Treating arthritis at home with folk remedies

Treatment of arthritis with folk remedies gives good results if it is carried out in the first stages of its development, systematically and taking into account contraindications. It is a mistake to assume that the use of medicinal plants is recommended for everyone - they contain compounds that can enter into a biochemical reaction and cause a certain effect, which, if there are contraindications, can be absolutely undesirable.

Why does the joint become inflamed?

Modern medicine, unfortunately, does not have an exact answer to this question, although arthritis is a fairly ancient disease. Its signs were found in Neanderthals, ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Macedonians. Nowadays, scientists suggest that the causes of the inflammatory process in a mobile joint may be:

hypothermia;
injury;
physical overload of the joint;
local or general infection (fungi, bacteria and viruses can enter the joint directly - through a wound, cut, puncture - or through the bloodstream);
diseases of the blood, liver, skin;
metabolic disorders;
allergy;
genetic predisposition;
malfunction of the immune system.

The version of the Russian professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences Villoriy Ivanovich Strukov about the causes of the development of arthritis is worthy of attention. For decades, observing thousands of patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the scientist noticed that pathology prefers to select mostly elderly women suffering from osteoporosis as its target. Moreover, in the part of the bone located under the affected joint, a cavity was almost always found, similar to a carious hole in a tooth.

V. I. Strukov receives treatment at the Volga Region Osteoporosis Center

V.I. Strukov suggested that arthritis is a secondary disease. It occurs as a consequence of a pathological process in bone tissue. The cavity formed in it prevents the natural release of waste products from bone cells. Over time, blood clots, intercellular fluid, lymph and other substances that normally need to be removed accumulate in it. An inflammatory process develops. Gradually it spreads to areas located next to the cavity - the joint capsule, cartilage, synovial membrane.

Treatment of arthritis at home should begin with eliminating the root cause of the disorder - cavity formation in the bone. Otherwise, the disease will continue to progress slowly but surely and will gradually turn into arthrosis. This pathology is characterized by the destruction of cartilage and changes in the structure of the joint as a whole.

But why is it easier for arthritis to cope with the weaker sex? It's all about hormonal levels. For timely renewal of bone and cartilage tissue, a sufficient amount of sex hormones, especially testosterone, is necessary. Androgen stimulates the production of bone marrow stem cells. The latter, in turn, depending on the needs of the body, turn into cells of bone and cartilage tissue. Which ones exactly? The most scarce at the moment.

With age, the functionality of the ovaries declines, the level of hormones in the female body begins to fall. Particularly critical is the decrease in testosterone levels, the initial concentration of which is already very low (20–25 times lower than in men). Against the background of hormonal changes, the process of loss of minerals in bone tissue begins (there are not enough bone cells - there is no one to build calcium into the collagen framework). It becomes looser, weaker, and cavities form in it, which, according to V.I. Strukov, is why arthritis appears.

The concentration of testosterone in the body of men decreases to critical levels somewhere after 70 years. Around this age, inflammatory joint disease also manifests itself in the stronger sex.

Fortunately, it is quite possible to restore testosterone levels to their original levels and reduce the size of cavities in the bones (and in some cases completely close them) thanks to the achievements of modern science.

Treatment of arthritis at home: how to understand that a joint needs help?

For a person who is attentive to their health, this is not difficult. Arthritis will definitely manifest itself. First of all, pain will appear in one or several joints at the same time. At first they will be insignificant in strength and will not affect their usual way of life in any way. Over time, their intensity will begin to increase. The pain will become wave-like: it will intensify with physical activity and at night, especially in the morning. It can be very strong, turning any movement into a serious challenge, and then weaken.

It will be added to:

morning stiffness;
swelling in the area of the affected joint;
skin redness;
local increase in temperature in the area of the inflammatory process;
difficulty moving;
limited mobility in the affected joint.

Symptoms of the disease may vary slightly depending on its type. Thus, with reactive arthritis (develops after suffering genitourinary, intestinal, or nasopharyngeal infections), signs of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye may be added to the manifestations listed above: redness, burning sensation, lacrimation. Or symptoms of an inflammatory process in the urethra will appear: pain, burning and stinging in the urethra.

Rheumatoid arthritis will manifest itself as symmetrical damage to the joints, the formation of dense nodules in the folds, during periods of exacerbation - high body temperature (above 38°), numbness of the arms and legs, pain when inhaling, inflammation of the lymph nodes and salivary glands, photophobia and pain in the eyes.

In infectious arthritis, unlike reactive (sterile infectious-allergic) arthritis, the infection penetrates into the joint. The periarticular tissues swell. The temperature rises sharply. There is a feeling of cold, weakness and headache.

Gouty arthritis can be identified by damage to the first joint of the big toe. Although this is not a mandatory symptom. The disease may first appear in the knee or elbow joint. In the area affected by the inflammatory process, redness will be detected, severe pain and swelling will occur.

If the disease asymmetrically affects the small joints of the fingers and toes, the skin over them turns purple-bluish, and the fingers themselves begin to resemble sausages, most likely there is psoriatic arthritis.

The disease affects not only the arms and legs, but also the spinal column, manifests itself with a characteristic crunching sound, and does it do this extremely slowly and gradually? Most likely, this is osteoarthritis - a pathology that simultaneously affects several organs: cartilage, the area of bone located underneath it, ligaments and muscles surrounding the joint, and even the synovium.

Similar symptoms are characteristic of traumatic arthritis. The only difference is that the latter occurs after damage to the joint.

Whatever type of joint arthritis you suspect you have, its treatment at home should begin with a visit to the clinic and consultation with a doctor. Otherwise, self-medication can only worsen the situation.

Description of the pathology

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the elements of the joint: capsule, cartilage, membranes - in response to infection, injury, metabolic and immune disorders, tumors and some diseases, for example, osteomyelitis.

The disease can be cured completely, but most of its forms are chronic, with some exacerbations caused by excessive physical activity, hypothermia, stress and decreased immunity.

Arthritis has characteristic symptoms:

pain in the joint area;
swelling, redness, local increase in temperature;
dysfunction of the joint, from minor difficulties to complete loss of function;
deformation.

Home remedies for arthritis

Drug therapy (in other words, treatment with drugs) is today the main method of combating arthritis, which can be used at home. Of course, after the necessary research, an accurate diagnosis and the appropriate doctor’s appointment. The following groups of drugs are commonly used:

Non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are good as a symptomatic remedy, since they help relieve the main manifestations of the disease - pain, swelling, temperature. Unfortunately, they are unable to save the joint from destruction. Moreover, they themselves contribute to this process, since they suppress the division of cartilage cells and cause their premature death, thereby increasing the degradation of the cartilage layer, inhibiting metabolic processes in it and the production of components of the main substance of cartilage. Having gotten rid of the symptoms of the disease that interfered with their usual lives, patients for the most part stop treatment and miss precious time to fight the pathology - but it has not gone away!
Glucocorticoids. Usually prescribed for inflammation of an allergic nature, as well as in the presence of autoimmune processes. Drugs in this group affect all three phases of the inflammatory process: damage and death of cells and tissues; release of the liquid part of the blood through the vascular wall into the inflamed tissue; replacement of destroyed tissue elements with new ones. They give the body the opportunity to suppress the inflammatory process for some time. However, the cause of the disease is not eliminated. After their cancellation, all symptoms of inflammation return again. Side effects from adrenal hormone therapy are very serious. Among the main ones are the development of osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, and muscle damage.
Chondroprotectors based on chondroitin, glucosamine, hyaluronic acid. According to the manufacturers of this group of drugs, such drugs can stop the destruction of cartilage, reduce pain and even help restore the joint. Chondroitin retains water in joint tissues, glucosamine is part of the fluid that nourishes cartilage cells and reduces friction, hyaluronic acid is responsible for the viscosity of this fluid. Unfortunately, studies in recent years have proven that the effectiveness of chondroprotectors for arthritis is comparable to that of placebo drugs. Their active ingredients are not able to reach the joint. Ideally, the drug should create favorable conditions in the body for the production of its own joint components, and not supply them from the outside.

Innovative Russian developments for treating arthritis at home

Having suggested a possible cause of inflammatory joint disease, V.I. Strukov also developed a drug to eliminate it - Osteomed Forte . The product at the cellular level affects the processes of bone tissue renewal, stimulating the proliferation of its cells at the location of the cavity. Moreover, it is absolutely safe.

The main active ingredient of the drug is the natural component HDBA organic complex. It is a bee product preserved in a special way - drone jelly. The ability of this substance to increase testosterone levels (and, by the way, libido) was successfully used by ancient Chinese emperors in their time.

The fact is that insect hormones contained in bee products, when entering the human body, stimulate the production of his own sex hormones, restoring their level to normal. Normalization of hormonal levels, in turn, promotes the active division of cells of cartilage and bone tissue, which produce the basic substance of cartilage and mineralize the collagen framework of the bone.

Osteomed Forte also supplies the “building material” for such mineralization – calcium. The drug contains this substance in an easily digestible citrate form. The amount is quite sufficient to close cavity formations and not enough to cause calcification of soft tissues - a common side effect of high-dose calcium drugs. Better absorption of calcium is facilitated by the presence of vitamin D3. And another component of Osteomed Forte - vitamin B6 - gives fibrillar protein fibers, which form the basis of bone tissue, special strength.

will be the use of a unique drug in combination with the phyto-additive Dandelion P. It is a tableted powder from the root of a well-known plant, prepared using cryogenic grinding technology, which allows you to preserve the entire range of beneficial substances of the herb. And there are many of them. And almost everyone works to restore the joint:

taraxacin and taraxacerin - stimulate the division of cartilage cells and the restoration of its damaged areas, improve the quality of intra-articular fluid, relieve inflammation and swelling;
vitamin PP – activates the production of growth hormone, which in turn indirectly (through its effect on the liver) increases the number of cartilage cells and encourages them to work actively; necessary for the synthesis of the hormones cortisone, thyroxine and insulin, which affect the restoration of cartilage tissue and the formation of chondrocytes;
inulin - restores the balance of beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms in the intestines, normalizes the acidity of the latter, increases the absorption of minerals necessary for the complete regeneration of cartilage tissue - magnesium, calcium, zinc and copper;
amino sugars – promote the production of intra-articular fluid, maintain its optimal volume, supply raw materials for the production of collagen, and are natural analogues of glucosamine;
rubber – being a natural elastomer, restores the elasticity of the joint;
Arnidiol – suppresses the inflammatory process in the joint;
essential oils – provide an analgesic effect.

Also, in the complex therapy of arthritis, the professor recommends using the natural remedy Dihydroquercetin Plus to improve blood supply to the perichondrium and bone. The vessels of these tissues supply nutrients and oxygen to cartilage cells through intra-articular fluid and thereby ensure their vital functions. Dihydroquercetin is a substance extracted from the root part of Siberian and Daurian larches. Its ability to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, increase the network of capillaries, reduce blood viscosity, and improve its microcirculation has been proven.

Symptoms and stages of the disease

Arthritis develops over a fairly long period of time.

Therefore, there are several stages of development:

In the first stage, there are virtually no symptoms or signs of arthritis. But I already feel slight difficulties when moving in the morning. An accurate diagnosis can be made after examination.
The second stage provokes the appearance of complex pathologies. There is an impact on the bones. The patient experiences swelling, crunching, redness of the skin, and the pain becomes stronger in the morning. The ankle may also hurt at night.
At stage 3 of arthritis, according to X-ray readings, it is possible to notice deformation in the joints. Movement will be difficult, especially if the lower body is injured. The joints start to hurt all the time.
At stage 4 of the disease, all processes in the joints acquire an irreversible effect. The patient cannot walk, the joints always hurt.

Stages of arthritis development

Diet as an additional method of treating arthritis at home

Auxiliary methods of treating arthritis, which can also be used at home, are diet and physical therapy.

Let's name the basic principles of a diet for arthritis.

Limiting salt intake. An excess of the former (above 6–10 g) causes thickening of the blood, impairs its microcirculation in the joints, promotes the deposition of salts on the articular surfaces, impairs the functioning of the excretory system, and at the same time, the removal of harmful substances from the body.
Consume 2–2.5 liters of water per day. It helps to increase the volume of circulating blood, reduces the level of toxins in the body, prevents the deposition of salts on articular surfaces, and improves the quality of intra-articular fluid.
It is forbidden to eat foods rich in purines and nitrogenous substances (animal protein). They promote the deposition of salts on the surface of the joint. 1-3 times a week you can indulge in lean meat and skinless poultry. Spicy, hot, salty dishes, essential oils and highly allergenic foods are contraindicated. They aggravate the course of the disease. To lose weight, you should exclude fast carbohydrates and foods containing yeast.
It is recommended to eat a large amount of vegetables and fruits. They enrich the body with vitamins, promote weight loss, eliminate toxins, and alkalize urine. It is worth excluding vegetables from the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants) from the diet - they contribute to the development of the inflammatory process and the appearance of pain in the joint.
To improve blood microcirculation and normalize cholesterol levels, it is necessary to consume foods high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, for example, sea fish (tuna, trout, mackerel cod).
It is important to take care of the body’s intake of vitamins C, D, A, B1, B5, B6, E. They inhibit degenerative processes in joints, enhance the restoration of damaged articular surfaces, reduce the inflammatory reaction, and have an immunostimulating and antioxidant effect.

When treating arthritis at home, do not forget about regular visits to the doctor to monitor the condition of the joints and, if necessary, make adjustments to therapy.

Delicious recipes

There are many delicious recipes for treating and preventing arthritis.

Fish aspic

One spoon of gelatin must be poured with water and left to infuse for one hour.
Boil sea fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids with pepper, onion and garlic.
Cut it into thin pieces and place in aspic molds.
Strain the broth, add gelatin, mix and pour into molds.

Garnish the aspic with lemon slices, sprigs of herbs and peas. Place it in the refrigerator to harden.

Physical therapy for arthritis

As mentioned above, arthritis is characterized by a wave-like course. Periods of exacerbation of the symptoms of the disease are followed by phases of their weakening or complete disappearance. Of course, if a joint hurts, it is better not to bother it. However, during the period of remission, gymnastics is possible and even necessary: they have a beneficial effect on the affected joints, stimulate blood circulation, tissue nutrition, improve metabolic processes, helping to reduce pain and expand the range of motion.

The fact is that in order to maintain a healthy joint and stop degenerative processes, the moving joint needs the most balanced movement. After all, its tissues receive nutrients and oxygen from the intra-articular fluid, and metabolic products are also removed with it. When the load on the joint increases, cartilage tissue, like a hydraulic shock absorber, releases fluid through small pores into its cavity. When the load decreases, it sucks it in again. A sedentary lifestyle deprives joint tissue cells of nutrition and oxygen. Metabolic products are deposited in the joint, crystallize and thereby only intensify the inflammatory process.

It is advisable that exercises for home physical therapy sessions be selected by a specialist, depending on which joint is damaged and how quickly the pathology progresses. Usually, at first it is recommended to perform exercises to increase the strength and endurance of the extensor and abductor muscles in order to avoid the development of arthrosis and the appearance of restrictions on mobile movements in the joint when flexing. Next, low-grade exercises are prescribed 2-3 times a week with breaks of 1-2 days to strengthen the muscles. All movements are made smoothly, without jerking, the load increases gradually.

Starting positions when performing exercises for the arm joints – lying and sitting; for legs - lying down.

Sample exercises for treating knee arthritis at home

Their author is Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, founder of kinesitherapy Sergei Mikhailovich Bubnovsky.

Leg raise with fixation

I. p. - lying on your back, hands on your stomach. One leg is raised until the knee joint is bent and held in this position for 60 seconds, then slowly extended. The heel of the second leg should not leave the floor. The position of the legs changes one by one. Repeat at least 10 times with each leg.

Bridge with emphasis on the feet

I. p. - lying on your back, arms along the body. Leaning on your feet and straight arms, raise your pelvis, preferably to the maximum possible bending at the knees, and maintain this position for at least 60 seconds. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 15 times.

Knees to face

I. p. - lying on your back, legs brought together. Bend your legs at the knee and hip joints, clasp them with your hands and try to touch your knees to your face. The angle between the thigh and shin should be as sharp as possible, the knee should be fully bent. Repeat 10 times. The exercise is best performed on a soft surface.

Exercising should not cause pain. If it does appear, you need to inform your doctor about it. He will select another complex, with less physical activity.

Therapeutic baths with medicinal plants

This procedure quite effectively reduces the inflammatory process, soothes pain in the affected joint, relieves swelling, and improves local blood circulation. It is also quite suitable for treating arthritis at home. A decoction for taking a medicinal bath can be prepared using the following plants.

pharmaceutical camomile

The plant relieves inflammation, significantly (up to 70%) reduces pain and swelling, normalizes metabolic processes, and improves immunity. To prepare a bath, pour three liters of boiling water over a handful of flowers, leave for an hour, and filter. The resulting infusion is added to the bath, adding a few drops of mint essential oil, after mixing it with sour cream for even distribution in the water. It will facilitate the flow of healing substances into the sore joint.

Pine (needles)

Pine needles, due to the presence of phytoncides in its composition, have powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Pine baths help relieve pain and relieve swelling around the affected joint. To prepare them, two handfuls of fresh pine needles are crushed, poured with one liter of boiling water and left for an hour. The resulting infusion is filtered and poured into a bathtub filled with warm water. The therapeutic effect can be enhanced by adding a few drops of juniper essential oil (it is also pre-mixed with some solvent: sour cream, kefir, milk, honey, cream or whey). In terms of the amount of phytoncides, juniper is 6 times higher than other conifers.

Calamus marsh

Due to the content of terpenoids (proazulene, asarone) in the rhizomes of the plant, calamus suppresses the ability of bacteria to reproduce, delays and stops the growth of fungi, and has an anti-inflammatory effect. The plant also strengthens the body's defenses. A decoction of calamus is prepared as follows. 300 g of finely ground rhizome is poured with three liters of spring water, allowed to brew for an hour, then brought to a boil and simmered for 10 minutes. The decoction is filtered, poured into the bath, a few drops of nettle essential oil mixed with an emulsifier are added to warm the tissues and enhance the effects of the therapeutic bath.

The water temperature for taking a bath is 37–38°. The duration of the procedure is 5–10 minutes. The course of treatment is 5–7 baths with breaks of two days.

Healthy food

Below is a list of foods that have a beneficial effect on arthritic joints. These include fruits, vegetables, and their juices.

Lingonberries, cloudberries and cranberries

The berries are rich in substances that can fight inflammation—it’s not for nothing that they are called swamp amber. You can eat them fresh, prepare fruit drinks, or add them to baked goods made from yeast dough, since they are able to retain a large amount of healing substances even after exposure to heat.

Berries are very beneficial for arthritis patients

Compresses for treating arthritis at home

During periods of exacerbation of the disease, compresses with medicinal herbs will help.

Compress with burdock leaves

Large burdock has a lot of medicinal effects, which have been used since ancient times in folk medicine to treat arthritis. The active substances contained in the leaves of the plant suppress the inflammatory process, remove toxins, accelerate metabolic processes, relieve pain, and dissolve salt deposits. Leaves collected in late spring or early summer are especially useful. They are dried on a line for a couple of hours (like laundry) so that the water leaves the surface layers of the sheet. The lower part of the leaves (or the area of the affected joint itself) is lubricated with any vegetable oil and applied to the affected area. Waxed or oiled paper is placed on top and the compress is secured with a bandage. Leave it overnight. The procedure is carried out daily for 1–2 months until the condition improves.

Wormwood leaf compress

Wormwood leaves contain arsumin and absinthine, as well as terpenoid compounds - active substances with pronounced anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, due to the presence of saturated hydrocarbons, the plant has a bactericidal effect, and the presence of capillin in the leaves explains the ability of wormwood to have an antibiotic and fungicidal effect. All these properties are successfully used to treat arthritis. For a compress, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water into a couple of flower baskets of the plant, infuse, and filter. The steamed raw material is applied to the affected joint and wrapped with cellophane film and warm woolen cloth on top. After an hour, the compress is removed. The sore spot is massaged.

Surgery

If there is a need to treat arthritis, surgery can be done. But it is done only for special indications.

There are several types of such operations:

Synovectomy. It is done on the knee or finger at the beginning of the development of arthritis.
Arthroplasty. Its essence is to replace the diseased joint with an artificial one and file away any growths that have formed.
Resection involves partial removal of the required area of the joint.
Arthrodesis is performed on the spine, ankle or wrists. In this case, the bone layer and the connection of healthy tissues are removed.

The decision to perform the operation is made by the doctor. This usually happens when other treatment is futile and severe arthritis has already been identified.

Ointments and rubs for treating arthritis at home

They will help get rid of morning joint stiffness and pain. Here are the most effective recipes.

Infusion of spruce shoots in turpentine

With young shoots of spruce, collected in May, a dark glass bottle is filled to the top without compaction. Add 2 tbsp. l. turpentine and ammonia so that the bottle is completely filled, close tightly with a lid. Leave for 1.5–2 months in a dark place at room temperature, periodically shaking the contents of the bottle. Strain. The resulting infusion is rubbed into clean, dry skin in the area of the affected joint to relieve inflammation and pain (tannins and essential oil), as well as fight infection.

Infusion of oregano flowers in olive oil

A handful of oregano flowers are poured into 0.5 liters of olive oil and left for 11 hours. Then filter (the cake can be used for a compress). The infusion is poured into a dark glass bottle. The product is applied to the location of the diseased joint and rubbed in with light massage movements. It's better to do this before bed. Oregano flowers have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and analgesic properties.

Hop cone ointment

100 g of hop cones are ground into powder and thoroughly mixed with a few drops of juniper essential oil and 100 g of petroleum jelly. The latter can be replaced with butter, chicken or pork fat. The mixture is left for 7 hours. Apply with massage movements to the area of the affected joints. Hop cones have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, analgesic, bactericidal and fungicidal (antifungal) effects, and improve metabolic processes. Juniper essential oil also has the ability to kill infectious agents and reduce pain.

Herbal infusions for treating arthritis at home

The above methods for treating arthritis at home will be especially effective in combination with taking infusions. Aqueous extracts of medicinal plants with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, restorative, diaphoretic, bacterio- and virusostatic, bactericidal properties allow you to influence the disease from the inside.

Grind black elderberry flowers (10 g) and birch leaves (40 g) to particles of 5 mm in size, and willow bark (50 g) to particles of no more than 3 mm. Place the raw materials in an enamel pan, add boiling water, close the lid and simmer in a water bath for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool at room temperature. Strain and squeeze out the remaining raw material. Add boiled water to the finished hood to the original volume. Take 0.5 cups 4 times a day before meals.
Take black elderberry flowers, stinging nettle leaves, parsley root, and willow bark in equal proportions and prepare in the same way as in the previous recipe. Take according to the same regimen.
Birch leaves, stinging nettle leaves, tricolor violet herb are mixed in equal proportions to prepare an infusion (see first recipe). The finished infusion is taken 0.5 cups 4-6 times a day before meals.

Treating arthritis at home can be quite effective if you coordinate your actions with your doctor, remember to visit the clinic in a timely manner and monitor the results of therapy using prescribed tests.

Osteomed Forte can be purchased in pharmacies and online stores.

Burdock

According to a similar recipe, a tincture is prepared from burdock, or more precisely, from its leaves - burdock. The effect of this remedy can be supplemented with the compress mentioned above.

Bay leaf

Grind 5 large leaves and 5 peas of allspice and pour pure alcohol.
Place the container in a cool, dark place for 10 days to infuse.
Use twice a day, adding 3 drops of tincture to warm water.