Arthrosis is not an acute state, but a slowly progressive destruction of shock -absorbing tissue and a decrease in the amount of synovial fluid in knee articulation. Elastic fabric provides flexibility and mobility of the limbs, however, in middle and elderly people, cartilage sinuses lose this property.
Interesting! Often you can hear how middle -aged people talk about the "deposition of salts. "This expression is incorrect, no salt in the body is deposited, on the contrary, there is a dystrophy of the synovial membrane.
Gradually, the depreciation between the femoral and berets decreases, and they begin to rub against each other. And, despite the fact that the human bones are very strong and are able to withstand straight pressure to two hundred kilograms, they are erased from constant friction, osteophytes appear - bone growths in place of the natural joint.
The post -traumatic form of this disease occurs in young people who are fond of strength sports or after car accident and other serious limb damage.
If we list the main factors contributing to the development of the disease, then the main causes of arthrosis of the knee joint can be distinguished:
- Age older than forty years, especially in women.
- Systemic diseases affecting the connective tissue - arthritis, red lupus, gout.
- Diabetes of the first and second type.
- Overweight, due to which chronic increased load on the limbs is formed.
- Finding in a forced position sitting or standing.
- The post -traumatic state of the legs.
In the latter case, the ailment usually occurs as a complication of acute hemarthrosis with extensive hemorrhage in the cavity of knee joints. The impending method of treatment or the absence of medical intervention in emergency conditions is the cause of the transition to the chronic and heavier phase.
Clinical picture
Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint in the early stages are most often unnoticed. Very rarely, a person draws attention to minor deviations from the norm characteristic of the first stage of the disease. With arthrosis of the knee joint, the symptoms can be seen quickly enough. Such ailments appear:
- light cropping during movements and a sharp change of posture;
- numbness in the area of the lower leg;
- Increased fatigue in the evenings or after a long walk.
This is especially true for middle -aged people who write off this condition to age and believe that it should be so. Indeed, gonarthrosis, unlike post -traumatic conditions for a long time, does not cause serious discomfort, and very rarely people think about the prevention of such a disease.
In order not to miss the occurrence of symptoms of the second degree of arthrosis of the knee joint, such manifestations should not go unnoticed:
- swelling;
- fatigue and heaviness in the legs;
- Difficulties, if necessary, climb a steep staircase.
However, often such symptoms are left without due attention, and the disease progresses. Clinically significant signs appear:
- Pulling or pressing pain, intensifies in the evenings and after awakening.
- Poor mobility of the limb.
- Swelling that is not dependent on the condition of the kidneys and the amount of fluid drunk.
- Gradually increasing creaks in the joints.
- The inability to stay in one position sitting or standing for a long time.
- Sometimes redness around the knees occurs.
Such changes are characteristic of chronic gonarthrosis. In the post -traumatic form, symptoms grow sharply, a clinical picture of the injury itself develops within a few hours or days. Acute, hard -to -transformed pain predominates, the damaged leg is significantly swollen, and hyperemia of the damaged area is observed, a person cannot step on the leg. Without treatment after an injury, atroza develops most often rapidly, in rare cases there is a slow development, in which the patient faces malaise after 2-7 years.
Important! Despite the rather characteristic clinical picture, the final diagnosis is made after a complete examination. Methods of diagnosis imply an ultrasound or x -ray, a full -time examination by a rheumatologist or traumatologist.
On the ultrasound and x -ray photos, internal changes in the synovial shell and the degree of osteophytic growth will be visible. Depending on the neglect of the pathological process, a course of treatment is prescribed, individual methods are selected.
Types of therapy for gonarthrosis
Everyone who has been made a corresponding diagnosis will necessarily ask the question: how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint? Medicine offers:
- conservative therapy using drugs;
- concomitant resort-sanatorium types of treatment;
- Folk methods of combating the disease with proven effectiveness.
With the ineffectiveness of treatment, surgical intervention is indicated.
Medication
If a person was diagnosed with arthrosis of the knee joint, treatment is primarily selected from a complex of drugs. The traditional list will include various types of drugs, starting from analgesics and chondroprotectors.
The ointments are aimed at reducing pain and improving the general condition of the patient. Non -steroidal analgesics are usually used.
Sometimes drugs are administered directly into the affected synovial bag. To relieve symptoms are prescribed:
- Salicypates.
- Oxics.
- Derived prolionic acid.
Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory and analgesic drugs effectively remove unpleasant sensations, even severe pain, however, have pronounced side effects, they should especially carefully use people with a sick stomach and liver.
Hormonal drugs are prescribed for the third degree of gonarthrosis, when the process has gone far and requires serious counteraction. Cortisol -containing drugs are introduced directly into the cartilage cavity and have a very rapid positive effect, but side effects negatively affect both the internal organs (liver, heart, vessels) and on the endocrine background of the patient. Therefore, they are prescribed only in the absence of pronounced contraindications and only for a short time of treatment.
To restore damaged articular tissue, chondroprotectors are used. They are always prescribed for post -traumatic defarthrosis in order to stimulate the body more actively generating synovial fluid and regenerate damaged cartilage. Chondroprotectors are accepted for a long time due to a slow action. Their reception requires accuracy and systematicity. Specific dosages are selected taking into account the age, characteristics of the state of health and tolerance to the patient of certain drugs.
Interesting! The latest way of the regeneration of cartilage fluid is hyaluronic acid, which is mainly in cosmetology.
Acupuncture in articular pathologies
This method of healing has not been accepted for a long time by official medical science. But now acupuncture is occupied by a strong position in the treatment of chronic diseases, including any types of pathologies of the lower extremities. Properly selected by an experienced specialist, acupuncture sessions are able to save a person from unpleasant sensations in a fairly short time and stimulate his body to produce a synovial fluid, and cells in cartilage - regenerate at an accelerated pace.
The technique involves the impact on biologically active zones and the restoration of the correct functioning of all life systems, it is also good for the prevention of painful conditions. However, with acupuncture, certain rules must be followed. Acupuncture is prohibited in the following conditions:
- Serious immune changes - immunodeficiency, strong endocrine disorders (Kushing Syndrome).
- Tuberculosis and tendency to bleeding.
- History of oncological diseases.
- Mental instability, depression, anxious syndrome.
- Severe injuries.
- Intoxications of any genesis, including chronic alcoholism.
It is recommended to visit the first few sessions of acupuncture with close relatives or friends, because acupuncture contributes to a significant muscle relaxation, and help may be needed.
Therapeutic gymnastics and physiotherapy
The articular pathologies of any origin are well exposed to physiotherapy and exercise therapy. The concept of physiotherapy usually includes manual, magneto, mud, electrotherapy and other types of combating gonarthrosis.
Manual therapy is most often combined with the LFK complex. Exercises are used to warm up muscles and joints. The purpose of the manual method:
- improving the general condition of a person;
- an increase in blood flow to the sore spot;
- strengthening the regeneration potential of the body;
- Reducing pain and other symptoms of the disease.
A specialist in this type of treatment should know his job well. Proper massage is always directed towards lymph flow, any painful or simply uncomfortable sensations are unacceptable. It is always worth clarifying the composition of the rubbing and ointments used, since the patient may have an allergy to separate active components.
Nuance! If the patient studies the relevant literature and watch the necessary photos and videos, then it may well learn how to grow rubbing movements on his own.
Folk remedies
In the early stages of the disease, folk remedies justify their use even more than conservative therapy. Unlike steroids or NSAIDs, they are safe for human health and have proven effectiveness in case of low and non -resistant manifestations, and are also suitable for the prevention of pathological changes.
Common recipes and methods of influence:
- Burders in the amount of 5-6 pieces are attached to the sore spot, previously lubricated with sunflower oil. They are tied with a plastic bag and a woolen scarf. The compress is left at night.
- Birch leaves, necessarily early, collected in the early-invention of April, in extreme cases, in May, are placed on a sore limb. The compress should be no thinner than 3-4 cm. It is also left overnight.
- Honey massage. Lubricate the preheated leg with a thin layer of honey and gently massage for ten to fifteen minutes. Repeat every day for a month.
- Onion decoction. Boil a large onion with husk until complete softness. The resulting substance drink every day in a glass.
- Celandine. To soak the plant with a bandage from a bandage (or a rag) juice, wrap around the leg for half an hour or an hour. The course lasts at least a week, it is advisable to repeat it three times.
Folk methods can be combined with each other, use several recipes at the same time. Basic rule: they should not be used as replacement therapy, but should supplement the drugs of traditional medicine.
Preventive measures for gonarthrosis
The approach to healing cartilage changes should be complex and systemic. It implies a complete revision of lifestyle and following certain recommendations:
- Reducing body weight. Since overweight extremely negatively affects the condition of bones and joints, patients are recommended for weight loss.
- Diet in the disease should be limited in calories, exclude red and fatty meat, fast food, fried foods, sausages, sweets and white bread, butter. Olive oil is recommended from vegetable fats and only as a gas station for salads. It is useful to use sea fish and seafood, unsweetened fruits and vegetables. It is necessary to include low -fat colds and fruit jelly, preferably without sugar in the power plan.
- The refusal of smoking and drinking alcohol - both devastatingly acts on all organs, including connective tissue, and with prolonged smoking experience, the bones become thinner, causing an accompanying problem - osteoporosis.
- Dosed physical activity. With pathologies of the limbs, both hypodynamia and increased activity are contraindicated. People who previously engaged in power and extreme sports will have to abandon their hobbies and replace them with less dangerous for the body. And, on the contrary, if a person is used to sitting in the office all day, he should organize hiking and jogging, gymnastic exercises from the collection of exercise therapy. Campaigns in the pool are very useful.
- Periodic rest and the accompanying therapy with mineral waters in specialized resorts is extremely important.
Patients are shown to avoid excessive physical activity, especially weight lifting. For women, sometimes oral or injectable administration of hormones is provided in order to increase the amount of estrogen in the blood.
Forecast for recovery
Is it possible to cure arthrosis of the knee joint? It will not be possible to completely get rid of the pathology, but it is possible to slow down degenerative processes. It is best to therapy the first and second stage of post -traumatic defarthrosis, while at the third stage, with pronounced pathological processes, often conservative effects are not enough, and surgical intervention is required.
The operation is carried out in the most severe cases when the joint is completely destroyed, it is replaced by an analogue of stainless steel or metal -plastic. However, with timely measures taken, the prognosis remains favorable, complete regeneration of the synovial fluid and connective tissues is possible. Observation of your health, prevention and the right lifestyle, avoiding injuries - the key to health and flexibility of the legs.