Chondroprotectors for joints. The best chondroprotectors. Chondroprotectors - reviews

As a result of heavy loads or any pathological changes in the human body, the structure of the cartilaginous tissue and the development of the synovial (intraarticular) fluid can be disrupted. This leads to painful changes in the joint, and sometimes to its immobilization.

In such cases, treatment with chondroprotectors is used - drugs that stimulate the restoration of articular cartilage and slow its destruction. About what these medicines represent and how to choose the best of them, we'll talk in today's article.

What is included in the structure of chondroprotectors

At the heart of these medicines lie biologically active components, which are structural elements of natural cartilage tissue. They alleviate the condition of the patient with arthrosis, mobility disorders of the joint, radiculitis, pain in the neck or lower back, osteochondrosis of the spine and some other pathologies.

Chondroprotectors for joints combine two important components of the cartilaginous tissue: glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. As a rule, the lack of these substances reduces mobility of the joint, causes painful movement and leads to arthrosis.

Features of the action of chondroprotectors

Diseases, in the treatment of which these drugs are used, a lot. These include osteoarthritis, arthrosis and coxarthrosis, arthritis, dystrophic changes in articular cartilage, spondylosis, osteochondrosis and some other ailments.

But it should be noted immediately that the chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee joint And other listed pathologies are effective only in the early stages of the disease. In the same cases, when the destruction of cartilage has already occurred, these drugs are useless. This is due to the direction of the drug to restore the existing tissue, and not to the formation of a new one.

To the peculiarities of these means it is necessary to attribute their slow influence on cartilage tissue. As a rule, to achieve a therapeutic effect from the beginning of the drug should take at least six months.

The active substance of the chondroprotector when absorbed into the body is absorbed into the blood, but its accumulation occurs precisely in the joint tissues, where the process of recovery takes place. True, some drugs are difficult to penetrate into cells of the cartilaginous tissue (this refers to the means containing chondroitin), in such cases additional components or physiotherapy are used in parallel with the main therapeutic agent.

Classification of chondroprotectors

Depending on the time of introduction into practice, it is customary in medicine to distinguish three generations of these drugs:

1. Medicinal products "Rumalon" and "Alflutop" from the bone marrow and cartilage of animals.
2. Preparations containing glucosamines, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate.
3. Means with components in the form of chondroitin sulfate with hydrochloride.

All these products are released in the form of ointments, solutions for injections, gels, tablets and capsules.

How to choose chondroprotectors

When choosing the described means, one can not say that some of them are the best chondroprotectors with a wide field of application and are suitable for absolutely everyone. For each patient who needs such drugs, they are selected strictly individually. What is unquestionably suitable for one patient may, for various reasons, be useless for another. However, this can be said about all medicines.

Proceeding from the above, it is clear that the choice of chondroprotector should be coordinated with a physician-arthrologist (specialist in joint diseases). He will choose a suitable preparation in a specific case and will prompt the scheme of its application (in fact often the reception of such medicine is a component of complex therapy).

The most popular drugs-chondroprotectors for joints

Among the most common medicines in domestic medicine with the effect of restoring the affected cartilage tissue, several names can be distinguished. Here is a brief description of them.

• Chondroprotectors for the joints "Rumalon" and "Alflutop". They are natural remedies derived from bones and cartilage of fish and animals. Improve the metabolism in the cartilaginous tissue and have anti-inflammatory properties. They are used for deep intramuscular and intraarticular injections. But remember that these tools are effective only when systematically applied!
• In addition, the hyaluronic acid preparation "Hyaluron" is used intra-articularly. It is able to stimulate the restoration of solid cartilaginous tissues, thereby preventing their destruction. The drug is used in conjunction with chondroprotectors for internal use or ointments.
• The drug "Dona" not only restores tissue, but also removes inflammation. It is available as a powder for internal use and as an injection. Often this drug is prescribed simultaneously as intramuscular and as an oral agent. The effect occurs two weeks after the start of the treatment.
• The drug "Structum" is available in the form of gelatin capsules. It returns mobility to the affected joints, reduces pain and restores cartilage, helping to retain moisture in it, thus enhancing its elasticity. The effect of taking the medication is preserved up to six months.

Contraindications

When using the described drugs, it is important to remember that they are not used during pregnancy and lactation. Chondroprotectors for joints are also contraindicated in the presence of allergic reactions to the components of these agents.

Some of these drugs are not used for diabetes, kidney failure, thrombophlebitis and bronchial asthma. Pay attention to the age of the patient. Particular care should be taken in patients with digestive system problems.

Chondroprotectors: reviews of doctors and patients

Opinions on the effectiveness of the described drugs are severely divided. There are various comments: from grateful and enthusiastic reviews of patients who are convinced that chondroprotectors have returned to them the ability to move without pain and lead a full-fledged way of life, to the very skeptical remarks of those who consider treatment with this means simply lost time.

But with a detailed study of the problem, doctors found that negative reviews belong to those who tried the drug only once. It was emphasized above that these drugs are referred to long-acting drugs, the effect of which can be expected several months at a time. And two or three times inside or outside will not give anything. Only long-term therapy and often in combination with other therapeutic agents will allow to detect the positive effect of chondroprotectors on the patient's body!

Recommendations for use

Chondroprotectors for joints should be used, following certain rules that will improve the effectiveness of these drugs.

• Get rid of excess body weight, reconsider your diet.
• Protect the affected joint, trying to reduce the load on it.
• Do exercise, strengthening the muscles around the diseased cartilage.
• Intermove the motor activity with a state of rest. Every hour spent on your feet should end with ten minutes of rest in a lying or sitting position.
• Avoid hypothermia.
• Remember that chondroprotectors are used for joints during remission. Acute condition is removed by analgesics and nonsteroidal drugs.
• In order to fully restore the joint, the patient requires at least six courses of treatment for three years (if the drug is used correctly, the effect is maintained until the next course).

How much are the chondroprotectors

On chondroprotectors for joints prices, as a rule, range from 1500 rubles. Up to 4000 rubles. For the medicines needed to conduct a one-month course. As you can see, they can not be called cheap. But if the doctor allows you, then in some cases the cost of such treatment can be reduced, replacing the drugs with their components, which are released separately.

So, the package of the "Glucosamine" drug costs about 300 rubles, the same amount is worth the drug "Chondroitin". A chondroprotector "Dona" (based on glucosamine) is sold at a price of 990 rubles. So, as you guessed, you can pick up a replacement that will not be so painful for your wallet. But you can do this only by consulting with a doctor!

Remember that only an expert will help solve your problem. Do not self-medicate!