Preventive and correct behavior in everyday life and activities can greatly affect the preservation of health, improvement of quality of life and reduction of ailments. These are postulates that we all already know, but what happens when pain occurs?
The causes that lead to painful conditions and inflammation of the joints are numerous, starting from hereditary risk factors, through increased body weight, injuries, bacterial and viral inflammations, hormonal and metabolic disorders, autoimmune, ie rheumatic diseases and degenerative joint diseases.
Arthrosis is a chronic degenerative disease of the joints accompanied by chronic pain, limited mobility and difficulty in performing daily activities. Hence, they represent a big socio-medical problem. The hip and knee joints (gonarthrosis and coxarthrosis) are most often affected, since they bear the greatest loads. Less often, it is about arthrosis of the wrist joints and small joints of the hands, as well as arthrosis of the shoulder joint.
The main causes of these degenerative diseases are reduced production of collagen, which is the most important protein for the formation of cartilage, and a reduced level of articular, synovial fluid that moisturizes the cartilage. If there is not enough of it, there is friction between the bones.
As a result of all the described changes, symptoms appear in the form of pain, reduced mobility, deterioration of the surrounding musculature (muscle hypotrophy). The symptoms of the disease progress over time and there may be an effusion and local inflammation of the joint. Morning stiffness does not last long and disappears with stretching. Physical exertion worsens the pain, and after rest the pain decreases.
The goal of treatment is to slow down the degenerative process, reduce pain and muscle spasm (spasm of the surrounding muscles), improve joint function, prevent contractures (shortening of the surrounding muscles) and make the patient fit for daily life activities.
Tips for moderate pain are as follows:
- avoid movements during which the pain in the joint increases.
- carry out certain physical therapy prescribed by a doctor
- use ointments or gels that are rubbed into the painful area and that heat or cool,
thereby increasing blood flow and circulation, which reduces pain
Today, a large number of chondroprotectors are offered that can help in remediating the cause of pain and revitalizing degenerative joint changes. So far, those supplements that contain Boswellia serratu-Indian frankincense have proven to be the most effective. The active ingredients of this plant interfere with the work of enzymes that cause swelling and inflammation of the joints. Boswellic acid is the strongest inhibitor of 5-lipooxygenase, the enzyme responsible for inflammation. Which leads to a decrease in the number of leukotrienes – mediators of inflammation. Together with collagen, it affects better mobility and thus cartilage nutrition.
Mr Pharm. Brankica Milinković
