Every year, more and more people face such a disease as osteoarthritis of the knee joint - the treatment is long and complex, and it is almost impossible to get rid of this disease forever. The main task of the patient is to prevent the progression of the disease.
Classical medical treatments
Inflammatory processes that occur in the knee joint are terrible not only the appearance of pain. A special danger is posed by destructive processes that occur in tissues, the results of which are such that the organ cannot always regenerate. Therefore, the treatment of osteoarthritis involves complex therapy. It should start on time and take place under the strict supervision of a doctor.
The action of prescribed medical care is aimed at relieving pain, providing sufficient nutrition to cartilage and accelerating the process of its regeneration. In addition, the therapy improves blood circulation in the affected joint, strengthens adjacent muscles, and also increases the distance between the joint bones and increases mobility in the knee.
Depending on the stage of the disease, doctors offer medical or surgical treatment. In order to consolidate the results of the main therapy, a special physical culture, massage, use of a cane and proper nutrition are additionally prescribed.
Treatment
Drug therapy is prescribed in cases where there are no irreversible changes in the joint, and the tissues of the knee joint can recover and get nutrition. Only this can be the key to a successful recovery.
The doctor is faced with the difficult task of selecting a competent complete 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 arthrosis treatment complex. The purpose of these drugs is to alleviate inflammation and severe pain that interfere with complex treatment. Taking these drugs not only improves the mobility of the knee joint, but also opens the possibility of performing massage procedures.
Due to their characteristics, non-steroidal drugs are not intended for long-term use. First, by alleviating the pain and alleviating the patient's condition, they can create the illusion of recovery from the disease, while the destructive processes will actively progress. Second, this group of drugs has a wide range of serious side effects. Third, oral intake contributes to the dehydration of cartilage, which accelerates its destruction.
The course of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory substances may be prolonged if selective drugs are used. The likelihood of side effects and complications in this case is much lower.
Chondroprotectors
In the treatment of arthrosis, it is necessary to provide sufficient nutrition to the cartilage tissue, and to place special emphasis on restoring the structure of damaged cartilage. For that, it is necessary to use chondroprotectors - glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. The action of these substances is not aimed at alleviating the symptoms, but at treating the disease.
Chondroprotectors are most effective in the initial phase of arthrosis. They are necessary for the regeneration of cartilage and the production of joint fluid. However, the action of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is quite slow, so treatment takes place in courses and can last up to 1. 5 years in total. 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 in the later stages of the disease. However, we resort to this extremely rarely - only in those cases when 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, which causes severe pain to disappear. More modern methods include 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 in osteoarthritis of the knee joint is chosen by the doctor based on the results of the examination, age, general health of the patient and possible allergic reactions..
Ancillary treatments
Very often, in addition to drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage are prescribed. However, it is possible to report them only after the strong symptoms of pain have been removed, and the acute stage of the disease remains behind.
Exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee joint is needed to strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and thigh, as well as to improve the mobility of the knee. Initially, you should perform the exercises with minimal load, preferably from a sitting position. As the patient's condition improves, it is desirable to complicate the task. There are many specially designed training complexes for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. They can also be done at home.
At the same time, the complex should not contain dynamic exercises, such as running, brisk walking or jumping. Such loads negatively affect the condition of the joint and consume even more cartilage tissue.
Manual therapy and physiotherapy
In osteoarthritis of the knee joint, physiotherapy is very successfully used as an adjunct treatment. Patients are traditionally prescribed a knee magnet, paraffin, ozokerite, phonophoresis with hydrocortisone or electrical stimulation of the muscles of the lower extremities. These procedures are designed to alleviate swelling, improve blood circulation in neighboring tissues and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
A special place in the fight against osteoarthritis is occupied by manual therapy. With its help, it is possible to increase the mobility of the knee, improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue. Due to the fact that reflexogenic zones are affected during the massage, the processes of self-healing of the joint begin.
Diet
Osteoarthritis of the knee joints often affects overweight people. In such cases, it is very important to pay special attention to diet. At the same time, it is not necessary to go on a strict diet.
The most important thing is to ensure a proper balanced diet 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;
- fruits;
- buckwheat porridge and oatmeal;
- low-fat dairy products.
Small amounts of lean meat can be consumed. It is important to monitor the amount of fluid 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 osteoarthritis 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 complete as possible. Patience and well-prescribed treatment are the two main components in the fight against this disease.