Osteoarthritis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, in which degenerative changes occur in the articular surfaces of the cartilage, gradually the cartilage becomes thinner and destroyed. The main symptoms of the disease are pain and restriction of movement. And due to the pathological proliferation of cartilage and bone tissue, a gradual deformation of the joint occurs, which exacerbates functional limitations.
The knee joint is one of the most common localizations of osteoarthritis (knee osteoarthritis is also called gonarthrosis). Its symptoms manifest to varying degrees in almost 30% of the adult population. Due to the fact that with this disease the discomfort while walking develops quite quickly, patients, as a rule, consult a doctor in the early stages of pathology. This fact facilitates the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, and makes it more effective. For therapy, the doctor uses 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:
- reduction of pain sensations;
- improving articular cartilage nutrition;
- normalization of blood and lymph microcirculation processes;
- return to previous range of motion.
Medications can be used at any stage of the disease, but they are effective enough only 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 that contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
If you start treating osteoarthritis of the knee joint with chondroprotectors in the early stages, then there is the possibility of important results in therapy: it is possible not only to slow down the destruction of cartilage tissue, but also to restore it partially. It is important to note that drugs of this group should be taken in courses for a long time (at least one year). If taken only occasionally, the treatment will be useless.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a symptomatic effect on osteoarthritis of the knee joint: they reduce the severity of inflammation and pain. Thanks to this effect, it becomes possible to use active methods of therapy, including physiotherapy exercises and massage - this is important for severe knee injury. As these medications can damage the stomach walls, their regular 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.
NSAID-containing gels or creams are relatively ineffective. It was found that only 3% of the active substances penetrate through the superficial tissues and reach the intra-articular structures.
Corticosteroid hormones
The use of corticosteroid hormones is advisable in cases where it is necessary to temporarily reduce the symptoms of the disease as soon as possible. Usually, injectable forms of drugs are used for intra-articular administration.
Other groups of drugs
An important group of drugs used in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (on the spot) are vasodilators, which improve microcirculation in the affected area and facilitate lymph drainage.
Most often, compresses are used for these purposes, the effectiveness of which is somewhat higher than that of ointments. It's worth to mention:
- Dimexide has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, improves blood flow properties and tissue nutrition. Unlike many similar drugs, it penetrates deep into tissues.
- Medicinal bile has a warming and resorbing effect, it is more effective for the accompanying 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 osteoarthritis of the knee in the initial stages, relatively recently, intraarticular administration of hyaluronic acid has begun to be used. It is the main component of synovial fluid, therefore, thanks to its use, the erosion of the articular surfaces of the 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 embolic complications increases when the drug enters the arteries of internal organs and leads to impaired blood flow. The cost of the procedures is quite high.
laying down
With osteoarthritis, 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, the sensation of pain increases and there is a considerable limitation of mobility. To increase the distance between the jumps, in some cases, the use of apparatus traction (traction) is indicated. Thanks to such procedures, the load on the joints and the severity of the symptoms of the disease are reduced. Usually this method is used in courses with 5-7 procedures.
Manual therapy and massage
Manual therapy and special massage can be used to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. Their effects are: pain relief, relief of muscle spasms, restoration of range of motion. However, these methods of treatment are effective only in the early stages of pathology, as with pronounced deformation of bone and cartilage tissue, it becomes difficult to perform manipulations.
Hirudotherapy
The use of medicinal caterpillars can be useful in the treatment of gonarthrosis: thanks to such procedures the properties of blood, local blood circulation and tissue nutrition are improved. It is also possible to activate regenerative processes in cartilage tissue and increase the amount of intra-articular fluid.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy procedures are usually used as an adjunct method of treatment. Most often, electrophoresis is used: with its help, external drugs penetrate much deeper than with conventional application to the surface of the skin.
You can also use ultrasound, magnetic equipment, laser radiation. Thanks to their effect, microcirculation and tissue nutrition are improved, the processes of destruction and deformation are slowed down.
Surgical intervention
Surgical intervention in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis is performed in case of ineffectiveness of conservative methods. Usually, in this case, the patient has a pronounced deformity of the knee joint and its almost complete immobility. During surgery, it is possible to remove excess tissue that restricts mobility.
In advanced cases, complete or partial endoprosthetics are performed using titanium structures. The operation is very traumatic and the duration of the rehabilitation period after it can reach several months. However, a well-performed prosthesis will help restore joint function even in seemingly hopeless cases.
Home treatment
You can treat osteoarthritis of the knee at home, but first you need to coordinate all your actions with your doctor so as not to harm yourself.
diets
Compliance with the diet plays an important role in the treatment of gonarthrosis, as it is with food that supplies the substances necessary for the renewal of cartilage and bone cells.
In the presence of excess weight, a properly chosen diet will reduce it and thus reduce the load on the musculoskeletal system.
Physiotherapy
Gymnastics and physiotherapy exercises are an integral part of treating gonarthrosis. Thanks to the exercises, the muscles of the thigh and lower leg are strengthened, the mobility of the limbs is increased and the condition of the ligaments is improved. By improving the blood supply to the affected area, the distribution of nutrients and oxygen increases. It is very important to regularly perform a complex of individual exercise therapy. From time to time, it is advisable to work with an instructor - this way you can check the correctness of the exercises and, if necessary, change them.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can also be used to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joints at home. For this, portable UHF devices, small magnets, paraffin compresses are used. During the procedures, it is necessary to achieve maximum muscle relaxation, and during the course of 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 knee by 40%. For the cane to be effective, it is important to choose the right size for it.
Popular way
There are many popular recipes that can bring tangible benefits in treating knee osteoarthritis. Here are some of them:
- Chopped horseradish root should be tied to the knee at night;
- in case of pain, you can drink a glass of onion juice (one liter of boiling water for two onions) three times a day;
- baths with a decoction of malt and senna herbs are recommended to be taken several times a week;
- with severe inflammation, you can wipe the knee joint with a lemon wedge or apply an oatmeal compress.
Conclusion
There is no clear answer to the question of how to cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Most experts believe that the disease is incurable and with the help of modern methods it is possible only to slow down (stop) the process of destruction of the joints and only partially restore the lost functions. Therefore, it is important to pay special attention to prevention and its implementation at an early age.