Knee joint osteoarthritis - Symptoms, treatment. Distorting osteoarthritis of the knee joint

General descriptionIn the knee joint, the femur and the tibia are covered with joint cartilage. There is also a second type of cartilage fabric, forming the so -called menisci, which act like layers or shock absorbers. The joint fluid adds additional protection and softness. Osteoarthrosis begins to develop if the cartilage that protects the bones is disturbed and damaged, as a result of the surface of the bones is exposed, and the joint lubricant ceases to be produced in the required quantity. In this case, a complete and partial loss of cartilage can be observed. This process is often isolated by a certain area of the joint, in such cases, it can be caused by injuries and chronic joint wear. The distorting osteoarthritis of the knee joint is characterized by the process of destroying its cartilage shells. In the future, the closest tissues, such as ligaments and bones, can also include in the process. Gonarthrosis, or osteoarthritis of knee joint, due to loss of cartilage, is accompanied by an increase in rigidity and joint deformation. Bone spurs (osteophytes), which are a pathological growth of bones, can sometimes be felt from the outside. The surfaces of the bones are distorted and do not close and do not adapt to each other, as in the healthy joints. Consequently, the restriction of movements increases.At the same time, the pain occurs, which is particularly strong when it moves after prolonged immobility, for example, in the morning, as well as at night, which ultimately leads to a decrease in quality of life. Stress can also cause pain in the affected joint. An indirect sign of pathological change of cartilage is the visible narrowing of the joint cavity between the femoral and the tibia in the x-ray image.

ReasonsThere are several reasons for osteoarthritis: it is the process of aging and wear of cartilage, overweight, injuries, autoimmune diseases in which immunity attacks its own joint tissue, causing inflammation and later. An example is rheumatoid arthritis, in which the two joints are affected at the same time and disability develops. Some experts combine concepts such as arthritis and osteoarthritis of knee joint, the symptoms of these ailments are similar and are often caused by the same reason.A decrease in blood supply with a femoral head can also cause deformation of deformations, in this case, they speak of aseptic necrosis. Inadequate training of the knee joint in early childhood can lead to the displacement of the mechanical axis and the degeneration of the knee joint. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis is secondary and develops following damage to meniscus, before or later crossed ligaments.

SymptomsThere are three degrees of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, each with their own signs. In the first stage, there is slight pain, discomfort in a painful place and a periodically emerging swelling. The second degree is accompanied by an increase in symptoms, the appearance of the crisis and a limitation of mobility. When painful sensations practically do not leave a person and the cartilage is completely destroyed, the disease enters the osteo of the knee of the 3rd degree. Pain for osteoarthritis can suddenly appear, but more often than not, it develops slowly. A person can notice the pain in the morning, after lifting the bed. The knees can hurt when you get on the stairs, or when you have the knee, and often the pain occurs just during a walk. For people sensitive to bad weather, weather changes can also cause joint pain.Swelling is a consequence of inflammation, which periodically increases with osteoarthritis. Edema can also be associated with the formation of bone spurs or the accumulation of excess liquid in the knee. They can be more pronounced after a long period of inaction, for example in the morning or after a long stay in the office. The skin can become reddish and warm during contact. If chronic inflammation of the joint occurs, the elimination of pain and edema is generally obtained by taking anti-inflammatory drugs.The loss of stability develops over time due to the weakening of the muscles and the instability of the entire system. From time to time, situations occur when a person is simply not able to fold or completely straighten their leg to the knee. Such a symptom is generally accompanied by osteoarthritis of the 2nd degree knee joint. A crunch is felt when it moves because the cartilage has lost its original softness and the required amount of synovial lubrication. In the later stages, a creaky sound can be caused by the fact that bone spurs rub against each other when they move.The limited range of movements can be seen when climbing stairs or during exercise. Many are forced to use walkers or canes to move. The deformation of the knee joint is perhaps the most terrible symptom of osteoarthritis, because it indicates irreversible changes in the joint, transforming a person into a disabled person. The knees can be turned to each other inside, as well as outwards. The knee deformation is barely noticeable to significant.

DiagnosisThe definition of osteoarthritis of the knee joint begins with the physical examination of the doctor, the study of medical history and the conversation with the patient. Make sure you pay attention to the doctor who most often causes pain and tell us about the disease in the family, if necessary.An additional diagnosis is made using:radiography, which can show the presence of bone spurs and changes in cartilage;magnetic resonance imaging;Blood tests allow you to identify autoimmune disorders.How to treat osteoarthritis on the knee joint, what drugs are necessary for this? Look for answers to these questions more.

The principles of treatmentStandard treatment of such a disease that knee joint osteoarthritis mainly aims to eliminate pain and eliminate functional restrictions. It should be known that pain relievers only weaken the symptoms, but are unable to affect the course of the disease and restore damaged cartilage. For treatment, narcotic pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, slow-action gold preparations, corticosteroids, methotrexate, etc. are used. In addition, surgery, as well as physiotherapy and physiotherapeutic procedures may be necessary. Gymnastics with osteoarthritis of the knee joint helps treatment, exercises are selected by the attending physician. Despite the fact that, in modern pharmacology, the active research and development of the most effective drugs and at the same time safe for the treatment of osteoarthritis are underway, most drugs still have their side effects and with prolonged use disrupt the normal functioning of systems and organs.

Treatment with drugsPharmacotherapy of osteoarthritis of the knee joint provides three main directions:The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are necessary to relieve pain and reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process in the tissues;Take medication for cartilage restoration, which include chondroprotectors: glucosamine and chondroitin;The use of creams and ointments in complex therapy of distorting osteoarthritis.In combination with physiotherapy and manual therapy, taking medication allows you to slow down the process of destruction of joint cartilage, accelerate the regeneration of the cartilage fabric and restore the normal functioning of the limb.The main objective of drug treatment is the elimination of pain, improving the nutrition of cartilage, activation of recovery processes, increased joint mobility and normalization of blood circulation in the knee.

Nesteroid drugsThe most common for the treatment of osteoarthritis are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac, indomethacin, pyroxykam, ketoprofen and others. They are used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation, but long -term treatment with these drugs is not recommended, as drugs in this group have unwanted side effects, including the negative effect on the gastric mucosa and intestines, the effect of kidneys, liver and cardiovascular system. However, each medication has its own characteristics. And recently, minimum patients' health funds have started to be developed. In addition, despite the need to use these tools, some studies have revealed that NSAIDs are able to lead to a decrease in proteoglycan production, thus dehydrate the cartilage fabric, so that such drugs must be strictly taken according to the doctor's prescription and under its control. The frequency of side effects of NSAIDs increases with their prolonged use, which acts as a necessity for many patients with osteoarthritis. Experts recommend choosing selective anti-inflammatory drugs for long-term use, having fewer side effects and have no negative effect on metabolism in cartilage.Most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are produced in different forms: in the form of capsules or tablets, in the form of a solution for injections and ointments or gels for local external use.

Restore cartilageFor the nutrition and regeneration of cartilage to its tissues, the constant intake of compounds such as chondroprotectors - glucosamine and chondroitin is necessary. These are substances useful for people with osteoarthritis of the fris on their knee. Their reception must be carried out for a very long time, from six months or more, only in this case, you can count on a positive therapeutic effect. Chondroprotectors improve the quality and quantity of synovial fluid, unlike NSAIDs, they increase the synthesis of proteoglycans and contribute to the regeneration of the cartilage plate. However, due to these useful properties of these compounds, they should not be considered the main treatment of osteoarthritis. Deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint requires the use of chondroist and glucosamine preparations for at least 1, 5 years. It is also taken into account that they are unable to restore completely destroyed cartilage.

UNGUENTS AND CRUESThe treatment of an arthritis of the knee joint should include the local use of gels and ointments. These dosage forms should not rely as the only therapy option, their use should be considered as the addition necessary for the reception of NSAIDs and chondroprotectors. These drugs considerably reduce discomfort, pain, swelling, improving joint mobility.This effect is explained by the fact that the penetration of blood through the skin, ointments and creams improve blood circulation in the joint, accelerate the metabolism of cartilage and, therefore, of its regeneration.

CompressApplications for osteoarthritis have a greater effect than applying ointments. For therapeutic compresses, the dimxide tool is often prescribed, which has a good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, penetrates well into the fabric. The bishop is also effective, accelerating metabolic processes in cartilage.

InjectionsIn the knee joint, the synovial fluid is very viscous, this guarantees the absence of tissue friction. An important part of this lubricant is hyaluronic acid, which binds to proteoglycans to stabilize the structure of the cartilage fabric. In patients with osteoarthritis, the level of this compound in the synovial fluid is considerably reduced, as a result of which the latter becomes less viscous, the friction increases. Knee injections of drugs based on hyaluronic acid can slow the progression of osteoarthrosis, but only half of people with such a diagnosis receive symptomatic relief. The price of injections is generally three weeks, while every seven days an injection is carried out. After six months, procedures are recommended to be repeated.

Folk remediesOsteoarthritis of the knee joint provides an integrated approach to treatment, and traditional medicine revenues act as additional therapy. Means such as an onion ball decoction, a infusion of dandelion leaves, a mixture of aloe, vodka and honey in equal volumes, night compresses of salt with honey and many others deserve attention. It is also recommended to eat more jelly and jelly.

Replacement of the jointIf all the above treatment methods have not brought the result, the operation to replace the joint with an endoprosthesis is shown. The main objective of the operation is to restore the natural mechanical axis of the leg and the complete release of pain and discomfort. In this case, part of the joint or the whole joint can be replaced. The constant improvement of surgical equipment and the quality of the implants have made such a successful and widespread procedure.