Arthritis care guidance and measures

The core logic of arthritis care is not that complicated. It can be summed up in three key points: first, relieve pain and control inflammation in the acute stage to avoid further damage to the joints.； During the remission period, the focus is on reducing joint wear and maintaining muscle strength. ； There is no universal "one-size-fits-all care formula" for the entire process. All measures must match your arthritis type, stage of attack, and body tolerance. Don't blindly follow other people's "joint care tips."

Let’s first talk about acute care, which is the most common pitfall. Currently, there are two different treatment ideas in clinical practice, and there is no absolute right or wrong. Conventional recommendations from Western medicine orthopedics are that as long as a joint is obviously red, swollen, hot, or painful, priority should be given to immobilizing the affected joint and sparing less use. Ice can be applied intermittently within 48 hours for 15-20 minutes each time. Do not massage or apply heat casually to prevent blood vessels from dilating and aggravating swelling. However, in the traditional Chinese medicine orthopedics and rehabilitation school, for the acute stage of non-infectious and non-gout osteoarthritis, it is also recommended to use Wentong ointment, gentle rubbing, and low-intensity infrared irradiation to reduce inflammation by promoting local circulation. I met two patients who came to the hospital at the same time a while ago. One suffered from an acute attack of gout. The elderly at home said that he applied a hot water bottle to activate the joints. After applying it for one night, his feet were so swollen that he couldn't put on slippers. Finally, he received an analgesic injection in the emergency department to suppress it. ； The other one suffered from senile osteoarthritis and suffered from cold pain. I followed the doctor's advice and used warm Chinese medicine packs for three days. On the contrary, it was much more comfortable than ice packs and the recovery was faster. To put it bluntly, which plan to choose, the prerequisite is to first understand your own type of arthritis.

Wait until the redness, swelling and pain subside to enter the remission period, and avoid going to extremes. Many people know how to be careful when they are in pain, but start messing around when they are no longer in pain. They either listen to people saying that "the joints become more active the more they are used". They climb stairs every day and run away, or they just lie down and don't move for fear of recurrence. Both of these can easily turn a small problem into a big problem. There used to be a 62-year-old Aunt Zhang who danced with the square dance team for two hours every day after retirement, and also climbed Xiangshan Mountain once a week. When her knees hurt, she would wear plasters and carry them. When she came to see a doctor, the cartilage wear had reached the third degree. Later, she adjusted the plan. She stopped all strenuous exercise first, and then I squatted against the wall for 1 minute every morning and evening - with my back against the wall and my knees not going past my toes. I trained my thigh muscles specifically. Only when my muscles are strong can I reduce the load on my joints. I also combined this with walking about 3,000 steps a day. I stopped when walking hurts. I checked again in two months and found that walking up and down stairs didn't hurt much anymore. There are also people who are afraid of pain and dare not move. I met a 40-year-old rheumatoid patient who would lie down when he felt pain. After lying down for half a year, his thigh muscles atrophied and his joints became more stiff. After two months of passive activities with a rehabilitation therapist, he slowly regained some of his mobility.

Don’t underestimate the small details of daily life. Many people have arthritis due to bad habits over and over again. For example, when wearing shoes, don’t wear hard-soled shoes or high-heeled shoes every day just to look good. Especially for people with bad knees and hallux valgus arthritis, it is best to have 2-3 cm heels on the soles, which are softer for better cushioning. I used to have a female sales patient who wore 8-cm high heels every day to run for clients. She developed metatarsophalangeal arthritis at the age of 28 and was so painful that she could not walk. Later, she changed to sports shoes with cushioning and added an orthopedic insole, which relieved her condition in two weeks. Also, don’t cross your legs when sitting, and don’t squat to wipe the floor. When squatting, the force on your knees is 6-8 times that of standing. When you are young, you think it is fine, but when you are forty or fifty years old, all problems will appear. There is no need to have dietary restrictions. Not all arthritis patients should avoid food. For those with gout, just eat less seafood, beer, and hot soup. For those with rheumatoid arthritis, if your joint pain aggravates after eating light-sensitive foods such as celery and coriander, don’t eat them. For ordinary osteoarthritis, you should drink more milk and eat eggs, and supplement with calcium and protein, which is good for cartilage repair.

As for the medications and care products that everyone is most concerned about, there is really no need to go to extremes. Many people think that painkillers have side effects and refuse to take them because of the pain. If the pain is so severe that they can't sleep at night or even walk, just follow the doctor's advice and take a low-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or celecoxib. There won't be any big problems. However, carrying it hard will put the joints in a long-term state of stress and make them more likely to deform. But don’t just buy the magic medicine that is touted on the Internet as a “radical cure for arthritis”. The kind of medicine that doesn’t hurt once you take it is likely to add a lot of hormones and painkillers. I have seen patients who suffered from femoral head necrosis after taking it for half a year. The gain is really not worth the loss. There are also protective gears such as knee pads and wrist pads. Wearing them during the acute phase can provide support. Don’t wear them every day during the remission phase. If worn for a long time, the muscles will become lazy, lose strength, and cannot protect the joints.

To be honest, arthritis is a chronic disease, and most types cannot be "cured". However, with proper care, it can completely prevent it from affecting normal life. Among the patients I have come into contact with, there are many who are still able to travel, buy groceries and cook at the age of 70 or 80. The key is not to follow the trend, don’t be too anxious, and feel more about your body’s reaction. It is more reliable than any Internet celebrity’s tricks.