The main cause of acute knee pain in patients over 50 years old is gonorrhea (knee joint deformity).The disease is characterized by rapid progression and can cause disability and disability, therefore, timely identification of symptoms of knee arthritis and treatment of the disease, including at home, is the main task when examining patients at risk of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
What is knee arthritis?
The knee joint is one of the most mobile joints in the human skeleton, susceptible to trauma and other mechanical damage.It connects the tibia and femur, as well as the largest sesamoid bone, located in the tendon of the quadriceps muscle (patella or kneecap).The surfaces of the joints are covered with cartilage tissue - a dense, elastic substance that surrounds chondrocytes (oval cells formed from chondroblasts) and creates a protective shell around them, while also acting as a shock absorber.
Cartilage tissue contains collagen, a fibrous protein that is the main component of connective fibers and provides the strength and elasticity of cartilage, as well as glucosamine.Glucosamine is a substance produced by cartilage tissue.Glucosamine is a component of chondroitin and is part of synovial fluid - a yellow elastic mass that fills the joint cavity and acts as a lubricant.If the synthesis of glucosamine and proteoglycan is disrupted, the amount of synovial fluid is reduced, leading to exposure of parts of the joint and causing severe pain, therefore treatment of grade 1 knee osteoarthritis always includes the use of drugs with glucosamine and chondroitin.
- What happens in joints with arthritis:
- The cartilage becomes soft and loose, deep ulcers appear on the surface;
- thickened synovial membrane;
- the composition of synovial fluid changes, its excretion decreases;
- Ligament and joint capsule sprains occur;
- The joint cavity is filled with exudate - inflammatory fluid secreted from blood vessels during the acute inflammatory phase.
If not treated promptly and adequately, arthritis will lead to deformity and complete destruction of the knee joint, and the patient may experience both unnatural mobility and complete joint immobility.To prevent the process of destruction of joint surfaces and cartilage in cases of diagnosed knee arthritis, the doctor may recommend arthroscopy - an operation to replace the damaged joint with an artificial prosthesis of a suitable size.If indicated, surgery can be performed according to quotas in the mandatory health insurance program.
Classification and etiological factors
Knee osteoarthritis can be primary or secondary.Primary arthritis is diagnosed in cases where the exact cause of the disease cannot be determined.If cartilage deformation occurs before other diseases and pathologies, knee injuries, joint diseases are considered secondary, that is, developing against the background of the primary disease.
- The main causes of secondary arthritis in the knee include:
- various dysplasias and other pathologies in which improper development and formation of tissues occur;
- Neurological dystrophy of the lumbar or cervical spine;
- knee arthritis (arthritis);
- trauma and microtrauma of the joints;
- surgical removal of the damaged meniscus or part of it (meniscectomy);
- diseases of the endocrine system and hormonal disorders, in which the rate of metabolic reactions slows down and metabolic processes in bone tissue are disrupted.
Primary knee arthritis often develops in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle or, conversely, who regularly experience physical stress on the knee joint.Overweight patients, people over 50 years old, residents in unfavorable environmental areas, patients addicted to many types of toxic substances (smokers, drug addicts, alcoholics) are also at high risk of getting gonorrhea.
Frequent hypothermia can contribute to further inflammation and deformation of the knee joint, so people with a tendency to diseases of the musculoskeletal system should comply with the temperature regime and avoid activities that involve prolonged exposure to low temperatures (work outside, in refrigerators and freezers, etc.).
Women over 45 years old who are interested in how to treat knee arthritis should know that the provoking factor for the development of pathology can be a decrease in estrogen synthesis, which can occur after menopause, and certain gynecological diseases: endometrial hyperplasia, uterine fibroids, uterine fibroids, endometriosis.A negative factor is also a varied diet that limits the consumption of foods rich in minerals, vitamins and other elements necessary for joint health.
Signs and symptoms
In order for the prognosis of future life to be as favorable as possible, it is important to know not only how to treat knee osteoarthritis, but also what symptoms the disease presents.This is necessary for timely contact with a specialist and early detection of possible deformations and other damage to the knee joint.In the early stages, the disease has quite sparse symptoms, so grade 1 knee osteoarthritis can only be detected after diagnosis with hardware and instruments.
- The first symptoms of the disease include:
- morning stiffness in the knees;
- pain when walking distances exceeding 1-1.5 km;
- knee pain when sitting for long periods of time (more than 2 hours continuously);
- feeling of pain in the knee joint after standing for a long time;
- Knee pain occurs at the end of the day or the first half of the night.
If the patient does not receive the necessary treatment at this stage, the disease will progress.To choose the right medication for knee osteoarthritis, it is necessary to undergo a series of diagnostic tests (MRI, computed tomography, X-ray, etc.) and determine the degree of deformation, the level of synovial fluid in the joint cavity, the density of cartilage tissue and synovial membrane.Symptoms of grade 2 and 3 knee osteoarthritis are presented in the table below.
| Diagnostic signs | Knee arthritis grade 2 | Knee arthritis grade 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Pain when resting at night | Can appear when changing body position or getting out of bed. | Occurs without any movement. |
| Can use public transportation (except low-floor buses) | The patient has pain when climbing stairs, but with certain restrictions he can use public transport without assistance. | Patients cannot get on the bus or tram by themselves due to limited mobility of the knee joint. |
| lameness | Show off a little. | The lameness is severe and requires additional support (cane) for mobility. |
| Stiff knee joints after waking up | Lasts less than 10-15 minutes. | Lasts about 20-30 minutes or longer. |
| Pain when walking | Occurs after overcoming 800-1000 m. | They begin at the beginning of movement and intensify after traveling distances of less than 500 m. |
| Self-care ability | Usually saved. | The patient cannot perform some actions without assistance. |
Treat knee osteoarthritis at home
- Treatment of knee arthritis can be done using:
- treatment methods;
- physical therapy;
- massage.
The use of traditional medicine recipes is possible only after consulting a doctor and should not replace the main treatment prescribed by a specialist.The choice of medication and treatment method depends not only on the patient's age and existing chronic diseases, but also on the stage of osteoarthritis and the degree of deformation of the cartilage and joint surfaces.
Grade 1 arthritis
This is the mildest form of joint disease, which in most cases can be cured by adjusting drops and additional measures: massage, exercise, physiotherapy.The most effective treatment for knee arthritis, regardless of stage, is laser therapy.This is the main physical therapy method, giving quite good results in the early stages of joint disease.
- It helps achieve the following effects:
- The level of inflammation in the joint cavity decreases;
- pain intensity decreased;
- tissue regeneration processes are stimulated;
- The need for glucocorticosteroids and other drugs with serious side effects is no longer needed.
As an alternative to laser therapy, your doctor may recommend magnetic pulse therapy, acupuncture, electromyography, and electrophoresis.All of these methods are quite effective in treating joint diseases with a deformity level of no more than 20-25%, however the treatment effectiveness will be higher if combined with physical therapy and massage.Orthopedists and surgeons note the positive effects of using aquatic exercises to develop muscle strength in the legs.Patients with grade 1-2 knee osteoarthritis can receive treatment in a sanatorium (during periods of stable remission), including mud therapy, warming in a sauna, and medicated baths.Overweight patients are prescribed a special diet, since obesity is one of the main factors leading to the development of knee arthritis.
Arthritis 2 degrees
Treatment of grade 2 knee osteoarthritis includes physical therapy and massage (beyond the acute phase), special nutrition, physical therapy, and medication.It is very important to reduce the load on the damaged joint: limit walking, avoid movements that require bending the knee.With rapidly progressing arthritis, the use of special orthotics is indicated - orthopedic devices designed to immobilize the diseased joint and limit its mobility.
- Drug treatment regimens may include the following medications:
- cartilage protectant with glucosamine and chondroitin;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid;
- glucocorticosteroid hormone injections.
The diet for patients with knee osteoarthritis needs to have enough collagen-rich foods.
- This is:
- products with gelling additives (jelly, agar, meat jelly, aspic);
- products with added pectin;
- fish oil
Almost all fruits and berries contain essential amino acids and minerals that help maintain joint health and mobility, but the consumption of these foods should be limited in diabetics.
Arthritis 3 degrees
Treatment of grade 3 arthritis in the knee joint is no different from treatment of grade 2 arthritis. If it is ineffective and severely limits movement, the patient will be prescribed surgical treatment with additional prosthetic joints for the damaged joint.
Traditional method
Before learning how to treat knee joints at home with alternative medicine recipes, you need to consult your doctor.The use of the methods below is allowed only for grade 1 arthritis and in the early stages of grade 2 arthritis.
Infusion of nettle and lemon
This infusion should be drunk 20-30 minutes before meals.A single dose is 50-80 ml.
- To prepare the infusion, you need:
- Mix 100 g of dried or fresh nettle leaves with three peeled garlic bulbs;
- pass the mixture through a meat grinder;
- add 4 tablespoons lemon juice;
- mix everything, add 250 ml of boiling water and close the lid;
- leave for 4 hours.
The duration of treatment with this method is at least 60 days.During the first week, the infusion should be administered once a day, in the next 7-10 days - 2 times a day.Starting from the third week of treatment, the number of doses should be increased to 3 times a day.
Honey ointment for joints
This ointment helps reduce inflammation and relieve pain.The first results are noticeable after a week of daily use, but to achieve stable results it must be used for 30-45 days.
- To prepare the ointment you need:
- melt 2 tablespoons butter;
- mix the oil with two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of 6% apple cider vinegar;
- Put the mixture in the refrigerator to harden.
You need to apply this ointment to your knees 2-3 times a day (last time before going to bed).
Bath with dandelion
For such a bath, dandelion root tincture is used.To prepare it, you need to mix 120 g of crushed dandelion roots with 150 ml of vodka and leave in a dark place for 24 hours.Before bathing, pour the contents of the bottle into water and stir well.You should take such baths 1-2 times a week.After the procedure, the pain in the knee will gradually decrease and the mobility of the joints will gradually be restored.The effectiveness of treatment will be greater if you add 150 g of iodine-enriched sea salt and bromine to the water.