Osteoarthritis of the knee joint: symptoms and treatment, exercises, medications

Arthrosis of the knee joint (also called gonarthrosis) is an injury of the knee joint, as a result of which the articular cartilage is destroyed, the knee is deformed, and knee movements are limited.The article will help you know the symptoms and start the necessary treatment in a timely manner.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint

Experts divide gonarthrosis into primary and secondary forms:

1. The cause of the primary form is a congenital defect of the joint, and the period of development of the disease occurs in childhood and adolescence.
2. The secondary form can develop at any age.

Experts call the main causes of the disease:

• bad posture;
• being overweight;
• various types of injuries to the knee joint;
• disorders of mineral metabolism and metabolism;
• the presence of endocrine diseases;
• increased load on the knee joints;
• impaired calcium metabolism due to taking hormone-containing drugs;
• operations to remove the meniscus;
• presence of arthritis;
• weak ligament system;
• Menopause and menopause in women.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joints can be bilateral or unilateral.

Stages of osteoarthritis and their symptoms

Depending on the symptoms and the approach to the disease, experts divide the disease into 3 phases.

Initial or 1st stage of osteoarthritis

At this stage, mild pain appears with increased load on the knee.The initial phase can last from 1 year to several years.To prevent the stage from developing into a more severe form, a series of measures should be taken aimed at restoring the deformed cartilage, strengthening the ligaments and restoring movement of the knee.

At this stage, timely treatment will allow you to completely eliminate the pathology.But most patients ignore the symptom in the form of mild pain and therefore do not consult a doctor.Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is treated by an orthopedist, rheumatologist or surgeon.

Middle or 2nd stage of osteoarthritis

At this stage the symptoms of the disease appear more clearly and therefore cannot be ignored.Doctors note that it is in stage 2 that most patients seek medical care.An accurate diagnosis can be made at this stage.Prompt treatment can stop the disease from progressing to stage 3.

Severe symptoms include:

• sore knees due to hypothermia;
• presence of a soft crunch;
• swelling or swelling of the knee joints;
• severe knee pain when climbing stairs or other forms of increased stress;
• pain and tingling in the calves;
• stiffness when bending and straightening the knee.

The last or 3rd stage of arthrosis

At this stage, the consequences of the disease are irreversible and it is impossible to stop the development of the pathology.But the treatment will alleviate the patient's condition for a while.You should never ignore symptoms or self-medicate, as this can lead to a change in gait, walking with a cane, or disability.

In addition to the above, doctors include the main symptoms of stage 3:

• endocrine system pathologies (thyroid problems, diabetes);
• Hereditary and age-related factors.

Diagnostic methods

The specialist formulates the diagnosis based on the patient's medical history and the results of laboratory and instrumental studies.

Laboratory tests include:

• general blood test.Using the study, it is possible to identify the causative agent of the disease and evaluate the degree of inflammation.
• general urinalysisallows you to identify or exclude the autoimmune origin of the disease and evaluate whether the origin of the pathology is the kidneys and urinary tract.
• biochemical blood test, which is divided into many others, the indicators of almost all studies are outside the normal range.

Laboratory tests are performed during the period of exacerbation of the disease, since during remission all indicators are within normal limits.

Instrumental studies include:

• radiography.It is performed in two projections: postero-anterior and lateral.Usually, to compare diseased and healthy knees, the doctor takes an x-ray of both knees.
• arthroscopy.This procedure should be understood not only as a study, but also as a mini-operation.The fact is that through a small hole in the knee, the doctor inserts a small LED conductor inside, and a complete picture of the internal state of the knee is displayed on the computer screen;the resulting tissue fragments are sent to the laboratory if there is suspicion of a cartilaginous or malignant tumor.As for surgical interventions, the shape of the menisci can be corrected endoscopically, polyps and chondrophytes can be removed.In addition to the diagnosis of arthrosis, it is possible to carry out and examine other diseases, since the knee joint is a large organ and allows you to get a complete picture of the condition of the body.
• Ultrasound (ultrasound examination).This research method has two important advantages over X-rays: it is harmless and helps to see the soft tissues of the joint due to its broad viewing capabilities.
• CT (computed tomography).The examination is an improved form of x-ray, since in this procedure the doctor takes several photos and thanks to them a three-dimensional image of the affected organ is created on the computer.This form is used less frequently than others due to the time required and the large amount of radiation.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).Unlike the previous method, it is more harmless.MRI also allows you to get a better picture of the soft tissues than CT.But MRI is used as rarely as CT, since its use requires high material costs and cannot be used on patients whose bodies contain metal objects (knitting needles, crowns).CT and MRI are contraindicated in people whose weight exceeds 120 kg.
• scintigraphy.Expensive and radiation-intensive method.Therefore, it is used in cases where less expensive methods are ineffective.In this study, a substance is introduced into the patient's body that reacts to the diseased organ and localizes around it.
• tomographyThe study is based on thermal radiation coming from the surface of the body.Typically, the affected organ manifests itself in the form of lesions with elevated temperature.A tomograph is a cumbersome instrument, and the procedure is expensive, so this study is carried out only in large clinics.

Medicines to treat and relieve symptoms

Experts note that treatment cannot begin without relieving pain and eliminating inflammation.Therefore, doctors prescribe various non-steroidal (i.e. non-hormonal) drugs.But you can not take them longer than prescribed, since this group of drugs does not cure the disease, but relieves the symptoms as the disease progresses.

Ointments for arthrosis

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint in the presence of symptoms such as swelling and pain is rarely possible without ointments.

Unlike other forms of drug delivery, this group has obvious advantages:

• rapidly reduces pain and inflammation;
• ease of use makes it easy to combine with other treatment methods, such as physiotherapy;
• there is no negative effect on the liver.

Many years of experience in the treatment of arthrosis and studies of positive reviews among patients have made it possible to identify a number of effective ointments that have a warming vasodilator effect.They contain chili pepper extract, bee and snake venoms.

Gymnastics for arthrosis

Gymnastics is one of the important methods of treating arthrosis of the knee joint, which should be used during the remission period after the pain symptoms have been eliminated.

Promotes:

• improve joint cartilage nutrition and overall health:
• pain reduction;
• strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the knee joint;
• increased joint mobility.

To see the positive effect,you need to train every day or every other day, increasing the load to 30 minutes per workout.

1. Heating.You need to walk on tiptoe or heels for 3-5 minutes.
2. Pedal an imaginary bicycle 20-30 times (10-15 times for each leg).
3. Lying on your stomach, bend and straighten your knees 10-15 times.With each push-up, hold your leg in this position for 5 seconds.
4. Stretch your legs while lying on your back.Raise your leg and bend your knee.Your heel should be parallel to the floor.
5. Lying on your right side, lift your left leg, pull it towards your stomach and then stretch it back as far as possible.Turn to the other side and repeat the exercise.Repeat 5-6 times for each leg.

Exercises should be avoided if:

• hernia of the abdomen or thighs;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• infectious diseases;
• blood diseases;
• rehabilitation period after operations.

Rubs and compresses

Various rubs and compresses are widely used in the treatment of arthrosis.Their significant advantages include the availability of the ingredients and the absence of side effects.

• Garlic.Pour 1 head of vegetable with any vegetable oil (200 ml), cover with a lid and leave in a dark, cool place for 7 days.Then wash the product overnight.To eliminate a specific odor, cover the knee with a thick gauze bandage and rinse thoroughly with water in the morning.
• Egg.Mix the vinegar with 1 egg yolk 1:1 and immediately rub some of the product on your knee.Apply 3 per week.After rubbing, wrap your knee with something warm.
• Honey.Mix 100 grams of honey and 3 grams of mumiyo and immediately massage them on the knee.Wrap your knee.
• Cabbage.Soak a piece of woolen fabric with vegetable juice and apply it to the knee.
• Oatmeal.Cook regular porridge with 1-2 tablespoons of flakes in water.You can't boil the flakes for more than 7 minutes!Place the viscous product on a clean cloth and apply to the knee.

It envelops

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (symptoms and drug treatment are listed above) can, according to experts, be treated with different types of bandages.The most effective are those with honey and herbs.

According to research, honey compresses help:

• restore tissues and intra-articular cartilage destroyed by the disease;
• eliminate pain and inflammation;
• burn excess cholesterol.

It is worth noting that honey is most effective when combined with cinnamon.

As for herbal compresses, the above properties have:

• bark of willow, oak, birch, aspen;
• valerian roots, comfrey, burdock;
• hop leaves, birch, nettle;
• aromatic herbs wild rosemary and St. John's wort;
• chamomile flowers, calendula.

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with hirudotherapy

One of the most effective methods of treating arthrosis of the knee joint is considered to be hirudotherapy, that is, treatment with leeches.It can be used at the first symptoms and must be prescribed by the doctor and under the supervision of specialists.Before the first procedure, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications.

You should not deal with leeches:

• children and the elderly;
• patients suffering from impaired blood clotting, hypotension, severe exhaustion, leukemia, anemia, gastrointestinal erosion, gastric ulcers, digestive system problems, cancer, tuberculosis, anemia and hemophilia;
• women during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

For the treatment to be effective, it is necessary to carry out 1-2 procedures every 5-6 months.Treatment can be carried out more or less often - it all depends on the stage of the disease.If after 1-3 sessions the patient feels improvements and does not experience allergic reactions, it is possible to continue treatment with leeches.

Otherwise the patient is given a break for 9 months and, if the allergy reappears or there is no improvement, the hirudotherapy sessions are stopped.During the treatment the specialist treats the knee with an odorless product, then checks the suitability of the leeches that will be used.

To do this, leeches are placed in a vessel with water.If leeches stick to the walls, they can be used.The specialist places 2-6 leeches on the kneecap.

When sucked, leeches release a number of useful enzymes into the human body that will help:

• restore and strengthen immunity;
• restoration of blood circulation and metabolic processes;
• eliminate swelling and adhesions.

Hirudotherapy cannot be used as a separate treatment method.For greater effectiveness, experts recommend combining it with physiotherapy, physical therapy and medications.

Take turpentine and pine baths

No less important for eliminating the symptoms of arthrosis is balneotherapy, that is, taking various baths with a therapeutic effect.Experts note that there are many different types of medicinal baths, but turpentine and pine baths have demonstrated particular effectiveness.They can be taken not only at seaside resorts, but also at home.

But despite their benefits, they should be abandoned:

• patients with heart disease;
• in the presence of cancer, tuberculosis, varicose veins, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension,
• if the patient has suffered a heart attack or stroke;
• in the presence of skin diseases;
• pregnant women.

For a turpentine bath you will need to mix 10 grams of baby soap, 0.75 ml of salicylic acid and pour the mixture with 500 ml of boiling water.While the mixture cools, you need to fill the tub with hot water.When the mixture has cooled to 45 degrees, add the turpentine and pour 15-20 ml of the mixture into the bathtub.

The presence of turpentine can make the temperature in the bathroom seem high.Therefore, it is not possible to increase the dose 1 time by more than 20 ml.Baths should be done every day for 10-14 days, gradually increasing the dose of the turpentine mixture to 80 ml per procedure.After taking a bath, you need to rinse off the mixture with warm water and put on warm clothes or lie down under a blanket.

For pine baths you will need pine needles or branches.About 25-30 branches need to be broken into small pieces so that they fit in the pan.Before preparing the decoction, rinse the branches and remove any soil, add water and cook for 5-10 minutes.Strain the finished broth and pour it into a hot water bath.

You need to take a bath for 10-15 minutes.Then you should dry yourself and wear warm clothes.It is not recommended to engage in physical work and put stress on your knees.A course of treatment with pine baths can include 7-12 procedures, which can be carried out every other day or daily.After six months, the course can be repeated.This procedure will prolong the remission period and stop the progression of the disease.

Use of chondroprotectors

Arthrosis of the knee joint (symptoms and treatment with folk remedies are listed below) cannot be cured without chondroprotectors - a group of drugs that is aimed at restoring cartilage tissue and its nutrition.All drugs in this group are divided into 5 groups.Medicines intended for the treatment of arthrosis belong to group 4.

They are made on the basis of:

• glucosamine;
• chondroitin sulfate;
• avocado and soy extracts;
• hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid;
• synthesis of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.

Chondroprotectors are prescribed by specialists together with painkillers.But, unlike the latter, the former must be taken throughout life, since only in this case it is possible to slow down the development of arthrosis and stop disability.The effect of taking chondroprotectors is visible only after 2-8 days.

The drugs are available in the form of gels, ointments, tablets and injections.An injection with a solution is given into the knee.

Diet: what foods are allowed, nutritional rules and approximate diet

Excess weight negatively affects the development of arthrosis: the disease progresses more rapidly than in patients with normal weight.Therefore, people suffering from excess weight are advised to lose the extra kilos.But at the same time it is strictly forbidden to starve or follow mono-diets or diets with diets with dietary restrictions.

Authorized products include:

• Hormone-free farmed meat, which can be boiled, baked, stewed or steamed.If you do not have access to farmed meat, you can buy regular meat, but you should get rid of the skin and fat, since all the harmful substances that are fed or injected into animals or poultry accumulate there.It is better to limit the consumption of such meat to 1-2 times a week, and the rest of the time eat vegetable or fish dishes.
• fruit and vegetables that can be cooked in the oven or stewed according to your tastes.
• all types of cereals (except instant cereals).
• products with pectin: currants, fructose jelly;
• fermented milk products;
• egg;
• wholemeal bread and pasta.

It is important to exclude from the diet:

• pastries, sweets and white bread;
• alcoholic beverages and beer;
• various types of fast food and snacks;
• sausages and other types of prepared meat products.

For arthrosis it is necessary to consume 1200 Kcal per day.You need to eat fractionally, that is, every 2-3 hours in small portions.

Folk remedies

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint, symptoms and treatment can be easily carried out using traditional medicine:

• If arthrosis is accompanied by swelling, a blue clay compress will come to the rescue.To do this, you need to dilute the clay with water until a creamy consistency is obtained, place it on a thick cloth folded 4-6 times and apply it to the joint.Wrap your knee with gauze or other cloth so the compress doesn't slip off.Leave for 2-3 hours and rinse with warm water.The fabric can be washed and reused.
• Experts recommend giving up natural tea and coffee and replacing them with decoctions and infusions.For example, a decoction of cranberries.For him 2 teaspoons.berries should be poured 1 liter.boiling water and leave for an hour, wrapped in a towel.You need to drink 3-4 times a day.
• Massage ointment will help get rid of pain and inflammation at any stage of the disease.For this you need to mix 50 grams of petroleum jelly with 10 grams of chopped hops, sweet clover and St. John's wort.It is necessary to infuse the product for 2-3 hours in a dark place.Massage with light massage movements.You can bandage your knee.

How long does the rehabilitation period last?

It is impossible to say unequivocally how long the rehabilitation of arthrosis will last, since the timing depends on various factors.For example, the patient's age and lifestyle, the degree and severity of the disease.

In general, the recovery period lasts 1-2 months, during which the patient, with the help of specialists:

• removes inflammatory and painful syndromes;
• learn physical exercises and regulate your diet.

In order for the remission period to continue as long as possible, the patient must exercise regularly and visit the doctor.Osteoarthritis of the knee joint, with the elimination of symptoms and the correct approach to treatment, will allow you not to abandon your usual rhythm of life.