Sooner or later, many people reach a point in their life when knee pain starts bothering them.It is difficult to walk, he wants to limp on his leg, which bothers him, he spares it.Over time, the pain intensifies and begins to accompany the unfortunate person wherever he goes.Eventually, it becomes so intrusive that the person goes to the doctor or seeks information about their problems on their own.
Often in this case, the doctor diagnoses "deforming arthrosis of the knee joint" based on the symptoms.Let's take a closer look at what it is, how it manifests itself, where it comes from and where it leads.And most importantly, how to get rid of it?
What is it?
This is a process in which cartilage tissue is destroyed.In this case, there is often a simultaneous inflammation called synovitis.After that, the knee becomes deformed and the movements become painful or not at all.
Who can get sick?
This disease is diagnosed based on many symptoms.They are usually quite specific and characteristic of all types of disease.
Before you find out what causes knee pain that bothers you regularly or constantly, let's see which categories of people are susceptible to this disease:
- overweight people.It is logical that obesity and excess weight while walking contribute to increased pressure on the feet.As a result, cartilage that cannot cope with the load is destroyed;
- athletes.The occurrence of the disease is associated with excessive stress experienced by athletes during training;
- varicose veins.In this case, the cause is a violation of the blood supply, a decrease in the supply of nutrients;
- people with leg injuries.
Belonging to one of these categories significantly increases the risk of developing knee arthrosis.Now let's look directly at your symptoms.
How to recognize the disease?
The development of the disease can take a very long time - for several years a person does not feel anything, does not suspect that a disease is starting to develop.Over time, the manifestations intensify and obvious discomfort appears.
Its development has several stages:
- Arthrosis of the knee joint 1st degree.It can be completely asymptomatic for a long time, or it can manifest as mild pain and mild discomfort from time to time.The feelings intensify when you get out of bed in the morning and start walking.The discomfort is felt even more when someone goes down or up the stairs.This stage can take several months or even years.If you see a doctor at this stage, recovery will be much easier than if you wait until the next stage.
- Arthrosis of the knee joint is 2 degrees.The patient begins to notice a characteristic squeaking sound while walking, which is sometimes accompanied by severe pain.Movements are limited, restricted, as if difficult.During the examination at this stage, the doctor may notice the beginning of minor deformation and the accumulation of fluid.This phase includes drug therapy and regular therapeutic exercises.
- Arthrosis of the knee joint 3rd degree.During this period, severe deformation is visible and movements become very difficult.The patient has problems with bending and straightening the leg.The pain is constant and worsens with changing weather conditions.A characteristic gait appears on half-bent legs, ducking, while the legs are curved in an X or O shape.
Treatment methods depend on the degree of manifestation of the symptoms, their stage of development, and become more complex as they progress.
Why does it appear?
There are many reasons for the development of knee damage, and they directly depend on the form of the disease - primary or secondary.
The primary form occurs due to congenital causes;begins to appear at an early age.Due to the pathologies of the development of the ligamentous apparatus, too much stress is placed on it while walking.This leads to the development of the disease.Thanks to timely medical intervention and adherence to a certain diet, the primary form of knee damage is eliminated.
The secondary form is the result of injuries and diseases.
Let's consider all the causes of the disease:
- rheumatic diseases (rheumatism, arthritis) may be the underlying cause.In the case of long-lasting arthritis, fluid accumulates, causing inflammatory processes and, as a result, the development of the disease;
- the presence of excess weight also contributes to problems due to an increase in the load on the cartilage layer and, as a result, its premature damage;
- metabolic disorders that lead to the deposition of salts in the joint cavity, difficulties in blood circulation;
- prolonged spasms of the muscles or blood vessels of the legs;
- surgical interventions;
- too much stress on the legs during sports activities;
- injuries: dislocations, fractures, bruises, accompanied by damage to the cartilage layer and ligaments.
One of the main roles in the treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joints is to eliminate the causes leading to the development of the disease.And only after getting rid of the causes, we can talk about the possibility of curing the disease itself, using different tools, techniques, and a suitable diet.
How should it be treated?
The way to treat gonarthrosis can only be determined by a specialist, focusing on the stage of development of the disease, the severity of cartilage damage, and determining the exact cause leading to the disease.The methods, types, and methods of therapy are varied and often only effective in combination.Therefore, you should approach this issue responsibly and carefully follow all the doctor's recommendations.
It should not be forgotten that this is a chronic disease that can rarely be completely cured, therefore all treatment methods are primarily aimed at achieving remission and disappearance of symptoms.However, at the very first stage of development, when the problems are just beginning, it is possible to completely get rid of the damage to the knee joint by eliminating the causes (such as excess weight or excessive stress) and simple physical therapy.
In most cases, therapy is aimed at alleviating pain, restoring damaged cartilage, and restoring full range of motion.
The therapy combines the following methods:
- use of drugs and medicines, medicated ointments;
- provision of therapeutic massage and manual therapy;
- physiotherapy methods: therapeutic exercises, gymnastics therapy;
- surgical intervention if necessary;
- folk and non-traditional treatment methods.
How and what medicines are used?
The first goal of drug treatment is pain relief.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to effectively relieve pain.
These drugs do not cure the disease and do not prevent its development - they only serve to relieve the pain.Their use should be combined with medicines (symptomatic slow-acting medicines) and ointments for restoring the function of damaged cartilage in arthrosis of the knee joint.They have many side effects - primarily a negative effect on the mucous membranes.Only the doctor prescribes the dosage and frequency of the medication.Do not try to treat yourself - this will inevitably lead to negative processes.
There are also observations that, in high doses, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a destructive effect on cartilage tissue.
The doctor can only prescribe strong, centrally acting pain relievers when non-steroidal drugs no longer have their effect.
Together with painkillers, gymnastics and massage, the following group of drugs is used - corticosteroids, which are aimed at relieving inflammatory processes.These are hormonal drugs whose effect is very strong, so it is not recommended to take them orally.In addition, their use causes many side effects.Recently, some corticosteroid injections are given to the affected area.
The next group of drugs - the symptomatic delayed effect - stimulates the synthesis of healthy cartilage cells (chondrocytes), which replace the dead ones.The active ingredients that make up the medicines are similar in many respects to the substances that make up the cartilage tissue, and when they enter, they stop the destruction and stimulate the cell proliferation.
Before taking such drugs, be sure to consult a specialist: the fact is that these drugs are effective only for the first and second degree of the disease.In the third degree, the cartilage is already completely destroyed, there is nothing to restore.
What non-pharmacological methods are used?
In the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints, the combination of movement therapy and physiotherapy sessions is the most effective.Physiotherapy exercises may only be performed under the supervision of a specialist.Physical activity should be moderate, dosed and regular.
While performing exercises, it is useful to carry out physiotherapy procedures, such as ultrasound, high-frequency magnetic therapy, radon, hydrogen sulphide bath, laser treatment.All these procedures not only relieve knee damage, but generally strengthen the body.
It should be remembered that exercise therapy classes are only possible during the first degree or remission of the disease - that is, only when the visible manifestations (inflammation, pain) are absent or almost absent.If your condition does not allow it, it is better to refuse to exercise.
Before starting therapeutic exercises, ask for advice from a physical therapy instructor who, after an examination, will prepare a personalized exercise program for you and show you the complex to complete recovery.
The exercises must be performed strictly according to the schedule and exactly with the load determined by the instructor.The lack of hours makes the procedures ineffective, so follow all instructions regularly and responsibly.Only then can we hope for a truly positive result.
Exercises should be combined with manual therapy - massage, which is carried out by a specialist or by yourself after learning how to do it.The massage allows the muscles to relax and improves the blood supply to the cartilage layer.
What methods of assistance are there?
Many doctors recommend the use of special knee braces.They increase the effectiveness of therapy and relieve pain.An elastic bandage is used for the same purpose.
Knee pads fix the ligaments and partially resist the process of deformation.This makes it easier for patients in the second stage of the disease to move, since walking is already a problem for such people.
The knee protector can be used for prevention by those who are physically stressed, overweight to reduce the traumatic effect of walking, and athletes during training.
When choosing a knee protector, it is better to consult a doctor.Knee pads vary in their degree of fixation: tight, medium and light.In the most advanced stage of the disease, narrow ones are used, and in the first stage, light ones are used.When using them, care must be taken not to numb the leg: numbness means that the blood stagnates, which can lead to disastrous results.
The heating effect of the knee brace relieves the pain, which makes it possible to reduce the dose of painkillers.There are knee pads made of camel and dog hair.Wool is beneficial in itself, and thanks to this, even if it cannot cure the disease, it can at least alleviate the condition and speed up the treatment process.
Is it worth using folk remedies?
Folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints can only be used after consultation with a doctor and only as an additional method.By itself, the use of traditional methods without the use of traditional medicine is ineffective and dangerous, and may have negative consequences.
Among the folk remedies used in the treatment of knee arthrosis, various rubbings, poultices, ointments made from natural ingredients, rubbing, herbal preparations and infusions are used to relieve pain and reduce the inflammatory process.There are many recipes for the preparation of healing agents that our ancestors used.Their healing properties have been proven through centuries of use and are beyond doubt.Burdock poultice, cranberry juice rub, mummy and beeswax are just some of the many folk remedies.
Recently, treatment with leeches (hirudotherapy) has become increasingly popular.Hirudotherapy sessions relieve inflammation and act as a powerful pain reliever.
As you know, leeches increase blood circulation in the treated area.Increasing the blood supply to the painful area significantly accelerates the regeneration of the cartilage tissue and the cleansing of the affected cells, and supplies the painful area with more nutrients.
Thus, the use of folk remedies and hirudotherapy together with drug treatment, manual and physiotherapy, as well as therapeutic exercises, promotes complete recovery.