Osteoarthritis of the knee joints

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint, DOA, gonarthrosis) is called degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joint structures, in which the cartilage layer between the bone elements first thins and then collapses. In the early stages, the patient experiences discomfort and a slight limitation of mobility, then the joint is deformed and, with the destruction of the cartilage, it completely loses its functions. Acute arthrosis is very painful and is accompanied by a significant reduction in the patient's physical activity. If the treatment of gonarthrosis of the knee joint is not started in time, the patient may remain disabled.

For reference:According to statistics, every fifth adult in the world suffers from arthrosis of the knee joint. Osteoarthritis of the knee can be unilateral or bilateral, in women the pathology is diagnosed twice as often as in men. People over the age of 45 often face the problem of joint deformation due to age-related changes in the body. If this diagnosis is given to young people, the cause is usually trauma.

Why does pathology develop?

The knee joint is one of the most complex in the human body. Takes most of the load during walking and other movements. It is not surprising that with age its elements begin to wear out and lose their functions. First, the cartilage layer in the articular joint loses its elasticity and elasticity, then it dries out and cracks. The shock-absorbing properties of cartilage are reduced, and this is exactly what causes discomfort and pain when moving: the blows and blows of the joint structures against each other are no longer softened by anything, the bones are gradually exposed and rub against each other.

Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint in old age is an optional phenomenon, it is not diagnosed in everyone. There are a number of provoking factors, the combination of which causes pathological changes in the joint.

The most common causes of pathology are the following:

• overweight - the joint must withstand additional loads;
• Osteoporosis is a pathology in which demineralization of bone tissue occurs;
• chronic diseases associated with metabolic disorders in the body;
• traumatic sports - gonarthrosis is often called the disease of football players due to frequent injuries to the knee joint;
• some types of professional activities associated with heavy physical exertion - osteoarthritis and arthrosis - occur in loaders;
• injuries of the spine, in which the distribution of the load on the joints of the lower limbs is disturbed;
• hereditary predisposition.

Articular cartilage does not wear out immediately. In the early stages, the manifestations of the disease are absent or insignificant, the patient does not consult a doctor and does not take any measures to stop the pathological process. But if, nevertheless, dystrophic changes are identified, the patient has time to start treatment and prevent irreversible changes. To do this, you must first find out what are the main signs of arthrosis of the knee joints.

How to recognize the disease

The symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint become clearly expressed at the stage when the cartilage has already become thinner and has begun to deteriorate. Gonarthrosis of the 1st degree may not be felt for years. Later, however, attentive patients remembered that they still felt atypical symptoms, they just did not attach much importance to them, since they were not constant and did not cause much discomfort.

You can suspect destruction and inflammation of the right or left knee joint based on the following specific signs:

• morning stiffness in the joint;
• limitation of mobility after a long stay in one position;
• discomfort in the knee when climbing stairs - burning sensation, hypersensitivity;
• night pain in the knees;
• pain after physical work or sports;
• periodic sudden weakening of the lower limbs. If right-sided gonarthrosis or left-sided gonarthrosis develops, then only one affected leg gives way.

But still, the main symptom of destruction of the knee joint remains pain. They can be of varying intensity and sometimes subside. But as the pathologies progress, they appear more often, become more intense and bother the patient even at rest, in the absence of physical activity. Based on the severity of the symptoms, the doctor can diagnose the stage of the disease.

• Manifestations of stage 1 pathology:pain is still not a problem, the patient may notice rapid fatigue during sports or physical activity, slight limitation of joint mobility after a long rest. The X-ray will show a slight narrowing of the space between the bones of the joint, an uneven surface of the cartilage with slight seals.
• In case of 2 degree gonarthrosissymptoms appear more vividly and more frequently. Usually, the patient already knows that something is wrong with his knees. The joints hurt and "distort" when the weather changes, after physical exertion. Even the most gentle movements lead to knee pain. If a person rests his leg, the pain will go away. But on load they will resume again. Also, at this stage of the pathology, there may be a characteristic creak in the knee when bending and extending the leg, difficulty and pain when trying to bend the leg at the knee more than 90 degrees. The X-ray will show a change in the shape of the joint cup and the presence of fluid in the joint cavity.
• Gonarthrosis 3 degreescharacterized by severe pain that occurs regardless of whether the limb is loaded or at rest. The painful joint is especially painful at night and when weather conditions change. The patient can no longer bend his leg at the knee, due to which his physical activity and working capacity decrease. The X-ray clearly shows degenerative changes in the joint tissues. Deformation is also noticeable visually with the naked eye. The patient's legs are bent at the knees like the letter "o" or "x", which ultimately leads to the inability to move independently, without support, and even more so to perform usual professional and household duties. The person becomes disabled.

Usually, patients turn to a doctor in the second stage of the disease, mainly to find an effective medicine for knee pain. At the first stage, it is quite difficult to identify gonarthrosis, because the symptoms are mild and only minor changes are visible on X-rays. It is possible to detect pathological changes in the joint only with a thorough examination.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis begins with a visual examination and questioning of the patient. What will show the possible development of gonarthrosis:

• enlargement and change of shape of the knee joint;
• a distinct creak when the knee cap is displaced;
• pain when palpating the joint;
• limitation of joint mobility.

In the early stages, degenerative changes in cartilage tissue may not be visible, for this reason additional CT and MRI are recommended. With the help of modern diagnostic techniques, the doctor can accurately determine how severely the joint is affected, whether there is inflammation and accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity, as well as distinguish arthrosis of the knee joint from other pathologies.

Classification

In modern orthopedics, there are two main types of osteoarthritis of the knee joints:

• primary gonarthrosis;
• secondary gonarthrosis.

The primary form of the disease develops independently due to age changes or metabolic disorders. Secondary is a consequence of another disease, injury or failed surgical intervention. Post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis can develop several months after a contusion, subluxation or fracture. According to the nature of the course, arthrosis is divided into acute and chronic. It is easier to cure the acute form of the disease.

Official medicine for gonarthrosis

Complex treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint begins only after the final confirmation of the diagnosis. If the patient's condition is not critical, then doctors will first try to stop the progression of the pathology with the help of drugs. Physiotherapy, massage and manual therapy are used as additional methods.

The main goals of complex therapy:

• relief of pain and discomfort;
• restoration of joint mobility;
• stop the destruction of the cartilage layer and, if possible, restore it.

Physiotherapy and following a special diet are important points. There are exercises and products that work to repair damaged joint tissues and help restore mobility at least partially. If you consult a doctor in time, these measures are enough for the knee joint to start functioning fully again.

But if the disease has reached the third stage, the joint is seriously damaged, even the most expensive drugs will not help to restore it. An operation will be required to at least partially preserve the function of the limb. It consists in removing the remnants of the affected joint structures and implanting an implant, the procedure is called endoprosthetics.

Drug treatment of gonarthrosis

To eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, restore and strengthen the joint, a complex of drugs from different groups and actions is used.

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- with them, the treatment of the joints begins, they quickly relieve pain, swelling, fever and partially stop the inflammatory process. But they cannot be taken for a long time, since the active components in the composition have an extremely negative effect on the functions of the digestive tract and the composition of the blood. Usually, the course of treatment with NSAIDs lasts no more than 5-7 days. Medicines can be in the form of tablets for internal use or in the form of ointments and gels for external use.
• Chondroprotectors– these are drugs that improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue and restore their hardness and elasticity. Chondroprotectors also partially relieve pain and swelling. But such drugs do not work immediately. The first effect will be noticeable a few weeks after the start of the course of therapy. It is recommended to take chondroprotectors for at least six months.
• Hormonal drugs.They are also called corticosteroids. Medicines containing hormones are used if the pain is very strong and the inflammation progresses even after a course of taking NSAIDs. They are administered in the form of injections intramuscularly or directly into the joint cavity. Such drugs immediately relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation. But they have a number of contraindications and even more side effects than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which is why they are prescribed in extreme cases. Hormonal drugs can be purchased in pharmacies only with a doctor's prescription. As soon as the patient's condition improves, corticosteroids are stopped.

The treatment is complemented by intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid. This substance stimulates the production of synovial fluid, saturates the cells with moisture, restores their elasticity, firmness and prevents wear. The cost of the procedure is quite high, but the effectiveness is worth the price.

Note:Of all the drugs listed above, only chondroprotectors affect the cause of the disease. They stimulate the regeneration of the destroyed cartilage tissue and prevent damage to the surviving cartilage cells. But these drugs are expensive, while in order to get a noticeable and lasting effect, they must be taken regularly for several months in a row, and sometimes even years. The cost of full treatment for many patients, especially pensioners, is often prohibitive.

Non-traditional methods of treatment

Patients who have experienced firsthand what arthrosis of the knee is and what unpleasant symptoms it manifests, always have a few available remedies in stock, in case the pharmacy and drugs are not available. People suffering from gonarthrosis and knee pain prepare tinctures, rubs and ointments based on medicinal plants in advance - almost all recipes require time and fresh raw materials available only in the spring-summer season.

Dandelion treatment

There are several ways to strengthen the joint and restore its mobility and get rid of excruciating pain with the help of this medicinal plant. The simplest is to eat five dandelion heads every day during the flowering period. This should be done on an empty stomach, after rinsing the flowers with boiled water. A tincture for rubbing the joints is also prepared from dandelions.

The cooking recipe is as follows:

1. Collect exactly 50 open dandelion heads.
2. Place in a dark glass bottle with a tight stopper.
3. Pour 300 ml of good vodka or triple cologne.
4. Leave to infuse away from sunlight for a month, shaking the container occasionally.
5. Without squeezing, transfer to the first aid kit, use before bed to rub the sore knee, then wrap the joint warmly and go to sleep under a blanket.

There is another interesting recipe against joint arthrosis with dandelion. First you need to collect the leaves of the plant and dry them. Then it is poured with boiling water and left to infuse for half an hour. The resulting mixture should be chewed slowly and thoroughly for as long as it takes to make exactly 3 thousand steps.

Recipes with burdock

The simplest recipe:

1. take two or three young leaves from the plant and rinse with cold water;
2. Crush the leaves lightly to release juice;
3. Apply to the affected joint and secure with a bandage.

Keep this "compress" all night, in the morning remove it and discard the leaves. Repeat the procedure daily for three weeks.

To enhance the effect, traditional healers advise to lubricate the knee with gentian oil before applying burdock. It is very easy to prepare. Two tablespoons of chopped gentian are poured into 250 ml of any refined vegetable oil without aromas. The oil must be preheated well, but not boiling. Leave the mixture for two weeks, after which the oil can be used to treat joints.

Turpentine, eggs, and other remedies for joints

Using the yolk of a chicken egg, you can prepare an effective rub for inflamed joints. It is prepared like this:

1. Lightly beat one yolk in a bowl.
2. Add a small spoonful of turpentine and stir.
3. Then pour a large spoonful of vinegar and beat again.

The mixture is stored in the refrigerator and used before sleep. After the rubbing, the knee is wrapped with a warm towel for the whole night. In the morning, you should remove the bandage and rinse off the product residue with warm water and then apply any anti-arthrosis ointment.

Remember that all home preparations are effective only immediately after preparation, they are not stored for a long time (except for tinctures with alcohol, they can be stored in a dark and cool place for up to six months). Don't expect instant results. People's funds operate on a cumulative system; permanent relief will come after only three to four weeks of regular use of home remedies for knee osteoarthritis. In the later stages, they will not be effective and will only help to temporarily reduce pain and swelling.

Summary:Osteoarthritis of the knee joint or gonarthrosis is one of the most common lesions of the musculoskeletal system in the elderly. In young people, it appears after an injury or with excessive physical exertion. The disease can be completely cured only at stages 1-2 with a competent and comprehensive approach. At the third stage, it is most often necessary to resort to endoprosthetics in order to restore at least partially the functions of the limb and prevent complications.