General measures
- Activated osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis with signs of inflammation):
- Systemic or topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (see “Drug therapy” below).
- Immobilization of the joint
- Local cold application
- Intra-articular (“into the joint cavity”) glucocorticoids.
- Nicotine restriction (refraining from tobacco use).
- Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
- Aim for normal weight! Determination of BMI (body mass index, body mass index) or body composition by means of electrical impedance analysis and, if necessary, participation in a medically supervised weight loss program or program for underweight.
- Avoidance of:
- Overloading of the joints, for example, by competitive and high-performance sports or long-lasting heavy physical loads, for example, in the profession (construction workers, especially floor layers).
- Lack of physical activity, since the cartilage gets its micronutrients from the synovial fluid, it is dependent on the joint being moved
Conventional non-surgical therapy methods
- Therapy with chondroprotectants (cartilage protection preparations) – supplements (vital substances) containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are considered suitable chondroprotectants.
Medical aids
Orthopedic aids are of importance for a mechanical load distribution:
- Thumb bandage – for immobilization or stabilization of the thumb saddle joint.
- Orthosis – orthopedic device for relief and immobilization of the affected joints.
Nutritional medicine
- Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
- Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
- Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
- Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
- High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
- Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
- See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – Taking a suitable dietary supplement.
- Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.
Sports Medicine
- Endurance training (cardio training) and strength training (muscle training) and flexibility training.
- Strengthening the muscles surrounding the joint can relieve arthritis symptoms.
- Water gymnastics
- Preparation of a fitness or training plan with suitable sports disciplines based on a medical check (health check or athlete check).
- Detailed information on sports medicine you will receive from us.
Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)
Physical therapy can help alleviate symptoms. It offers a wide range of treatment methods that support the therapy of osteoarthritis:
- Balneotherapy (bath therapy) with warm mineral salt baths.
- Exercise therapy – cycling, swimming or walking can help slow down the degenerative process
- Occupational therapy
- Thermotherapy, this consists of heat and cold therapy (cryotherapy):
- Heat therapy in the form of balneotherapy (warm water baths with mineral salts dissolved in it) or electrothermotherapy has analgesic (pain-relieving) effects and improves walking distance and health-related quality of life.
- Cryotherapy is used only in active, inflammatory osteoarthritis.
Complementary treatment methods
- High-intensity ultrasound (HIU) – The procedure is used for localized, noninvasive delivery of therapeutic compounds (pharmaceuticals) by ultrasound to articular cartilage and subchondral bone. [The procedure is still in testing.]
- Magnetic resonance therapy (MRI) (synonyms: MBST nuclear magnetic resonance therapy, nuclear magnetic resonance therapy, multibiosignal therapy, multi-bio-signal therapy, MBST nuclear magnetic resonance) – treatment method in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; magnetic resonance imaging; abbreviated as nuclear magnetic resonance), known from diagnostics, is used therapeutically. The procedure aims at reactivating metabolic processes in the cells, thus enabling the regeneration of defective cartilage and bone tissue.
- Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy (PMT) – physical procedure that usually uses pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) to improve microcirculation and stimulate and regulate cellular and energy balance.
