Among all the studies , the most relevant indexes used to measure effectiveness of spa therapy were improved including VAS , Lequesne , and WOMAC Score .
Conclusions The mud-pack therapy , balneotherapy , mud-bath therapy , and spa therapy have proved to be effective in the treatment and in the secondary prevention of knee osteoarthritis , by reducing pain , nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption , and functional limitation and improving quality of life of affected patients
Background Osteoarthritis ( OA ) is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the world .
OA is the result of an inflammatory and degenerative process affecting the entire joint .
Osteoarthritis , especially involving the knee , has a relevant socioeconomic impact in terms of drugs , hospital admissions , work absences , and temporary or permanent invalidity .
Therapy of knee osteoarthritis is based on pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures .
Cytokine levels in osteoarthrosis patients undergoing mud bath therapy.
Osteoarthritis is an important rheumatic condition characterized by the progressive destruction of cartilage . The pathophysiologic phenomena leading to the pathologic changes in the joint appear to result from biomechanical factors and activation of final common pathways of tissue damage influencing chondrocyte homeostasis and a functional program . Several cytokines and growth factors are reported to be responsible for inflammation and cartilage degradation . Among these , IL-1 and TNF alpha have been suggested as important in promoting cartilage inflammation and tissue destruction , while IGF I has a protective influence on cartilage structure . Chondrocytes and their metabolism have gained interest as targets of drug intervention ; the results of this study confirm that mud bath therapy is also able to influence chondrocyte activities . Our data suggest that mud bath therapy influences cytokines related to osteoarthrosis pathomechanism and maintenance , and encourage further investigations to evaluate possible synergism between pharmacological treatment and mud bath therapy
Among all the studies , the most relevant indexes used to measure effectiveness of spa therapy were improved including VAS , Lequesne , and WOMAC Score .
Conclusions The mud-pack therapy , balneotherapy , mud-bath therapy , and spa therapy have proved to be effective in the treatment and in the secondary prevention of knee osteoarthritis , by reducing pain , nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption , and functional limitation and improving quality of life of affected patients
Background Osteoarthritis ( OA ) is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the world .
OA is the result of an inflammatory and degenerative process affecting the entire joint .
Osteoarthritis , especially involving the knee , has a relevant socioeconomic impact in terms of drugs , hospital admissions , work absences , and temporary or permanent invalidity .
Therapy of knee osteoarthritis is based on pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures .