Year after year, more and more people face a disease like knee arthrosis - the treatment is long and complicated and it is almost impossible to get rid of this disease forever. The main task of the patient is to prevent the disease from progressing.
Classic medical treatments
The inflammatory processes in the knee joint are terrible not just because of the onset of pain. Particular danger is the destructive processes in the tissues, the result of which is that the organ cannot always be repaired. Therefore, the treatment of arthrosis involves complex therapy. It should start on time and take place under strict medical supervision.
The purpose of prescribed medical care is to relieve pain, properly nourish cartilage, and accelerate regeneration. In addition, the therapy improves blood circulation in the affected joint, strengthens adjacent muscles, and increases the distance between joint bones and increases knee mobility.
Depending on the stage of development of the disease, doctors recommend medical or surgical treatment. In order to consolidate the results of the main therapy, special physical education, massage, the use of a stick and proper nutrition are prescribed.
Medical treatment
Drug therapy is prescribed in cases where there is no irreversible change in the joint and the tissues of the knee joint are able to recover and receive nourishment. This alone can be the key to successful recovery.
Your doctor will have a difficult task choosing the right complete treatment, which should include:
- chondroprotectors;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- immunostimulants;
- antibiotics (used to treat infectious complications);
- agents that improve blood microcirculation.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are necessarily included in the treatment complex for arthrosis. These medications are designed to relieve inflammation and severe pain that interferes with complex treatment. Taking these medications not only improves the mobility of the knee joint, but also opens up the possibility of performing massage procedures.
Due to their properties, 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 recovery from the disease while the devastating processes are actively advancing. Second, this class of drugs has a number of serious side effects. Third, their oral intake contributes to the dehydration of cartilage, which accelerates its destruction.
The duration of treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be extended by the use of selective drugs. The likelihood of side effects and complications is much lower in this case.
Chondroprotectors
The treatment of arthrosis requires proper nutrition of the cartilage tissue, and special emphasis should be placed on restoring the structure of the damaged cartilage. Chondroprotectors such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate must be used. The effect of these substances is not to relieve the symptoms but to treat the disease.
Chondroprotectors are most effective in the early stages of arthrosis. They are essential for the regeneration of cartilage and the production of synovial fluid. However, the effects of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are quite slow, so treatment is done in courses and can take 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 virtually useless.
Surgical intervention
Surgery is the most effective way to treat arthrosis of the knee joint in the later stages of the disease. However, we rarely resort to it - only in cases where drug therapy becomes inert.
Modern medicine offers a variety of surgical interventions. Some of them try to achieve partial immobility of the knee, causing the severe pain to disappear. More modern methods involve the use of a laser or the installation of a special prosthesis that must partially or completely replace the native joint. The latter options are quite expensive, so not everyone can afford them.
The method of surgery for knee arthrosis is chosen by the doctor based on the results of the tests, the age, the general health of the patient and any allergic reactions..
Additional treatments
Very often, in addition to drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise, and massage are prescribed. However, these will only be possible if the symptoms of severe pain are removed and the acute stage of the disease is missed.
Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee is needed to strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and thigh and to improve the mobility of the knee. Exercises should be performed initially with minimal strain, preferably from a sitting position. As the patient's condition improves, it is desirable to complete the task. There are a number of specially designed training complexes for treating knee arthrosis. They can also be done at home.
However, the complex should not include dynamic exercises such as running, walking fast or jumping. Such loads negatively affect the condition of the joint and further deplete cartilage tissue.
Manual therapy and physiotherapy
In osteoarthritis of the knee, physiotherapy has been used very successfully as an adjunct treatment. Patients traditionally prescribe phonophoresis using a knee magnet, paraffin, ozocerite, hydrocortisone, or electrical stimulation of the muscles of the lower extremities. The purpose of the above procedures is to relieve swelling, improve blood circulation to adjacent tissues, and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
Manual therapy has a special place in the fight against arthrosis. It can be used to increase the mobility of the knee and improve the nutrition of the cartilage tissue. Due to the fact that the reflexogenic zones are involved during the massage, the self-healing processes of the joint start.
Diet
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint often affects overweight people. In this case, it is very important to pay special attention to the diet. However, it is not necessary to follow a strict diet.
The most important thing is to ensure a proper, balanced diet 5-6 times a day, to rule out accidental snacks. However, it is desirable to minimize the use of salt, flour products, and spicy and fatty foods.
Be sure to include on the menu:
- fresh vegetables;
- fruit;
- buckwheat and oatmeal porridge;
- low fat dairy products.
Small amounts of lean meat can also be consumed. It is important to monitor the amount of fluid you consume - 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, it is now possible to slow down its development, making life as complete as possible. Patience and well-prescribed treatment are the two main components of the fight against the disease.