With the modern development of medicine, joint diseases cannot be completely cured. Science still does not stop, but no tool has yet been found that can repair damaged tissue from pathology. Patients have to try all kinds of drugs and methods in search of treatment. Often, traditional medicine cannot offer an effective way. And then the patient begins to think about how to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint with folk remedies.
Pros and cons of traditional medicine
Traditional medicine is very often used for osteoarthritis of the knee joint. The disease is difficult to treat, and gradually the mobility of the limbs is limited. Even traditional treatments are aimed at reducing pain and preventing complications. Patients and doctors are ambivalent about traditional medicine, but they still turn to traditional medicine when it doesn't work.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee with folk remedies has both disadvantages and advantages. Additions include:
- availability and low cost of most materials;
- many herbs help strengthen the immune system;
- few side effects;
- ease of use.
The raw materials used to treat the knees with folk remedies are often included in the preparations of pharmaceutical companies. Therefore, in most cases, alternative medicine is safe if the dosage and usage guidelines are followed. It should also be noted that the recipes that people use to treat osteoarthritis of the knees have passed by word of mouth and have stood the test of time. However, care must be taken. Tell your doctor and listen to his advice before using any medicine.
Like any other method, folk methods have their drawbacks:
- risk of allergic reactions;
- many methods are denied by traditional medicine, their effectiveness has not been confirmed by research;
- Some recipes available on the Internet or published in newspapers and magazines are incorrect. For example, they may contain incompatible components;
- the same plant material gives a different effect, for example, different amounts of ripe herbs or fruits, etc.
Doctors often prefer to use traditional medicine for this disease. In addition, they sometimes give the patient some advice on some methods. But for treatment to be effective, it must be comprehensive. Therefore, using folk remedies, you should not give up traditional medicine.
Effective treatment methods
Basically, popular folk recipes for osteoarthritis of the knee joint suggest how to prepare drugs that have anti-inflammatory effect. The effect is achieved by accelerating local metabolic processes. This allows you to relieve pain, thereby improving knee mobility and stopping pathological processes.
Traditional medicine in this case is not limited to decoctions and ointments. It includes many methods and techniques of influence, as is traditional. All kinds of ointments, rubs, compresses and applications, ie local agents are often used. It is their influence that is most noticeable. In rare cases, infusions and decoctions are used for oral administration.
It should be remembered that alternative medicine is most effective in the early stages of pathology. Thus, folk remedies for grade 2 knee arthrosis will no longer be as effective as they were at the onset of the disease.
Local compresses
It is difficult to imagine treating knee pain with folk remedies without compresses. This method of treatment is often preferred by patients. The compress improves blood microcirculation, thereby eliminating inflammation and swelling. This loosens the joint and facilitates the movement of the joint. A big advantage of compresses is that they can usually be made from products that are always at hand.
Check out popular recipes:
- Oatmeal compress. Pour 5 tablespoons of boiling water over Hercules. There should not be too much water. Cook the flakes on low heat for 8-10 minutes. The porridge should be viscous, not thick or fluid. Cool the mass and wrap it in gauze or natural cloth. Apply to sore knee for a few hours. It can be attached to the foot with a plastic bandage and left overnight.
- Horseradish compress. Grate the root, cover with water and put on low heat. Do not bring to a boil, allow the water to evaporate as it heats up. Then shake the water, but do not squeeze. Wrap in horseradish cotton and soak for 2 hours. This recipe helps relieve pain.
- Cabbage compress. Need vegetable juice. Wet a woolen shawl with liquid. Apply to joints before bedtime. You can use honey-stained cabbage leaves. Then line with foil. It is convenient to leave such a compress overnight.
As you can see, all components are completely safe. They can only harm allergy sufferers. Compresses should be applied until the main symptom - pain disappears. You can perform the procedure every day, but it is recommended to take a break after the course of 21-30 days. It is best to apply compresses before bedtime and leave overnight.
Tinctures and decoctions
Tinctures are prepared with alcohol or water. Plants or their components are used as raw materials. Some infusions and decoctions can be used internally, while others are used to make compresses or ointments. Infusions and decoctions are usually made from herbs that have anti-inflammatory effects. You can use funds from one or more components. But do not forget to learn how they interact with each other.
The following raw materials are widely used for tinctures and decoctions for arthritis:
- lingonberry leaves;
- grass and chamomile flowers;
- chestnut fruit;
- sword;
- maple buds;
- calendula flowers;
- hop cones;
- wormwood
Topical application of tinctures and decoctions usually has no side effects. You have to be careful when taking them internally. In addition to allergic reactions, they can also cause disorders of the digestive system.
Remember that it is better to use only freshly prepared product.
Therapeutic herbal baths
Many patients are looking for answers to the question of how to relieve pain in osteoarthritis of the knee joint, discovering therapeutic baths. The localization of the pathology complicates the procedure a bit. It will be more convenient to take full-fledged herbal baths. With their help, the patient not only moves on the knee, but also relaxes, which is important for treatment.
Baths with pine needles are useful (can be used with twigs). The raw material is immersed in boiling water, allowed to infuse until the water cools to an acceptable temperature and removed. This bath can be taken for 20 minutes. Jerusalem artichoke is also used to make baths. A few tubers are washed and chopped and then immersed in boiling water. Add a tablespoon of turpentine and take a bath when the water cools down a bit.
The procedure should be performed for 10-12 consecutive days to notice the effect.
Mud therapy
Peloid therapy is often prescribed by doctors for patients with osteoarthritis. The patient is sent to a sanatorium with appropriate properties. Saki and Essentuki are famous in our country. Such therapy helps to accelerate recovery, normalize blood circulation and local metabolism.
In addition to affecting the joint, the healing mud removes toxins and toxins from the body, which has a positive effect on healing. Usually, after rehabilitation in a sanatorium or spa, the patient notices improvement and is in a high mood, which facilitates further therapy.
Applications with herbs
During physiotherapy in the hospital, patients are given various applications. But at home, you can do such procedures using herbs and paraffin wax. Applications are also made of medicinal mud or clay enriched with plant decoctions.
The difference between this method and ordinary compresses is that the lotion must have a chemical, thermal and mechanical effect on the affected area. This is achieved by applying an oatmeal to the knee, which has an irritating effect. You can preheat it to add heat effect. A mechanical effect can be achieved by applying adhesive tape to the knee with the seeds of watermelon, sunflower, melon or buckwheat.
Rub with camphor and oils
In folk medicine, the treatment of joints with camphor oil is often used. The substance is used both in pure form and in combination with other components. It is believed that this helps to partially restore joint lubrication, but this is a very controversial statement that has not yet been confirmed by basic medicine. One thing is for sure - folk remedies with camphor effectively relieve pain. 10% fat is needed to treat knee osteoarthritis, but alcohol is also suitable.
Patients show a positive effect after rubbing with oils. Badgers are most commonly used, less pork or beef. The latter usually serves as a basis for herbal ointments. Badger oil is also used in pure form.
Oils and camphor in the form of friction dilate blood vessels, thereby providing blood flow to the knee and improving trophism.
Effective wrapping with mummy and honey
There is another effective recipe that contains the answer to the question of how to treat the knee joint. Folk remedies often involve the use of mummy - a resinous substance of natural origin. Has a strong analgesic effect when mixed with bee products. To prepare the drug, you need to combine 100 g of liquid honey and 0. 5 g of mummy.
The dressings are made in the evening and left overnight, and in the morning the remains are washed. The procedure is repeated for 10 days, after which they take a break for 2-3 days and continue the course if desired.
Hirudotherapy
This method does not fully comply with the definition of "folk remedy", as it is possible only in one clinic, but is still considered non-traditional. According to expert observations, hirudotherapy is effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. The use of medicinal leeches is possible only as part of a complex therapy.
The effect is due to enzymes injected into the patient's blood during the bite. Thanks to these substances, blood circulation improves and pain is reduced.
When to stop alternative treatment
Treatment of the knee with folk remedies is not always possible and useful. It is important to understand that with grade 2 and 3 joint injuries, you should first listen to your doctor's advice. In this case, traditional medicine will not help, but will only aggravate the problem. If new symptoms appear, the pain worsens, or an allergic reaction occurs, non-traditional treatment should be stopped immediately. You should also consult a doctor, where you can consult on the appropriateness of the use of folk remedies.
Today, doctors are looking for a treatment that will help treat joint diseases without denying natural remedies. As with any remedy, care must be taken to ignore basic medicine.