Many people, sooner or later, reach a point in life where knee pain begins to bother them.It becomes difficult to walk, it makes you want to limp your leg, which is bothering you, saving you.Over time, the pain intensifies and begins to follow 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, based on the symptoms, makes the diagnosis of “deforming arthrosis of the knee joint”.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 during which cartilaginous tissue is destroyed.In this case, concomitant inflammation, called synovitis, often occurs.Subsequently, the knee becomes deformed and movement becomes painful or impossible.
Who can get sick?
This disease is diagnosed based on several symptoms.In general, they are quite specific and characteristic of all types of diseases.
Before finding out what causes periodic or constant knee pain, let's see which categories of people are susceptible to this disease:
- people who are overweight.It is logical that obesity and being overweight when walking contribute to increased pressure in the legs.As a result, the cartilage, unable to withstand the load, is destroyed;
- athletes.The occurrence of the disease is associated with the excessive stress that athletes experience during training;
- varicose veins.In this case, the cause is a violation of blood supply, a reduction in the supply of nutrients;
- people with leg injuries.
Belonging to one of these categories significantly increases the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.Now let's look at your symptoms directly.
How to recognize the disease?
The development of the disease can last a long time - for several years a person does not feel anything, does not suspect that he is beginning to develop a disease.Over time, the manifestations intensify and obvious discomfort appears.
There are several stages of its development:
- Arthrosis of the knee joint 1st degree.For a long time it can be completely asymptomatic or manifest itself as periodic mild pain and mild discomfort.The sensations intensify when the person gets out of bed in the morning and starts walking.The discomfort is felt even more clearly when the person goes down or climbs stairs.This degree can last several months or even years.If you see a doctor at this stage, recovery will be much easier than waiting until the next stage.
- Arthrosis of the knee joint 2 degrees.The patient begins to notice a characteristic sound when walking, which is sometimes accompanied by severe pain.Movements become limited, restricted, as if they were difficult.During an examination at this stage, the doctor may detect the beginning of small deformations and fluid accumulation.This step involves drug therapy and regular therapeutic exercises.
- Arthrosis of the knee joint, 3rd degree.During this period, serious deformations are visible and movements become very difficult.The patient has problems bending and straightening the leg.The pain is constant and intensifies during changes in weather conditions.A characteristic gait appears with the legs half bent, waddling, while the legs have a curved X or O shape.
Treatment methods depend on the degree of manifestation of symptoms, the stage of their development and become more complex as it progresses.
Why does he appear?
There are many reasons why knee injury develops and they directly depend on the form of the disease - primary or secondary.
The primary form occurs for congenital reasons;begins to appear at a young age.Due to pathologies in the development of the ligamentous apparatus, when walking there is a lot of stress on it.This leads to the development of the disease.Thanks to timely medical intervention and adherence to a certain diet, the main form of knee injury will be eliminated.
The secondary form is a consequence of injuries and illnesses.
Let's consider all the causes of the disease:
- Rheumatic diseases (rheumatism, arthritis) may be the root cause.In prolonged arthritis, fluid accumulates, causing inflammatory processes and, consequently, the development of the disease;
- the presence of excess weight also contributes to problems due to the increased load on the cartilaginous layer and, consequently, its premature damage;
- metabolic disorders that lead to the deposition of salts in the joint cavity, impaired blood circulation;
- prolonged spasms of leg muscles or blood vessels;
- surgical interventions;
- too much stress on the legs during sports activities;
- injuries: dislocations, fractures, bruises, which were accompanied by damage to the cartilaginous layer and ligaments.
In the treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joints, one of the main roles is assigned to the elimination of the causes that led to the development of the disease.And only after getting rid of the causes can we talk about the possibility of curing the disease itself, using different means, techniques, as well as adequate nutrition.
How to treat this?
The treatment of gonarthrosis can only be determined by a specialist, focusing on the stage of development of the disease, the severity of the damage to the cartilage and determining the exact cause that led to the disease.Methods, types and methods of therapy are varied and are often effective only in combination.Therefore, you need to approach this issue responsibly and carefully follow all the doctor's recommendations.
It should be borne in mind that this is a chronic disease that can rarely be completely cured, therefore any method of treatment is aimed, first of all, at achieving remission and the disappearance of symptoms.However, at the very first stage of development, when problems are just beginning, it is possible to achieve complete relief from damage to the knee joint by eliminating its causes (for example, excess weight or excessive stress) and carrying out simple physiotherapy.
Therapy, in most cases, boils down to relieving a person's pain, restoring damaged cartilage and restoring the possibility of full movement.
Therapy combines the following methods:
- medicines and medicines, use of medicinal ointments;
- provision of therapeutic massage and manual therapy;
- physiotherapeutic methods: therapeutic exercises, exercise therapy;
- surgical intervention if necessary;
- folk and non-traditional treatment methods.
How and what medications are used?
The first objective that drug therapy should pursue is pain relief.For effective pain relief, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
These medications do not cure the disease or prevent its development - they are only intended to relieve pain.Its use should be combined with the use of medications to restore the function of cartilage damaged by arthrosis of the knee joint (slow-acting symptomatic medications) and ointments.They have a number of side effects - primarily a negative effect on mucous membranes.Only a doctor should prescribe the doses and frequency of use of medications.Do not try to treat yourself - this will inevitably lead to negative processes.
There are also observations that in large doses, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a destructive effect on cartilage.
Only if non-steroidal medications are no longer effective can the doctor prescribe strong analgesics with a central effect.
Along with painkillers, gymnastics and massage, the following group of medications is used - corticosteroids, which are aimed at relieving inflammatory processes.These are hormonal medications whose effects are very strong, which is why they are not recommended to be taken orally.Furthermore, its use causes many side effects.Recently, some corticosteroids are administered to the affected area by injection.
The next group of drugs - symptomatic delayed action - stimulates the synthesis of healthy cartilage cells (chondrocytes), which replace the destroyed ones.The active substances that make up these medicines are in many ways similar to those that make up cartilaginous tissue and, getting inside, stop destruction and stimulate cell reproduction.
Before taking these medications, consult a specialist: the fact is that these medications are effective only in the first and second degrees of the disease.At the third degree, the cartilage is already completely destroyed and there is nothing to restore there.
What non-drug methods are used?
In the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints, a combination of exercise therapy and physiotherapy sessions is most effective.Physiotherapy exercises must be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a specialist.Physical activity should be moderate, dosed and regular.
While performing exercises, it is useful to carry out physiotherapeutic procedures such as ultrasound, high-frequency magnetic therapy, radon, hydrogen sulfide baths and laser treatment.All these procedures not only alleviate knee damage but also strengthen the body in general.
It must be remembered that physiotherapy classes are possible only during the first degree of the disease or during its remission - that is, only when visible manifestations (inflammation, pain) are absent or almost absent.If your condition does not allow it, it is better to refuse the exercise.
Before starting therapeutic exercises, consult a physiotherapy instructor who, after an examination, will create an individual exercise program for you and show you the entire complex that is carried out until recovery.
Exercises must be performed strictly according to the schedule and exactly with the load that the instructor will determine for you.Missing classes will render the procedures ineffective, so follow all instructions regularly and responsibly.Only then can we expect a truly positive result.
Exercises should be combined and supplemented with manual therapy - massage, which is done by a specialist, or by yourself, after learning how to do it.Massage allows you to relax muscles and improve blood supply to the cartilaginous layer.
What helper methods are there?
Many doctors recommend using special knee braces.They increase the effectiveness of therapy and relieve pain.An elastic bandage is used for the same purpose.
Knee braces fix the ligaments and partially resist the deformation process.This makes it easier for a patient in the second stage of the disease to move, as walking is already a problem for these people.
Knee braces can be used for prevention by those suffering from physical stress, overweight people to reduce the traumatic impact of walking and by athletes during training.
When choosing knee pads, it is best to consult a doctor.Knee pads vary in the degree of fixation: tight, medium and light.At the most advanced stage of the disease, tight ones are used, at the first stage - light ones.When using them, it is necessary to ensure that the leg does not go numb: numbness means that blood stagnation occurs, which can lead to disastrous results.
The warming effect of the knee brace relieves pain, which allows you to reduce the dose of painkillers.There are knee pads made from camel and dog hair.Wool itself has a beneficial effect, thanks to which it is possible, if not to cure the disease, then at least to 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 auxiliary method.By itself, the use of only traditional methods without the use of traditional medicine is ineffective and dangerous and can lead to negative consequences.
Among the folk remedies used to treat knee arthrosis, various rubs, compresses, ointments from natural ingredients, rubs, herbal preparations and infusions are used to relieve pain and alleviate the inflammatory process.There are many different recipes for preparing healing medicines that our ancestors used.Its healing properties have been proven over centuries of use and there is no doubt about it.Burdock compresses, cranberry juice, mummy and beeswax are just a few of the many folk remedies.
Recently, leech treatment (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 area to be treated.Increasing the blood supply to the painful area significantly accelerates the regeneration of cartilage tissue and the cleansing of affected cells, as well as providing more nutrients to the painful area.
Thus, the use of folk remedies and hirudotherapy combined with medications, manuals and physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises promote complete recovery.