Arthrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, in which degenerative changes occur on the articular surface of the cartilage, gradually the cartilage becomes thinner and destroyed. The main symptoms of this disease are pain and limitation of movement. And due to the pathological proliferation of cartilage and bone tissue, joint deformation gradually occurs, which exacerbates functional limitations.
The knee joint is one of the most common localizations of arthrosis (knee arthrosis is also called gonarthrosis). Its symptoms are shown to varying degrees in almost 30% of the adult population. Due to the fact that with this disease the discomfort during walking develops quite quickly, patients, as a rule, consult a doctor in the early stages of pathology. This fact simplifies the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, and makes it more effective. For therapy, doctors use medical and surgical methods of exposure. It is also important to follow your diet, massage and exercise therapy.
Let's talk about treatment methods in more detail.
Drug therapy
Drug therapy for gonarthrosis has the following goals:
- pain reduction;
- improve articular cartilage nutrition;
- normalization of blood and lymph microcirculatory processes;
- return of the previous range of motion.
The drug can be used at any stage of the disease, but it is only effective enough for small knee lesions.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotective drugs are the only group of drugs that act directly on the cause of the disease. The most effective products are those containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
If you start treating arthrosis of the knee joint with chondroprotectors at an early stage, then there is a possibility of significant results in therapy: it is possible not only to slow down the destruction of cartilage tissue, but also to partially restore it. It is important to note that drugs in this group must be taken in a course for a long time (at least a year). If taken only occasionally, the treatment will be futile.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a symptomatic effect in knee joint arthrosis: they reduce the severity of inflammation and pain. Thanks to this effect, it becomes possible to use methods of active therapy, including physiotherapy exercises and massage - this is important for severe knee damage. Because these drugs can damage the abdominal wall, frequent long-term use is not recommended.
To reduce side effects, you can use other dosage forms: suppositories or injections. In this case, it is possible to avoid direct contact of the drug with the gastric mucosa, and the effectiveness of the agent remains high.
Gels or creams containing NSAIDs are relatively ineffective. It was found that only 3% of the active substance penetrated the surface tissue and reached the intra-articular structure.
Corticosteroid hormones
The use of corticosteroid hormones is advised in cases where it is necessary to temporarily reduce the symptoms of the disease as soon as possible. Typically, injectable drug forms are used for intra-articular administration.
Another group of drugs
An important group of drugs used in the treatment of knee arthrosis (topically) are vasodilators, which increase microcirculation in the affected area and facilitate lymphatic drainage.
Often, compresses are used for this purpose, the effectiveness of which is somewhat higher than that of ointments. Need attention:
- Dimexide has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, improves the properties of blood flow and tissue nutrition. Unlike many similar drugs, it penetrates deep into tissues.
- Medical bile has a warming and absorption effect, it is most effective for simultaneous inflammatory changes in the articular membranes.
- Bischofite is a natural mineral that warms and improves microcirculation in the affected area.
Also, for the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint at an early stage, intra-articular administration of hyaluronic acid has recently begun to be used. It is a major component of synovial fluid, therefore, thanks to its use, the abrasion of the articular surface of cartilage is significantly reduced. When treating gonarthrosis, it is very important to make sure that this substance does not enter the bloodstream. In this case, the risk of developing emboli complications increases when the drug enters the arteries of internal organs and leads to impaired blood flow. The cost of the procedure is quite high.
Stretches
With arthrosis, the size of the intra-articular gap gradually decreases, because of this, the friction of the articular surfaces against each other increases. As a result, pain increases, and there is a significant limitation of mobility. To increase the distance between the cartilages, in some cases, the use of apparatus traction (traction) is indicated. Thanks to such a procedure, the load on the joints and the severity of disease symptoms are reduced. Usually this method is used in the course of 5-7 procedures.
Manual and massage therapy
To treat arthrosis of the knee joint, manual therapy and special massages can be used. The effects are: relieve pain, relieve muscle spasms, restore range of motion. However, this method of treatment is effective only in the early stages of pathology, because with significant deformation of bone and cartilaginous tissue, it becomes difficult to perform manipulations.
Hirudotherapy
The use of medical leeches can be useful in the treatment of gonarthrosis: thanks to such a procedure, the nature of the blood, local blood flow and tissue nutrition is improved. It is also possible to activate regenerative processes in cartilaginous tissue and increase the amount of intra-articular fluid.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy procedures are usually used as an adjunctive treatment method. Often, electrophoresis is used: with its help, the external drug penetrates deeper than with conventional application on the skin surface.
You can also use ultrasound, magnetic devices, laser radiation. Thanks to its effect, microcirculation and tissue nutrition is improved, the process of destruction and deformation slows down.
Surgical intervention
Surgical intervention in the treatment of knee arthrosis is performed if conservative methods are ineffective. Usually, in these cases, the patient has obvious deformity of the knee joint and almost complete immobility. During surgery, it is possible to remove excess tissue that restricts mobility.
In further cases, complete or partial endoprosthetics are performed using titanium structures. The operation is very traumatic, and the duration of the recovery period after it can reach several months. However, a well -done prosthetic will help restore joint function even in seemingly hopeless cases.
Treatment at home
You can treat knee arthrosis at home, but you must first coordinate all your actions with your doctor so as not to endanger yourself.
Diet
Adherence to diet plays an important role in the treatment of gonarthrosis, because with food the ingredients needed for cartilage and bone cell renewal are supplied.
With the presence of excess weight, a properly chosen diet will reduce it and thus reduce the load on the musculoskeletal system.
Physiotherapy
Gymnastic exercise and physiotherapy are important parts of the treatment of gonarthrosis. Thanks to exercise, the thigh and lower leg muscles are strengthened, limb mobility is increased, and ligament condition is improved. By increasing the blood supply to the affected area, the delivery of nutrients and oxygen is increased. It is very important to perform complex individual exercise therapy on a regular basis. From time to time, it is advisable to work with the instructor - this way you can control the accuracy of the training and, if necessary, change it.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can also be used to treat knee joint arthrosis at home. For this, portable devices for UHF, small magnets, paraffin compressors are used. During the procedure, it is necessary to achieve maximum muscle relaxation, and during physiotherapy it is desirable to reduce the load on the affected limb. To do this, you can use a walking stick: leaning on it, a person reduces the load on the knees by 40%. In order for the wand to be effective, it is important to choose the right size for it.
The way of the people
There are many popular recipes that can bring significant benefits in the treatment of knee joint arthrosis. Here are some of them:
- chopped horseradish roots should be tied to the knees at night;
- if sick, you can drink a glass of onion soup (one liter of boiling water for two onions) three times a day;
- bath with a decoction of malt and senna herbs is recommended to be taken several times a week;
- with severe inflammation, you can wipe the knee joint with a lemon wedge or tie an oat compress.
Conclusion
There is no definite answer to the question of how to cure arthrosis of the knee joint. Most experts believe that the disease is incurable, and with the help of modern methods it is only possible to slow down (stop) the process of destruction of the joints and only partially restore lost function. Therefore, it is important to pay special attention to prevention and implement it from an early age.