Folk remedies for arthrosis: step-by-step recipes for infusions, decoctions, compresses and ointments with photos

With long-term problems with the nutrition of the joints, changes in the cartilage tissue begin and osteoarthritis develops. This disease is the most common form of joint damage, which greatly impairs the quality of life and leads to complete disability. It can occur not only in an elderly person, so the question of prevention and treatment is relevant for everyone. Do folk remedies help, and which ones are worth using?

What is osteoarthritis

The degenerative-dystrophic disease of the joints, in which the cartilage tissue on their surface loses its elasticity, is worn out: this is the definition of osteoarthritis given by doctors. Alternative name of the disease: osteoarthritis (possibly spelling "osteoarthritis deformans"). This term can cover several diseases with similar outcomes, but different etiology (origin), in which the pathology affects all parts of the joint:

• articular cartilage;
• ligaments;
• joint capsule;
• synovium;
• subchondral bone;
• periarticular muscles.

Osteoarthritis is caused by a large number of biological and mechanical causes that contribute to the destruction of cartilage tissue: excessive physical activity, trauma, metabolic disorders, poor nutrition, infectious diseases, excess weight. Mainly the knee, ankle and hip joints are affected, since the load on them is maximum, less often the lumbar region, elbows, neck, phalanges of the fingers are affected. Osteoarthritis can affect 1 joint (localized form) or more (generalized polyosteoarthritis). General symptoms:

• pain in the affected joint (before, only during physical exertion, at the end of the day, after - and at rest);
• feeling of stiffness in the morning (lasts up to half an hour);
• reduced joint mobility.

The clinical picture of arthrosis depends on the stage of development: in the initial stage there are no morphological changes (in the structure) of the joint - only the synovial fluid is affected, the symptoms are attenuated. Pain can occur after physical exertion, disappearing at rest. As arthrosis progresses, the process of destruction of the cartilage and meniscus begins, the following signs appear:

• dense thickening along the edges of the joint space;
• sore points;
• soreness and limited movement (contracture);
• joint instability;
• chronic inflammation;
• deformation due to bone growths (osteophytes).

Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies at home

The process of combating this disease is always long, mainly the treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis (at home). It is important to observe an integrated approach to eliminate the problem: limit the load on aching joints, observe a motor regime, regularly perform therapeutic exercises (exercises are selected by a doctor) and massage. The goals of the treatment regimen for osteoarthritis are:

• prevent the development of contractures;
• improve joint function;
• slowing the progression of the disease.

Treatment of arthrosis by folk methods is aimed at performing the same tasks, and in addition, it should eliminate unpleasant symptoms: pain, inflammation. Internal intake of decoctions and tinctures helps to restore cartilage tissue in the initial stage of the disease, improve metabolic processes and blood circulation. When correctly combined with other therapeutic methods, folk remedies for osteoarthritis can prevent the further development of the disease. Several important rules:

• Do not stop the course of treatment when you feel an improvement - elimination of the root cause is always long-term and symptoms can disappear in a week.
• Strictly adhere to the indicated dosages (even with folk remedies, you can go too far) and follow the schedule of procedures.
• Do not ignore the diet: without it, there is no point in taking folk remedies and making compresses, since nutrition is at the heart of the causes of arthrosis. Eliminate salt, sugar, any artificial additives, pay attention to a diet based on plant foods, sources of omega-3 fats (fish, olive oil) and control your body weight. Jelly, jelly, aspic, cottage cheese, sweet cheese will be useful.
• Coordinate traditional methods of osteoarthritis treatment with your doctor, especially if the disease is not at an early stage or you have a large number of chronic diseases, suffer from allergies. When treating children, self-selection of therapy is prohibited.
• If adverse reactions appear, discard the chosen remedy or method.

Compresses for osteoarthritis of the joints

Local treatment of degenerative-dystrophic processes involves the use of ointments, rubs or compresses (applications, dressings). The latter more effectively relieves pain and swelling, improves blood circulation well, and can help nourish the cartilage tissue (if the product is gelatin-based). Compresses are hot, which are prohibited with an active inflammatory process, but perfectly remove pain, and cold, which better eliminate edema. Effective folk remedies for osteoarthritis:

• Pour oatmeal (4 tablespoons) with boiling water (glass). Cook over low heat for 7-8 minutes to make a thick, slimy porridge. If there is too much water, add more oatmeal. The resulting mass must be cooled, spread on gauze folded three times, used as a compress before bedtime. Make sure you cover it with cling film and secure it with a bandage.
• Take fresh horseradish root, rub finely without peeling. Wearing gauze folded in two, place it on the sore joint. You can keep the compress for 1-2 hours, apply - 2 times a day.

Burdock

Folk folk remedies used for compresses for diseases of the musculoskeletal system are the leaves of plants, which are slightly kneaded so that the juice flows out. For this purpose, take cabbage, fern or burdock. The last option is not the most convenient for a citizen, as a fresh leaf is needed, but it is very effective, it helps to quickly relieve swelling and pain. The principle of action is simple:

1. Bring a large amount of water (3-4 liters) to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Dip the washed burdock leaf there, hold for exactly 30 seconds.
3. Treat the affected area with warm olive oil or honey (about 1-2 tablespoons, the exact amount depends on the size of the joint).
4. Put a sheet of seared burdock on top, fix it with a bandage for an hour. The procedure can be done daily until pain and swelling are completely eliminated.

Cabbage

A simple and effective alternative treatment for osteoarthritis and arthritis involves applying cabbage compresses. They stop the inflammatory process, relieve edema by excreting fluids, have a positive effect on the metabolism of nutrients and reduce the severity of pain. For the procedure, both whole cabbage leaves and the juice squeezed from them are used. The most effective recipes:

• Remove the leaf from the head of the cabbage, wash well, make several shallow cuts inside. Eliminate with a hammer, if the veins are very thick, apply on the affected joint. For greater efficiency, from the inside, you can grease the leaf with honey mixed with mustard powder (1 tsp each). Close with foil, secure with a bandage and a warm scarf. For the knee it is worth using 2-3 sheets, for other areas - 1. Keep the compress for an hour, then, if necessary, you can make a new one. It is allowed to carry out 4-5 procedures per day, the duration of treatment, until the patient feels better.
• Take 4-5 leaves from a head of cabbage, chop with a knife, remember with your hands in a small glass container. Squeeze the juice, saturate it with gauze folded three times or a thick woolen cloth (always with a natural composition). Apply a compress to the painful area, cover with foil. Keep it for 1. 5-2 hours. The juice can be stored for up to 3 days, after which it is made fresh. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day. The course of treatment is not limited.

Alcohol and vodka tinctures

Universal folk remedies for osteoarthritis, which can be used internally and externally, are tinctures with alcohol or vodka. For their preparation, take saber, dandelion, elecampane, lilac flowers, which have anti-inflammatory properties. They can also be used to make water decoctions for drinking, if alcoholic tinctures are not allowed. Particularly effective recipes:

• Take 2 tbsp. L. sabelnik, pour a glass of vodka. Keep the mixture in a cool place for 2 weeks. You need to drink the tincture in 1 tbsp. L. , which is diluted in 100 ml of warm water, before meals. Also, it can be applied externally, by gently massaging the joint for one minute, twice a day. The treatment lasts one month.
• Select 1 kg of rye grains (for a full therapeutic course), pour cold water (7 l). Cook over medium heat, turn off the stove. When the broth has cooled, drain. Add liquid honey (1 kg), vodka (500 ml) and barberry root (3 tsp). Keep the dye cool and dark for 3 weeks. Drink 3 tbsp. L. before meals until the product is used up.
• Grind the peeled garlic cloves (200 g), add alcohol (200 ml). After 10 days, drain, leave for another 2 days. Take 3 drops, diluted in 100 ml of milk, morning and evening, one hour after meals. The treatment lasts one month.

Healing decoctions

A useful and simple folk remedy for osteoarthritis is a simple herbal tea with fresh ginger, which improves blood circulation, reduces pain and inflammation. To do this, finely rub 2 cm of ginger root, add a clove sprout and 1 tsp. green tea. Everything is filled with hot water (80 degrees), heated for 10 minutes in a water bath, infused for half an hour. Then add a teaspoon of honey here, drink hot tea. The agent can be taken every day 1-2 times, the duration of treatment is not limited. In addition, the following decoctions are useful for osteoarthritis:

• Take the dried bay leaves (10 g), pour boiling water (200 ml), let it simmer for 10 minutes. Insist, wrapping the container with a towel, for 5 hours. If possible, it is recommended to keep the broth in a hot oven and cook in a thick saucepan. Drink in small portions per day. The treatment lasts only 3 days, after a week's break the course is repeated.
• Mix the marigold flowers, nettle and birch leaves, pour 2 tbsp. L. half a liter of boiling water. Boil, let cool. Drink 100 ml before meals for half an hour 4 r / day for 3 weeks.

Ointments and rubbing

If the joint affected by arthrosis is not inflamed, the skin is not red, the local temperature is not high, a homemade rub can be prepared to reduce pain and normalize blood circulation. They are used during light massages: stroking, spiral movements, rubbing. They can be used up to 2 times a day, after which it is advisable to wrap the treated area with a woolen cloth. The course for a moderate course of arthrosis lasts 2-3 weeks. For such procedures, you can squeeze the juice from aloe leaves, use warm honey or prepare a multi-component composition:

• Take 100 g of olive or other vegetable oil (sunflower, corn), add a similar amount of propolis, which must be finely grated. Heat in a water bath to obtain a homogeneous mass (propolis should melt), allow to cool. Use the resulting product to rub the area affected by osteoarthritis 2 times a day until the unpleasant symptoms disappear completely.
• Grind 20 g of Caucasian hellebore with a pestle to a fine powder. Pour 20 ml of vegetable oil and a similar amount of liquid honey (you can heat), add 5 g of mustard. Heat everything in a water bath (on low heat), mix, allow to cool to room temperature. Rub the joints with severe pain 2-3 r / day.
• Take the same amount of birch buds, wild rosemary, Maryin root, white lilac flowers, sweet clover, prepare 1 tbsp. L. collect a glass of boiling water. Insist for an hour. Dissolve 150 g of internal lard in a water bath, add 50 ml of infusion here to obtain a thick paste. When the product has cooled, use morning and evening to rub the affected area.
• Beat 2 chicken eggs, add 2 tsp each. ammonia and turpentine. In the evening, massage the affected joint with this mixture. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks.

Bathrooms

If the patient does not have diseases of the skin and cardiovascular system (especially hypertension), tumors, therapeutic baths can be taken to improve the condition of the musculoskeletal system. They contribute to general warming, stimulate cell renewal, strengthen immunity, relieve swelling, pain, muscle hypertonus, normalize blood circulation and regain mobility. The effect depends on the chosen product added to the water. Traditional medicine for osteoarthritis recommends using:

• sea salt;
• iodine;
• needles;
• hay dust;
• turpentine;
• herbal preparations;
• mustard powder.

It is important that the water temperature is comfortable: 35-37 degrees, but for some folk recipes, exceptions are allowed (increase in temperature up to 40 degrees). The procedure is performed for 10-30 minutes, depending on the agent used, with a frequency of 1 time in 2 days or less often, depending on portability. To achieve a noticeable result with osteoarthritis, the course should last a month (15 procedures), if necessary, it is repeated after a break - this should be discussed with the doctor.

With salt and pine

Baths, for which sea salt (1 kg) and pine branches (2-3 pieces) are used, have a good effect on the musculoskeletal system. Also, to enhance the warming effect, you can add:

• honey (2 tablespoons l. );
• turpentine (1 tsp).

First, the pine branches are placed in a bathtub and boiled. After half an hour, sea salt, honey, turpentine are added here. The tub is filled with hot water. When it cools to 37 degrees, you can begin the procedure. Its duration is 20 minutes, the course consists of 12 procedures. If there are no pine branches, you can take coniferous essential oil (3-5 drops), but add it when the water starts to cool.

Herbal bath

Nettle, chamomile, calendula, St. John's wort are popular and effective herbs, on the basis of which you can prepare decoctions used for therapeutic baths for arthrosis. They relieve pain and have a relaxing effect. These herbs are used singly or together. A couple of traditional medicine options:

• Combine calendula, St. John's wort, and oregano in equal proportions. The resulting mixture in the amount of 3 tbsp. L. pour a couple of glasses of boiling water. Let it brew for an hour, pour into the bath. Given the low concentration of the infusion, it is recommended to use it for local baths: to warm the elbow, knee and ankle joint. The duration of the procedure is 10-20 minutes, the course consists of 10 sessions every other day.
• Take nettle, birch leaves, tansy flowers (the ratio is the same). Pour 100 g of the mixture with a liter of boiling water, leave for half an hour. Add to the finished bath and soak for 15 minutes. The procedures should be performed for 2 weeks every other day.

Soda-salt

In case of injuries of the small joints of the hands and feet (phalanxes, wrists), they can be steamed in small baths. For them, folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis such as coniferous solutions and soda salt are used. The latter is a mixture of equal amounts of baking soda and sea salt, filled with warm (75-80 degrees) water. For 1 liter, take 1 tbsp. L. of each product. The bath is performed for 15 minutes, gently massaging the arthritic areas. After that, it is advisable to wear woolen socks or gloves. The procedure is repeated every other day for 3 weeks.