture is placed on a soft cotton cloth and applied to the diseased joint. A layer of cotton wool is applied on top and fixed with a bandage. Keep compressed should be at least 3 hours. It is best to do it before going to bed.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal also helps fight joint pain, reduce swelling. Use it to compress, pre-boil without adding salt and sugar. When the porridge is still warm, it must be mixed with honey so that it is thick, not dry. The resulting composition is transferred to a gauze napkin and applied to the joint. Polyethylene is laid on top, warm bandages are applied. Compression is kept throughout the night.
pharmacy cocktails
To prepare it you will need:
- iodine tincture;
- aspirin.
The proportions are as follows - for 10 ml of iodine 5 tablets. The ingredients are mixed, after grinding the aspirin into a powder, and the resulting mixture is applied to the damaged joint. Put a film on top and secure everything with tape. Keep the compress for 2 hours. For best results, it should be alternated with applying honey.
Healing Ointment
Great for pain and inflammation relief. To prepare it, you will need Roman chamomile, money tree and burdock root. The ingredients are pre-ground and combined together in equal proportions. Then the resulting mixture is mixed with kerosene so that the composition acquires an ointment consistency. Before use, the product must be placed in a dark place for 2 days. Ointment should be rubbed into the affected joint 3-5 times a day.
Herbs
You can supplement your home remedies for arthritis with herbal infusions and decoctions. Herbs contain large amounts of nutrients that contribute to:
- excretion of uric acid salts;
- eliminate inflammatory reactions;
- pain relief;
- repair damaged tissues.
Among all the alternative medicine formulations, the most effective among them are:
- A combination of nettle, parsley root, elderflower and oak bark. From these plants, a remedy is prepared for drinking. Take them in equal proportions, mix well. Then 2 tbsp. l. 400 ml of boiling water is poured into the finished material and soaked for about 30-40 minutes. Take the "pill" 2 times a day in the form of a stretch, 150-200 ml.
- Saber alcohol. To prepare, take the root part of the plant. It is crushed and poured with alcohol in a ratio of 1: 2. After 14 days of infusion in a dark place, the product is filtered and left in the refrigerator. Tincture is taken 2 times a day, 1 teaspoon each time. It can also be used to massage painful joints.
- The decoction of the leaves of the purple hollyhock, nettle, and birch. The ingredients are pre-mixed in equal proportions. Then 1 tbsp is taken from the received collection. l. herbs and pour them with a cup of boiling water. The broth is simmered in a water bath for 15-20 minutes, then simmered for 30 minutes and filtered. Drink ½ cup 2 times a day.
Folk remedies effectively combat the pain and inflammation in the joints that occur with arthrosis and osteoarthritis. However, you need to understand that they do not have an immediate effect. Only long-term and systematic use in combination with primary treatments can achieve satisfactory results and prevent further progression of the disease.