Knee osteoarthritis is the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system, which is the complete destruction or deformation of the cartilage tissue. According to statistics, it affects up to 22% of the world population. Mostly, this disease occurs in the elderly or in athletes. Every person who encountered this unpleasant disease, the question arises: how to treat knee osteoarthritis?
Causes of osteoarthritis
Before you start an immediate treatment of arthritis, you need to find out why it arose. The reasons are very diverse:
- heavy loads. Active physical activities should be age appropriate. So after 40 years, it is advisable to exercise at moderate ranges, and loads. Not coping with a difficult task, which put in front of older people, the joints do not stand up and damaged. Sometimes there may appear microcracks, which is clearly not visible, and the harm they can cause enormous joint;
- injuries. This is the source of osteoarthritis in young people. Any fracture, dislocation or damage to the meniscus can cause of the disease. After all, in order to cure the injury, you need to fix the knee. The deterioration of the blood circulation and leads to osteoarthritis;
- obesity and excess weight. The entire weight of the body falls on the knee joint, the cartilage collapses under load, which leads to disease. If in addition to obesity, there is also the varicose veins, it may develop a severe form of arthritis;
- violation of metabolism. In such a situation is often the lack of calcium, which adversely affects the condition of the bone and cartilage tissue in General;
- stressful situation. Any emotional tension, stress negatively affects the health of human joints. To avoid this, is more likely to relax, not to overwork and constantly alternate mental work with physical.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee
Symptoms for osteoarthritis of the knee is quite varied, but highly characteristic:
- pain. In the early stages of the disease it is quite weak and is felt in a strong physical exertion. This condition can continue for several years until the disease does not worsen. When comes the knee-joint of 2 degrees, the pain becomes more pronounced. The knee may hurt even at rest after a long walk or lift heavy things;
- crunch. It is characterized by severe pain. Appears in 2-3 stages of osteoarthritis;
- deformation. In the early stages, the knees slightly swollen, then it begins to change its shape;
- limited mobility. It occurs in the later stages of the disease. All attempts to bend and straighten the knee causes a sharp pain. Movement is possible only on bent legs;
- a Baker's cyst. The so-called elastic seal on the back of the knee. It occurs due to the accumulation of a large number of joint fluid. Easily treated without surgery.
The degree of osteoarthritis
- 1 the degree of arthrosis of the knee joint occurs virtually asymptomatic. May be characterized by fatigue in the legs and short-term disturbance of motility that occurs after sleep. The pain may be minor. Detect abnormalities possible only with the help of x-rays.
- 2 the degree of arthrosis of the knee joint pain becomes more noticeable. Occurs when prolonged stress on the joint and disappears after a long rest. Add the crunch when walking, the progression of synovitis (Baker's cyst), change in bone joints, difficulty in bending knee.
- Grade 3 osteoarthritis of knee joint pain has a strong out loads. The second feature is the inability of man to bend the knee on their own. Pain is very bothering during sleep, the affected area actively responds to changing weather. Deformation of the knee can lead to disability.
Diagnosis of the disease
For a start, the doctor asks the patient and examines him. After you have assigned the survey in view of radiography. Additionally, your doctor may refer you for an MRI and a CT scan. With such a set of procedures you can find out the exact causes of the disease and to understand that it's the osteoarthritis and not another disease.
Ways to cure knee osteoarthritis
When diagnosed, you can begin to direct treatment. It includes several methods:
- Medication.
- Therapy by means of massage, physiotherapy.
- Surgery.
- Recovery.
Very important are the physical treatments, massage and diet. Comprehensive treatment should eliminate pain, establish the motor function of the joint, it is possible to restore the cartilage.
Treatment using drugs
Medicine is more focused on getting rid of the pain, because it prevents to start immediate treatment. To do this, the doctor prescribes painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ointments, gels.
When all of the above does not help, prescribe treatment. This can cause a lot of side effects. Therefore appoint only short courses of their application.
- Ointment can relieve pain and alleviate inflammation.
- Hyaluronic acid is very effective in the early stages of osteoarthritis. The drug is injected directly into the joint. This procedure should only be performed by a qualified technician. Indeed, in the case of penetration of acid in the blood can be more complications.
- Symptomatic medications retardation can influence the very cause of osteoarthritis, especially at the initial stage. The drugs, which restore the production of fluid of the joints and damaged cartilage.
Physical therapy
This treatment is very effective in the early stages of osteoarthritis of the knee joint: relieves pain, helps to restore the functionality of the joint, eliminates the muscle spasm. Individual exercise program is selected by the doctor based on the results of the survey.
Surgery
Surgical treatment is different. It depends on the degree of intervention:
- arthroscopy. This procedure is performed by introducing the endoscope and tools in a specially made punctures in the joint. So removed the fabric, which became a source of pain. The operation is gentle and can be repeated several times. Is conducted even in the first stage of the disease;
- osteotomy. Is an artificial fracture for bone tissue healed properly. Carry out the same procedure with the deformation of the knee joint;
- the endoprosthesis. This operation is carried out with complete replacement of the damaged knee joint implant.
Proper nutrition
Very often the reason for development of osteoarthritis may be a simple failure in the metabolism. Because it leads to weight gain and obesity that becomes a cause of osteoarthritis. That is why during treatment, you need to adhere to special diets.
The patient should take foods rich in vitamins and microelements, as well as counting calories. To eat often and small portions that will accelerate the metabolism. Breakfast should be a full and hearty to stock up on energy for the whole day. The daily diet must be present cereals, greens, vegetables, fruits and vegetables.
To exclude from receiving the needed fatty and spicy food, sodas, processed foods. It is not recommended to use bananas, grapes, cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, all kinds of confectionery products and chocolate. Do not forget that in this period more than ever need protein. Therefore, the use of cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese should be mandatory.
Dinner need not later than two hours before bedtime. During the day it is advisable to drink up to two liters of water. If the patient is not suffering from kidney disease.
Traditional medicine
Cure for osteoarthritis of the knee joint can be cooked with his own hands. It can be all kinds of ointments, compresses, rubbing, compresses. But you must use them only in combination with other drugs and only after consultation with your doctor.
- Dandelion. Its flowers are washed and eat up to 6 pieces a day. Again cooking broth. This dried dandelion fill in with boiled water. Once it has cooled, drink 1/3 Cup three times a day. Also preparing tincture of dandelions. For its preparation you need to take a dark bottle, fill it with flowers and fill with alcohol. After a month of infusion can be applied as a rubbed into the diseased joint.
- Aloe. Purified his letter can attach to the knee all night. This will help reduce the pain and remove the swelling. From this plant it is possible to prepare the tool for grinding. This is ground in a meat grinder a dozen leaves. After you squeeze the juice through cheesecloth and mix it with half Cup of honey. Add 150 ml of wine and mix everything, put in a dark place. You need to use a month.
- To effectively compress can take the salt, mustard and sand. Mix all ingredients, heat in a pan and put in the bag. Applied to the affected area. This method of treatment will help activate the process of recovery, improves blood circulation and relieves pain.