Physical factors in the complex treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

There are no agents specifically stabilizing or reliably stopping the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Rational and long-term use of drugs often allows achieving favorable clinical results, but they have a wide range of side effects and a number of serious complications. Therefore, the search for new effective means and, above all, complexes using physical treatment methods continues. Scientific studies of recent years have shown a number of fundamentally new possibilities for using physical factors. It is necessary to take into account the combined and complex, systemic and local use of physical factors in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with the consideration of inflammatory activity, the course of the disease, the form and stage of the process, sulfur factor and the presence of synovitis, and drug treatment of basic and symptomatic therapy. It is important to pay attention to indications and contraindications for the use of physical factors. A special role in complex treatment belongs to physiotherapy exercises and massage. Thus, comprehensive rehabilitation programs have great potential for medications and physical treatment methods, which are regularly updated.