Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system, which is the complete destruction or deformation of the cartilage. According to statistics, it affects up to 22% of the world population. Mostly, this disease occurs in the elderly or in athletes. Every person that has found this unpleasant disease, the question that arises is: how to treat osteoarthritis of the knee?
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 recommended to exercise at moderate ranges, and loads. Not face a serious challenge that is set before the people great, the joints can suffer damage. Sometimes, there may appear microcracks, it is evident that it is not visible, and the damage that it can cause a huge set;
- injuries. This is the source of osteoarthritis in young people. Any fracture, dislocation or damage to the meniscus can cause the disease. After all, for the healing of the lesions, you need to fix the knee. The impairment of the circulation of the blood and leads to osteoarthritis;
- obesity and excess weight. All the weight of the body down into the joint of the knee, the cartilage is destroyed under this load, which leads to disease. If in addition to obesity, there is also the varicose veins, you may develop a severe form of arthritis;
- violation of the metabolism. In a situation such as this is often the lack of calcium, which negatively affects the state of the bone and cartilage tissue in General;
- stressful situation. Any emotional tension, stress negatively affects the human health of the joints. To avoid this, it is more likely to relax, not to overwork and alternative way to work mental with the physical.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee is very varied, but very specific:
- the pain. In the early stages of the disease is very weak and he felt a strong physical effort. Take this condition maybe a couple of years until the illness does not worsen. When it comes to the knee and the joint of 2 degrees, the pain becomes more pronounced. The knee may hurt even at rest after a long hike or lifting heavy things;
- crisis. It is characterized by severe pain. Appears in 2-3 stages of osteoarthritis;
- deformation. In the early stages of knee slightly swollen and then begins to change its shape;
- limitation of mobility. Occurs in the later stages of the disease. All attempts to bend and straighten the knee causes a sharp pain. The movement is possible only on bent legs;
- a Baker's cyst. The so-called elastic seal at the back of the knee. Occurs due to the accumulation of a large number of sets of fluids. Easily treated without surgery.
The degree of osteoarthritis
- 1 the degree of arthrosis of the knee joint occurs virtually asymptomatic. It may be characterized by fatigue in the legs and in the short-term alteration of motility that occurs after sleep. The pain may be minor. To detect anomalies, which is only possible with the help of x-rays.
- 2 the degree of osteoarthritis of the knee pain becomes tangible. Occurs when prolonged stress on the joint and disappears after a long rest. Has added a crisis at the time of walking, the progression of synovitis (Baker's cyst), the change in the bone joints, difficulty in bending knee.
- Grade 3 osteoarthritis of knee pain has a strong charges. The second feature is the inability of a man to bend the knee on your own. The pain was very disturbed during sleep, the affected area actively responds to climate change. Deformation of the knee can lead to disability.
The diagnosis of the disease
To begin with the attending physician questioning the patient, and to examine it. After having assigned to the survey in view of radiography. In addition, the doctor may order a magnetic RESONANCE imaging and computed tomography. With this set of procedures that you can find out the causes exact of the disease and to understand that it is osteoarthritis and not some other illness.
Ways to cure osteoarthritis of the knee
When it is diagnosed, you can begin to direct the treatment. Includes several methods:
- The medication.
- Therapy by means of massage, physiotherapy.
- The surgery.
- Recovery.
Very important are the physical treatments, massage and diet. Comprehensive treatment should eliminate the pain, set the motor function of the joint, it is possible to restore the cartilage.
Treatment with drugs
The medicine is more focused on getting rid of the pain, as it interferes with itself to begin the treatment immediately. To do so, the doctor prescribes analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ointments, gels.
When all this does not help, prescribe treatment. This can cause a lot of side effects. Therefore appoint only short courses of its application.
- Ointment can relieve the pain and relieve the 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 carried out by a team of highly qualified specialist. In fact, in the case of penetration of the acid in the blood can be more complications.
- Symptomatic medications delay can influence the very cause of osteoarthritis, especially in the initial phase. The drugs, which restore the production of fluid from 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 restore the functional capacity of the joint, eliminates spasm of the muscles. Individual exercise program selects the Dr based on the results of the survey.
Surgery
Surgical treatment is different. It depends on the degree of intervention:
- arthroscopy. This procedure is done through the introduction of the endoscope and tools in a fact especially stinging in the set. In order to remove the canvas, which became a source of pain. The operation is smooth and can be repeated several times. It takes place even in the first stage of the disease;
- osteotomy. It 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 by the complete replacement of the affected knee joint implant.
Proper nutrition
Very often the reason for the development of osteoarthritis can be a simple failure in the metabolism. Because it leads to weight gain and obesity that becomes a cause of osteoarthritis. It is for this reason that during the treatment, you need to follow a special diet.
The patient should eat foods rich in vitamins and microelements, as well as counting calories. To eat often and in small portions which accelerate the metabolism. Breakfast should be full and hearty to supply themselves with energy for the whole day. In the daily diet must be present cereals, vegetables, fruits and vegetables.
To exclude from the receipt of the necessary fatty and spicy food, soft drinks, processed foods. It is not recommended to use bananas, grapes, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, all kinds of confectionery and chocolate. Do not forget that in this period more than ever the need of proteins. Therefore, the use of cheese, yogurt, and cheese should be mandatory.
The dinner should be not later than two hours before you go to sleep. During the day it is recommended to drink two litres of water. Unless of course the patient does not suffer from kidney disease.
Traditional medicine
Cure for osteoarthritis of the knee joint can be cooked with their own hands. Can be of all kinds of ointments, compresses, rubbing, lotion. But you need to 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. New cooking broth. This dried dandelion fill in with boiled water. Once it has cooled, drink 1/3 Cup three times a day. Also preparation of tincture of dandelions. For its preparation, it is necessary to take a bottle of dark, fill it with flowers and fill with the alcohol. After a month of steeping can be used as a rubbing of the patient's joint.
- Aloe. Clean the sheet can be adjusted at the knee all night. This will help to reduce the pain and remove the inflammation. From this floor it is possible to prepare the tool for grinding. This grinder ground a dozen leaves. After you squeeze the juice through cheesecloth and mix it with half a Cup of honey. Add 150 ml of wine and mix it all up, put in a dark place. You need to use a month.
- Indeed compress can take the salt, mustard and sand. Mix all ingredients, heat in a frying pan and folded in the bag. Apply to the affected area. This method of treatment will help to activate the process of recovery, improves blood flow and relieve pain.