Every year more and more people are faced with such a disease as arthrosis of the knee joint - the treatment is long and complicated, and it is almost impossible to permanently get rid of this disease. The main task of the patient is to prevent the progression of the disease.
Conventional medical treatments
Inflammatory processes occurring in the knee joint are terrible not only in the appearance of pain. Particularly dangerous are the destructive processes occurring in the tissues, the results of which are such that the organ cannot always be restored. Therefore, the treatment of arthrosis involves complex therapy. It must start on time and take place under the strict supervision of a doctor.
The action of the prescribed medical care is aimed at eliminating pain, providing sufficient nutrition to the cartilage and accelerating the process of its regeneration. In addition, the therapy improves blood circulation in the affected joint, strengthens the adjacent muscles, also increases the distance between the joint bones and increases the mobility of the knee.
Depending on the stage of development of the disease, doctors offer medical or surgical treatment. In order to consolidate the results of the main therapy, special physical education, massage, the use of a cane and proper nutrition are also prescribed.
Medical treatment
Drug therapy is prescribed in cases where irreversible changes have not occurred in the joint, and the tissues of the knee joint are able to recover and nourish themselves. Only this can be the key to a successful recovery.
The doctor is faced with the difficult task of choosing a competent comprehensive treatment, which should include:
- chondroprotectors;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- immunostimulants;
- antibiotics (for infectious complications);
- agents that improve blood microcirculation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are necessarily included in the complex for the treatment of arthrosis. The purpose of these drugs is to relieve inflammation and severe pain that interfere with complex treatment. During the intake of these drugs, not only the mobility of the knee joint improves, but also the possibility of performing massage procedures opens up.
Due to their characteristics, non-steroids are not intended for long-term use. First, by relieving pain and relieving the patient's condition, they can create the illusion of healing from the disease, while destructive processes will actively progress. Second, this group of drugs has a wide range of serious side effects. Third, taking them orally contributes to the dehydration of cartilage, which accelerates its destruction.
The duration of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory substances can be extended if selective drugs are used. The likelihood of side effects and complications in this case is much less.
Chondroprotectors
In the treatment of arthrosis, it is necessary to provide cartilage tissue with sufficient nutrition and to place special emphasis on restoring the structure of damaged cartilage. For this it is necessary to use chondroprotectors - glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. The action of these substances is not aimed at relieving symptoms, but at treating the disease.
Chondroprotectors are most effective at the initial stage of arthrosis. They are essential for the regeneration of cartilage and the production of joint fluid. However, the action of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is rather slow, so the course of treatment is ongoing and in total it can take up to 1. 5 years. In the later stages of the disease, when the cartilage is sufficiently destroyed, the use of chondroprotectors is practically useless.
Surgical intervention
Surgery is the most effective way to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint in the later stages of the disease. However, we resort to it extremely rarely - only in cases where drug therapy becomes powerless.
Modern medicine offers several types of surgical interventions. In some of them they try to achieve partial immobility of the knee, due to which the severe pain disappears. More modern methods involve the use of a laser or the installation of a special prosthesis, which should partially or completely replace the native joint. The latter options are quite expensive, so not everyone can afford them.
The method of surgical intervention for arthrosis of the knee joint is selected by the doctor based on the results of examinations, age, general state of health of the patient and possible allergic reactions..
Auxiliary treatments
Very often, in addition to drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage are prescribed. However, it becomes possible to perform them only after the symptoms of severe pain have subsided and the acute stage of the disease is left behind.
Exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee joint is needed to strengthen the leg and thigh muscles, as well as to improve knee mobility. Initially, you need to perform exercises with a minimum load, preferably in a sitting position. As the patient's condition improves, it is desirable to complicate the task. There are many training complexes designed specifically for the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. They can also be made at home.
At the same time, the complex should not contain dynamic exercises, such as running, brisk walking or jumping. Such loads have a negative impact on the state of the joint and wear out the cartilage tissue even more.
Manual therapy and physiotherapy
In arthrosis of the knee joint, physiotherapy is very successfully used as an auxiliary treatment. Patients are traditionally prescribed a knee magnet, paraffin, ozocerite, phonophoresis using hydrocortisone or electrical stimulation of the muscles of the lower extremities. The above procedures are designed to relieve swelling, improve blood circulation in adjacent tissues and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
A special place in the fight against arthrosis is occupied by manual therapy. With its help, it is possible to increase the mobility of the knee, improve the nutrition of the cartilage tissue. Due to the fact that during the massage the reflexogenic zones are affected, the self-healing processes of the joint begin to start.
Diet
Osteoarthritis of the knee joints often affects overweight people. In such cases, it is very important to pay close attention to your diet. At the same time, it is not necessary to follow a strict diet.
The most important thing is to ensure proper balanced nutrition 5-6 times a day, to exclude random snacks. At the same time, it is desirable to minimize the use of salt, flour products, spicy and fatty foods.
Be sure to include in your menu:
- fresh vegetables;
- fruit;
- buckwheat and oatmeal porridge;
- low-fat dairy products.
Small amounts of lean meats can be eaten. It is important to monitor the amount of liquid you drink - you need to drink at least two liters of water a day. Consumption of strong tea and coffee should be limited.
Despite the fact that arthrosis of the knee joint is a chronic disease that requires constant monitoring, today it is possible to slow down its development, thanks to which life will become as full as possible. Patience and a well-prescribed treatment are the two main components in the fight against this disease.