Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis)

With age, the vast majority of people face the acute question of how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint with typical symptoms,characteristic of this disease in its different stages.This includes swelling in the knee area, redness around these swellings, around the nail and groin, especially during squats and in silence with a pain syndrome of varying degrees.Pain may appear immediately after normal, daily physical activity or physical exercises that are inappropriate for the age in duration and intensity.While touching on the main causes of this pain, we must not forget that its appearance can also be a result of:

• Inflammatory process in the knee joint.That is, it is the result of arthritis.It occurs as an independent pathology or as a complication of other diseases.
• Arthrosis is a degenerative process in which the tissues of the joint are destroyed, it loses mobility, and if the course of arthrosis is prolonged, it causes deformation of the joint.
• Injuries.Often there is a fall, a blow to the knee or a blow to the knee on a hard surface.The joint can be deformed.
• Ligament damage.Ligaments are in the wrong position, preventing movement.But when it is damaged (stretched, displaced, torn), the joint also suffers - with severe pain and the appearance of a tumor.In order not to aggravate the injury, in such cases, the injured leg needs immediate medical attention and rest.
• Kneecap meniscus damage.This protruding, round, movable cartilage can also be injured when kneeling or turning sharply.In such cases, it is not always visually detected due to swelling of the knee joint, which often occurs.The correct diagnosis is made by an experienced specialist using ultrasound, X-ray and palpation.
• Popliteal cyst (Becker cyst).As a result of inflammation, fluid forms in the joint, which collects on the inside of the popliteal fossa in the area of the tendons.
• Inflammation of ligaments and tendons (tendinitis).It causes unpleasant, painful sensations localized along the ligaments and is accompanied by swelling.When the knee is used (flexion and extension), it radiates light to the area along the knees and nerves, to the femoral ligaments and muscles, and to the muscles and muscles of the lower leg.
• Ischemic pain with no blood circulation in the knee joints.They can appear from a sudden change in weather, severe hypothermia for a long time.Examples are sailors who work for a long time in the (Arctic) latitude.In most cases, the localization of pain is symmetrical, equally intense and does not affect joint mobility in the first stage.

In such cases, the most serious mistakes can be ignored, and I hope that if you just rest, "everything will go away by itself".Only a specialist can give a recommendation for treatment and a correct diagnosis, therefore, the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is unacceptable only on the basis of the recommendations of "informed people", and even traditional medicine can be used.Effective treatment is possible only with a combination of drugs in the form of tablets, ointments, ointments and physiotherapy.Sometimes surgery cannot be avoided in severe or advanced cases.

To diagnose

An orthopedic surgeon can diagnose osteoarthritis of the knee joint after a range of motion tests and medical history.The following procedures are usually prescribed in addition to diagnostics:

• Regarding laboratory tests such as biochemical blood test and bacterial microflora, joint fluid and / or bone marrow smear, puncture, this is a study for the presence of antibodies and antigens in the blood serum.
• Instrumental studies that may include ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, densitometry and others.
• Examination of the internal joint capsule using an arthroscope - a device for a minimally invasive procedure to penetrate the space through an incision.Most often, this method is used with cracks and heavy wear of the meniscus or cartilage tissue, as well as after restoring the anterior cruciate ligaments.Recently, although the antroscope is rarely used as a diagnostic tool, it has been successfully replaced by a completely non-invasive diagnostic method using MRI.
• Just "Listen" - with an articular lesion of the 3rd degree, extraneous sounds in the form of snaps and clicks are clearly heard in the joints.

The information obtained becomes a general history, and only on this basis can complete and effective treatment begin.

How to treat gonarthrosis?

Regaining joint mobility is not a matter of one month.Treatment is complex, expensive due to the high cost of drugs, and the result depends only on the patient's willingness to cooperate with the doctor and strictly follow all medical recommendations and prescriptions.

But first.What needs to be done is to immediately reduce the load on the affected joints.If the job involves this type of stress, negotiate with management (with a doctor's note if necessary) about changing your type of activity.For a while or forever - life will tell.For the first time, bed rest may be required for the initial recovery of joint function.Remember: A joint is not a muscle, you cannot "work" it with intense training, it will only make it worse.After the most acute inflammation subsides, it may be necessary to activate life with vigorous activity.But although it increases the load, an elastic elastic bandage, a cane, a stick, etc.In the form, you need to use support means, sometimes you can't do without special orthopedic traces or even specially made orthopedic shoes.

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is also possible at home, using outpatient drugs prescribed by a doctor - chodropotectors, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs.Depending on the degree of damage to the joint and the type of inflammation, the doctor may prescribe non-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).However, for all their effectiveness in eliminating symptoms, they do not eliminate the causes of the disease.

Do not heat the curls with arthrosis!Instead, apply an ice pack to the inflamed area - it will help relieve swelling, redness and inflammation.

The use of chondroprotectors, on the contrary, does not relieve pain.But the regeneration of the cartilage tissue will proceed slowly but surely.The only question is the effectiveness of the drug, but you should try to use proven and certified drugs for treatment.Preferably internationally known.

For joint damage and some types and degrees of joint damage, wearing a fixed bandage that fixes the joint and is permanent (or temporary).However, this measure should be used only if approved by the participant of the method, because in some types of arthrosis, wearing such a bandage can aggravate the course of the disease.

If you have knee pain, you cannot completely immobilize yourself.Moreover, some inflammation prefers only association with moderate physical activity.An orthopedic doctor will tell you when and how much to exercise.Moreover, complete passivity in terms of physical activity will lead to weight loss, which will aggravate the condition by burdening the joint.

Drug treatment is generally combined with physiotherapy courses, which are most suitable for the treatment of arthrosis: magnetic and laser therapy (at more suitable frequencies (related laser radiation), mechanical vibration and ultraponotherapy, microwave devices on tissue, microwave devices - this is therapeutically justified.

In the diagnosis, three degrees of arthrosis of the knee joint are distinguished.

Arthrosis i degree

The mildest degree of the disease.It is characterized by the fact that the treatment does not require a large amount of drug influence, the list of drugs is small, and the measures related to physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy are good.Laser therapy is considered one of the most effective methods, it significantly reduces pain, stimulates regeneration of irradiated areas and reduces inflammation.In addition, the use of radiation associated with a strictly defined wavelength eliminates the need to use glucocorticosteroids in treatment, which cause many side effects.

Arthrosis II degree

It is characterized by more intensive and acute processes of inflammation and destruction of cartilage tissue.During the acute period, special drugs are prescribed, a special diet is recommended, and physical therapy is recommended for such cases.Physiotherapy and massage are excluded during these periods.

Recommendations: Reduce the load by avoiding any movement related to the floor, limiting the loading of the affected joint.Special means can be prescribed for devices that straighten the knee joint and severely limit its mobility.

In the medical arsenal for the treatment of secondary arthrosis, in addition to glucosamine and chondroitin, chondroprotectors with steroid drugs, anti-inflammatory non-steroids may also be present.Hyaluronic acid and other drugs can be injected into the joint capsule to facilitate the sliding of cartilage surfaces relative to each other.

A special diet with excess collagen is prescribed: jelized meat, jelly, aspic and sweets - gelatin souffle.Including fish oil in your diet is beneficial.

Arthrosis III degree

When the knee joint is affected by arthrosis of the third degree, the treatment is not much different from the previous case - the frequency of medication increases with a slight change to glucocorticosteroid hormones.If there is no result, surgery is needed after joint replacement.

Gonarthrosis of the knee joint

All of the above applies mainly to working people, organic damage in the middle of the knee is caused by extreme circumstances and is in no way related to the aging of the body.

When a person turns 50 years old, a completely different picture emerges - when ligaments lose their elasticity, tissue dehydration processes begin, and metabolism slows down.

Under these conditions, the development of gonarthrosis begins - deformation of various severity.In the classification accepted in medicine, gonarthrosis of the knee joint is divided into degrees I, II and III.

This disease, once started, progresses very quickly.It refers to acquired age-related pathologies of the Musculoskeletal system.To one degree or another, all patients after 50, another thing is to lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid excessive physical activity, the integrity of the cartilage layer in the joints can be preserved even after 70 years.

Possible onset of the disease

Located between the tibia and femur bones, the knee joint is perhaps one of the heaviest loads in the human body.An example would be running regularly on a hard (mostly asphalt) surface: every step in this work causes a shock load on the knee joint.

This joint also includes the patella, which is located on the crown of the tendons of the quadriceps femoris muscles - the largest sesamoid movable bone.The articular surfaces are covered with a cartilage membrane, up to 2.5 mm thick, consisting of chondrocytes.Medicines under the generic name Chondroprotectors help restore these cartilage tissue cells, which are primarily affected by gonarthrosis.

There is primary and secondary arthrosis of the knee joints.The etymology of the first is not fully understood and may have different causes.When - from a sedentary lifestyle and vice versa, from a lot of physical activity.Gentle environment, overweight and addiction to smoking or alcohol can also affect.Doctors consider the first stage of arthrosis to be a great success, because it is difficult to analyze the cause of the pathology.

Regular hypothermia of the feet can also provoke the onset of the disease.Therefore, for people prone to these diseases, do not choose professions related to cold (refrigerators, fleets working in northern latitudes), etc.

In women over 45 years of age, the frequent development of gonarthrosis is associated with long-term use of contraceptives due to a decrease in the natural synthesis of estrogen.It also often occurs during menopause or the effects of gynecological diseases such as fibroids, fibroadenomas, endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia.Often in women, gonarthrosis is followed by strict diets to lose weight, many useful minerals and vitamins are removed from the diet.

It is easier to decide on ways to affect secondary arthrosis, which can result in:

• Defects in tissue development and formation;
• The effect of neurodysphyc processes on the cervical and lumbar spine;
• Arthritis of the knee joint;
• His injuries and microtraumas;
• Meniscectomy, that is, surgical removal of the meniscus;
• Hormonal imbalance and endocrine chronic diseases;
• Heavy and constant physical activity, including sports.To prevent joint injuries after 40 years, significantly limit all exercises associated with extreme loads of the knee and later (in the form of working on hard surfaces or squats);
• Abnormal joint mobility.This condition occurs when the bonds that hold the joint in proper position are underdeveloped or naturally weak;
• Stress and constant nervous tension.

Signs and symptoms of disease onset (stage or degree)

• Stiffness of the knee joint in the morning;
• If you walk a kilometer, the appearance of pain in the knee;
• Pain in the joint after standing for a long time (even without movement);
• After complete rest, up to 2 hours, pain even in a sitting position;
• Pain in the first half of the night before going to bed or during sleep.

It is necessary to pay the most serious attention to these signs, because if you do not consult a doctor during this period, the disease begins to progress rapidly, leading to the second stage of the disease.

Goranthrosis II degree

A typical one is:

• Pain at night, pain in the first minutes of the morning when getting out of bed.
• Pain when moving up flights of stairs.
• Ability to use public transport with restrictions.
• A little pronunciation.
• Occurrence of pain when moving up to 800-1000 meters.
• Limited opportunity for self-care.

Often, simply measures to increase joint production of synovial fluid also become an effective way to treat secondary gonarthrosis.

Goranthrosis grade III

It is characterized by:

• pain that begins immediately after rest or occurs after 500 meters of quiet movement;
• Severe lameness when the help of improved means (boxes, cubs) is required;
• stiffness after waking for half an hour or more;
• climb stairs or high-level vehicles independently or without assistance;
• Night pain without joint movement.

The affected joint develops a condition at the tip of the articular plant in the elevation of the adjacent competing bones.The leg completely loses mobility, and the only way to get it back is to replace the joint with an artificial one.

The choice of drugs and treatment methods depends not only on the cartilage tissue, but also on the patient's age, the ability to tolerate certain drugs and physiotherapeutic methods.

When diagnosing, a distinction is made between unilateral and bilateral arthrosis, between unilateral arthrosis, right and left.The latter are often diagnosed in left-handed people.

Nutrition for gonarthrosis

First, doctors advise to exclude red meat and liver from the diet.Priority should be given to fruits and vegetables, high gluten and fiber grains without salt and sugar.As well as fermented milk products, fish and nuts.

The last time you eat will be no later than 19:00.The frequency of food intake may become familiar as it develops over the years.But it is better to eat in fractions - 5-6 times a day in small portions.

Breakfast should be the most - it sets the body in the mood for work and preserves strength until lunch.

Especially if the feeling of hunger is unbearable at first, deceive your stomach - eat an apple or chew a carrot.Don't eat only high-calorie bananas and grapes!

Do not give up jeldied meat.Bringing collagen to the body and joints - raw material for the construction of cartilage tissue.

Drink at least 2 liters of fluids a day: water and / or natural juices.

Eliminate from your diet:

• Red meat;
• Lard, any smoked meat;
• Everything is spicy;
• Semi-finished products of unknown origin;
• Carbonated drinks containing sugar;
• Vegetables: white cabbage, tomatoes, red bell pepper.
• Potatoes, because they are high in calories (carbohydrates!) and help to gain excess weight.Therefore, the Dukan diet will be relevant.

Treatment of gonarthrosis in a sanatorium

The organization uses various physiotherapy, mud therapy, acupuncture and all kinds of massage as treatment methods for arthrosis of the knee joint.

One of the advanced treatment methods is articular injections of hyaluronic acid.It compensates for the lack of production of its own hyaluronic acid, which serves as a lubricating element for the surface of the joint and protects it from wear.The effect of this procedure is felt on the first day.The effect of one injection lasts an average of one month.Patients in the advanced stages of arthrosis feel a painful reduction for many years in the first days, and people with an average degree of the disease, class 1-2, in most cases, pain in 5 needles for about six months.