TREATMENT OF JOINTS WITH MUD: INDICATIONS AND METHODS OF APPLICATION

Chronic pain and crunching in the joints are often signs of such common diseases as arthrosis or arthritis. Without proper treatment and prevention, joint disorders will progress and make them less mobile. Ultimately, this can lead to disability.

To combat joint diseases in the sanatorium named after. Gorky uses various techniques that are prescribed to the patient individually, taking into account his state of health. One of the main components of treatment of the musculoskeletal system at the Black Sea balneological resort is peloid therapy. This is an effective, positively proven method, which has shown good results throughout the long medical practice of our sanatorium.

When did mud therapy appear?

The silt mud of the Nile has been used for healing since the times of the Roman emperors and pharaohs of Egypt. Legends were made about its healing properties in the Renaissance and Middle Ages, when church doctors resorted to this method. The found reservoir with miraculous mud quickly became a place of pilgrimage.

In Rus', mud therapy began to be practiced several centuries ago, during the time of the Mongol-Tatar yoke. The ritual consisted of immersing the patient in a healing mud lake up to his neck. At 18-19 Art. The healing properties of mud began to be studied and described in detail, after which the search for new deposits began.

They started treating joints with mud before arthrosis was discovered

Therapeutic applications

You need to make your own applications as follows:

1. The place where you plan to apply the medicinal composition should be washed with warm water without soap.
2. If there are abrasions on the skin, then a rich cream should be applied to them, which will prevent the ingress of suspended particles.
3. It is necessary to heat the water to a temperature of 40°C. Then add dry mud and mix. The resulting consistency should resemble thick sour cream.
4. If treatment of knee joints is intended, then you need to sit down and apply the composition with a brush to the area where the pain is localized, i.e. over the affected area. For osteochondrosis, for spinal therapy, it is recommended to lie down and ask a family member to apply the product.
5. The layer of mud should be no thinner than 2 cm. Otherwise, there will be no therapeutic effect.
6. It is advisable to lay polyethylene on top of the composition and wrap the limb with a woolen scarf.
7. The mud therapy procedure lasts 30 minutes. At the end of the specified time, the composition must be washed off.

How does healing mud work on the body?

Muds differ in composition depending on the place of formation. Sulfide varieties form at the bottom of salt lakes and estuaries, and peat silt deposits form in swamps. The result of volcanic activity is hydrothermal. All of them are suitable for the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, hip and other diseases.

Dirt has a complex effect on the body:

• temperature – warms;
• chemical – saturates with certain elements;
• mechanical – restores tissue trophism.

Biological processes in joints are activated at the cellular level. Mud, as a powerful biological substance, stimulates the internal forces of the body and helps restore normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system.

Mud therapy can have side effects, so treatment should be done under the supervision of a doctor.

Useful properties and classification of mud

Healing compounds have a complex effect on joints, not only eliminating symptoms, but producing a therapeutic effect. Peat, sapropel, sulfide-silt muds are distinguished according to the deposit. Hydrothermal, hill, and fango are less commonly used. The beneficial properties of medicinal compositions are due to the content of a number of anti-inflammatory substances based on organic acids, colloidal complex and microelements.

Mud treatment of joints makes it possible to:

• improve oxygen delivery to tissues;
• speed up blood circulation;
• eliminate muscle spasm;
• speed up metabolism;
• stop destructive processes in cartilage tissue;
• improve joint mobility;
• reduce pain.

Mud treatment scheme

To get a restorative and healing effect, you need to complete a course of 10-15 procedures. Sessions are usually scheduled every other day, so it will take 3-4 weeks. The best option is as part of a sanatorium-resort treatment of arthrosis, under the supervision of a doctor. Since sometimes mud has side effects, and the therapy has a number of contraindications, it is better to avoid self-medication.

How is mud therapy performed for the musculoskeletal system in sanatoriums? Detailed story from a specialist:

Indications for the mud application procedure

The indications for the use of therapeutic mud are extensive and it is difficult to list all the diseases for which their use is advisable. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and endocrine diseases, dermatological disorders and diseases of the cardiovascular system - these are some types of disorders for which mud applications are performed; a doctor will help determine the indications for them. Even if there are no serious health problems, a visit to the sanatorium should be preceded by a consultation with a doctor; he will help determine the period for the treatment program. Mud applications are a mandatory part of the treatment program for the following diseases:

• arthritis and arthrosis;
• gout;
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• colitis;
• gastritis;
• psoriasis;
• various types of eczema;
• prostatitis;
• gynecological diseases accompanied by chronic inflammation and bacterial lesions.

Local applications are used in the treatment of joints and muscle tissue after injuries, and they are also used for such serious diseases as female and male infertility. How is this common procedure, which is so indispensable, carried out? Before applying to certain areas of the skin, the mud is heated to 39-40°C, this temperature is considered optimal for providing a full thermal and chemical effect. The natural balm is applied to the skin, the duration of the first sessions is no more than 10 minutes and increases gradually.

After completing the procedure, the dirt is washed off the skin with clean water; in some sanatoriums, thermal water is used for this. Among the general indications for which it would be advisable to undergo a course of mud applications, it is worth noting diseases caused by decreased immunity. This type of healing is indicated for allergy sufferers, as well as people whose daily life involves high physical and emotional stress. Sleep disturbances, fatigue, frequent colds and low mood are also serious indications for mud therapy.

Several types of therapy are practiced in sanatoriums:

• applications to the joint (effective, for example, in the treatment of arthrosis of the elbow joint);
• full wrap;
• combination with electro-mud applications and hydrotherapy.

The larger the area of ​​influence, the more pronounced the effect will be. However, there is always a risk of “overdoing it”, since the therapeutic mud contains a very high concentration of mineral and organic substances. Sometimes an incorrectly selected dosage leads to skin blockages and other complications, including those affecting the heart.

Mud therapy cannot be combined with sunbathing

Methods and recipes for mud treatment

Mud for joints is applied externally in the form of applications, and is also used for preparing baths. The composition can be purchased in a store in dry form or you can take raw materials from where they are collected. The first method will be more convenient and practical for the knee joints. Just 3-4 procedures per week are enough.

The course of treatment is 3-4 months. The duration largely depends on the degree of damage to cartilage and bone tissue. The composition for the treatment of joint diseases can be chosen from any of the listed.

Are there any contraindications

In case of any inflammatory processes and exacerbation of chronic diseases, physiotherapy for arthrosis is contraindicated. Mud therapy is no exception. Other contraindications include:

• malignant and benign formations;
• tuberculosis;
• some cardiovascular pathologies and diseases of the circulatory system;
• kidney disease;
• pregnancy;
• infectious diseases of the skin and genital organs;
• severe exhaustion, which is accompanied by dehydration.

Improper mud therapy is dangerous for the heart

Mud therapy allows you to get different results - reduce pain, increase the plasticity of joints, speed up the fusion of bones after injury, make joints more elastic and strong. With arthrosis of the hip, knee or ankle, this is especially true when it comes to movement.

The method is quite suitable as an auxiliary one. It enhances the effect of the rest of the therapy, reduces the number of pain relief pills taken, but, unfortunately, it cannot completely cure arthrosis. Experienced orthopedists recommend combining it with intra-articular injections of synovial fluid prostheses and adequate physical activity to maintain muscle tone.

Contraindications and side effects

Folk remedies and home remedies based on mud should not be used without prior consultation with a specialist. The doctor can tell you in detail about the beneficial properties and contraindications of each composition.

Mud therapy should not be used for acute diseases of the spinal column.

You should refrain from therapy at elevated temperatures, tuberculosis, hypertension, thyroid pathologies, benign and malignant tumors. Side effects during treatment are rare, including allergic reactions.

Mechanism of action

Four main factors underlie the biologically active effect of peloids on joints:

1. Thermal. Peloids can act simultaneously as a source of heat (for individual parts of the body over areas of inflammation with elevated local temperatures) and as sources of heat (for local warming). As a result of the thermoregulatory effect, local microcirculation and metabolism are normalized, due to hyperoxygenation (increased oxygen supply), tissue trophism is improved, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral effects are enhanced.
2. Chemical. Biologically active suspensions contained in any mud are easily absorbed through the pores of the skin and spread throughout the body through the bloodstream. Peloids have a tanning effect on the skin, stop the proliferation of microorganisms, and normalize redox processes.
3. Mechanical. When the mud dries, it has a certain massaging effect and acts similarly to a cosmetic scrub - it removes dead flaking areas of the skin.
4. Adsorption. Peloids absorb decay products, pus, mucous secretions, bacteria and other harmful components.

Why mud therapy is good for joints

Therapeutic mud has good penetrating ability. Beneficial substances, including ions of chemical elements, penetrate the skin inside and trigger the natural processes of regeneration of cartilage tissue. They normalize metabolism at the cellular level and help increase local immunity in the affected joint with arthrosis of the knee or shoulder.

Therapeutic mud warms the periarticular tissues and increases the flow of oxygenated blood. Of course, this method works well in combination with other physiotherapeutic interventions, and also enhances the effectiveness of chondroprotectors and synovial fluid prostheses.

Peloid therapy is effective in combination with other methods

What is mud therapy and how does it work?

It has long been determined that certain types of mud have healing properties. This applies to silt-sulfide, peat and sapropel mud, which contain healing peloids. The latter has a complex effect on the joints:

• warm because they have high heat capacity and rapid heat transfer;
• saturate tissues with organic compounds, salts, acids, trace elements and minerals;
• relieve inflammation;
• reduce the severity of pain.

Varieties

Based on their composition and natural origin, therapeutic muds are divided into several types:

• Peat. Formed in swamps. Ingredients: rotted wood and herbs. Has high heat capacity. It contains a large number of microorganisms, wood decay products, organic compounds, and bioactive substances. Has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral effects.
• Sapropel. Formed in bodies of water with stagnant water - lakes, ponds, swamps. The composition contains rotted remains of wood and herbs, representatives of fauna. Contains a large number of organic compounds, microelements, vitamins, and bioactive substances. Along with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it has good warming properties. Places of extraction: Ural, Estonia and Karelia, Germany.
• Ilovaya. The result of fermentation of algae residues under the influence of microorganisms.
• Sulfide-silt. It is obtained from the bottom of standing reservoirs. It contains a large amount of organic matter, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane. Powerful antibacterial result. It is mined in Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory, at the Dead Sea (Israel), and in Bulgaria.
• Sopochnaya. Characterized by the presence of petroleum organic matter, iodine and bromine. Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial effect. It is mined mainly in Azerbaijan.
• Hydrothermal. Consists of decomposed volcanic rocks, hydrogen sulfide. Contains minerals, almost no organic substances. The result is achieved due to the high temperature of mud, hydrogen sulfide and volcanic minerals.
• Fango. Volcanic nature. It differs from hydrothermal in the presence in the composition of magma, a large number of decay products of algae, microorganisms, and bioactive substances. Pronounced anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, sensitizing, regenerating effects.

Joint disease

Joint disease is not independent and harmless, as many people think, it is only a local manifestation of some general infectious or other disease (rheumatism, brucellosis, etc.).

There are diseases of the joints (in particular the knee joint, elbow joint, hip joint) and other origins: rheumatoid polyarthritis and various types of polyarthritis (due to metabolic disorders, in particular, fat, water-salt (gout), carbohydrate (diabetes, etc.) d.).

It should be noted that a number of diseases affecting the joints are often popularly called “ rheumatism ”. Medical science has long established the difference between rheumatic and other forms of joint damage, which, if untimely and improperly treated, also often affect the osteoarticular apparatus to some extent. Patients complain of joint pain, swelling, limitation of movement, general malaise, etc., calling these symptoms of rheumatism. Therefore, they often resort to various home folk treatments: rubbing, all kinds of compresses, various baths, etc., which not only do not bring any benefit, but rather cause harm to the body.

One of the prominent rheumatologists in our country, Professor A. Ya. Gubergrits, wrote that rheumatism is often considered a disease of the joints , accompanied by pain in them, crunching, restriction of movements, and in some cases, changes in the shape of the joints. This idea does not correspond to modern scientific medical data. In reality, as science has proven, not all joint diseases and not all pain in the arms and legs are a manifestation of rheumatism. However, with rheumatism, the disease and its symptoms are not limited to changes in the patient’s joints.

In rheumatism, in most cases, the leading role is played by damage to the heart and blood vessels, the nervous system and some other organs.

The widespread idea among the majority of the population that rheumatism is a disease of elderly and old people is also incorrect. This disease most often occurs in childhood and adolescence. Thus, according to Professor V.I. Molchanov, people under 20 years of age account for about 60% of all rheumatism diseases; according to Professor M. A. Skvortsov, for the age of up to 12 -15 years - 75% of cases, according to Professor A. Ya. Gubergrits, about 80% are persons under 40 years of age.