Negative changes and destruction processes occurring in the cartilage tissue of the knees are called osteoarthritis of the knee joint.This disease is chronic and is accompanied by pain symptoms.Most often, knee osteoarthritis develops with age;at a young age, the post-traumatic form is usually found.The disease is also called gonarthrosis and its popular name is “salt deposition.”
Signs
Gonarthrosis is the destruction of cartilage tissue due to poor blood circulation in the bone vessels.As a result, deforming osteoarthritis caused by excessive bone growth can develop.
Normally the first symptoms of osteoarthritis go almost unnoticed.Mild pain does not cause any particular discomfort and does not limit movements.It may take several years for an exacerbation to occur.Pain symptoms may worsen slightly after exercise or stress on the legs.
As the disease progresses, new symptoms appear and old symptoms intensify.The pain simply appears and does not go away for a long time, even at rest.Walking for a long time or lifting heavy objects causes prolonged knee pain.
After stage 2 of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the following symptoms appear:
- Synovitis: Joint fluid builds up in the joint.Its excess can cause the development of a dense formation on the posterior wall of the joint cavity.This phenomenon is called Baker's cyst and can be cured without surgery.
- Knee deformity.At first it swells a little, with grades 2 and 3 the shape of the knee can change.
- Crunch.It appears in the second and third stages of the disease.With a sharp crack, painful symptoms are clearly felt.
- Limited mobility.This is typical for second and third degree osteoarthritis, when the leg can only be bent at a right angle.As the form progresses, the knees may become completely immobile and the knee joints are severely deformed.
- Meteosensitivity.Aching pain during periods of changing weather conditions.
Symptoms and their intensity can vary significantly depending on the stage of development of the disease:
- In grade 1, pain appears after active physical activity.Initial osteoarthritis damages the cartilage tissue, but does not deform the joints.Diagnosing the disease is difficult.
- In second degree, the joint space narrows and damaged cartilage tissue is clearly visible on x-rays.Movements involving the knees cause acute pain;A crisp sound appears when flexing and extending.The joints function increasingly worse, their deformation is visible to the naked eye.
- In grade 3, the exposed areas of bone “peer through” the thinned cartilage tissue.Salts are deposited in the joint cavity.The pain persists even during rest.
types of disease
There are several types of knee osteoarthritis.By origin:
- Primary.This type of osteoarthritis of the knee joint does not depend on other diseases.Older people, women and people with excess body weight are at risk.
- Secondary.The disease appears after an injury or infectious disease.It can be avoided if the injury or inflammation of the knee joint is treated in time.
By location:
- Double sided.Both knees are affected.The disease is age-related, progresses more rapidly and seriously threatens disability.Bilateral osteoarthritis is usually primary.
- Right.The disease attacks the right knee and occurs most frequently in athletes and people who regularly experience strain in the right leg.
- Southpaw.The left knee suffers;The disease is common among athletes and overweight older people.
Deforming osteoarthritis of the knee is a more common disease in obese women.It is caused by a strong deposition of salt.In the initial stage of deformation, the inner part of the joints is affected;At a later stage, the outer side is also affected.Gonarthrosis deformans should be treated as soon as possible so that the cartilaginous tissue in the upper area remains in normal condition..The main symptoms are sharp pain and crunching.
patellofemoral syndrome
Very often, knee osteoarthritis is preceded by patellofemoral syndrome.In medical literature and practice it is often called osteoarthritis of the same name.This is an injury to the cartilage tissue located in the kneecap.Patellofemoral syndrome is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the joint, aggravated by prolonged leg bending, jumping, running, climbing stairs or squatting.
- Limited knee mobility.
- Cracking and “clicking” in the joints.
- Stiffness in the joints.
Patellofemoral syndrome usually occurs in people whose activities or lifestyle involve heavy loads on the knees: athletes, obese people.This type of osteoarthritis also affects older people.Most often, patellofemoral osteoarthritis occurs as a result of a serious injury to the knee.
When diagnosing the syndrome, it is important to provide immediate rest to the affected leg.Sometimes your doctor may recommend a brace or tight bandage to relieve stress on your knee.Overweight people will need to lose excess weight little by little.You can apply cooling compresses at home to relieve pain.
Patellofemoral syndrome develops progressively:
- In grade 1, the pain appears only after very intense exertion and you often feel tired in the knee.
- In the second, pain and discomfort are recorded more often, the joints are stiff.The symptoms disappear after rest.
- With 3 – constant pain, significant limitation of movement.
Patellofemoral syndrome should be treated holistically and not just to relieve pain.Treatment should include medications, administration of chondroprotectors and physical procedures.Diet and physiotherapy will not be superfluous.
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis is a type of disease that most often occurs at a young age.After a knee injury, the limb becomes immobilized and blood circulation deteriorates.This negatively affects the cartilage tissue and causes the development of osteoarthritis.Sometimes after joint surgery, post-traumatic osteoarthritis can develop.Scarring of the tissue can cut off the blood supply to the knee.
The post-traumatic form of this disease is chronic, so treatment aims to prevent osteoarthritis from progressing further.It is almost impossible to cure post-traumatic osteoarthritis yourself at home.It will be necessary to take painkillers, chondroprotectors and antispasmodics, physiotherapy, massage and hardware procedures.In advanced cases, surgery may be necessary.
hemarthrosis
Hemarthrosis is a separate type of knee osteoarthritis that appears as a result of injury or due to problems with blood clotting.Hemarthrosis can be caused by the following factors:
- bruises or fractures of the knee joint and patella;
- traumatic damage to the meniscus and cartilage tissue;
- rupture of ligaments or synovial membrane;
- fracture of femur or tibia;
- hemophilia;
- tumors of various origins;
- some neurological and infectious diseases;
- prolonged use of anticoagulants;
- osteoarthritis;
- surgical intervention;
- problems with blood vessels.
- the knee is swollen or has changed shape greatly;
- when you press under your fingers, you feel a flow of liquid;
- the temperature increases in the injured area;
- Tense, blue soft tissues.
Hemarthrosis can only be accurately diagnosed after puncture of the joint.In addition to analyzing joint fluid, CT scans and MRIs may be performed.
To prevent complications, hemarthrosis must be treated immediately.For minor injuries, treatment can begin at home.Simple first aid methods will help minimize the consequences of bleeding in the joint:
- provide rest to the injured knee;
- lift your leg and fix it;
- apply a cold compress;
- take a pain reliever.
This sequence of actions, even at home, will relieve pain symptoms and help treat mild hemarthrosis;In more complex cases, it is necessary to seek medical help.
Folk remedies
Treatment of gonarthrosis with folk remedies should be agreed with a doctor.It is recommended to combine home remedies with official medicine methods.At home, using folk remedies, it is possible to effectively treat mild hemarthrosis or alleviate the patient's condition with complications.It is recommended to make a compress with horseradish:
- Peel and grate a small piece of horseradish.
- For very sensitive skin, the rhizome is replaced by the leaves of the plant.
- Keep the mixture in a water bath for a couple of minutes.
- Place the root on cheesecloth and make a compress.
- The duration of the procedure is two hours.
At home, with traumatic hemarthrosis, ointments should not be used in the first two days after injury.
In case of serious injury and heavy or prolonged bleeding in the joint, it is essential to consult a traumatologist.Traditional methods of treatment in this situation are of secondary importance.Hemarthrosis should be treated by blood puncture drainage in the hospital, but products with anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects can be used at home.An infusion made from the following herbs will be useful:
- yarrow;
- oregano;
- nettle.
They do it like this:
- Grind plant materials.
- Mix the herbs in equal parts.
- Pour three tablespoons of the mixture into 600 ml of boiling water.
- Leave on for 1 to 1.5 hours.
The warm and strained infusion should be taken three times a day, 50 ml.
gelatin
At home, you can try to treat deforming osteoarthritis with gelatin.It contains large amounts of collagen, which improves the condition of cartilage tissue and increases the production of inter-articular lubrication.Gelatin treatment should be combined with taking a vitamin complex rich in iron and vitamin C.
The medicinal mixture with gelatin is prepared according to the following recipe:
- Pour a teaspoon of gelatin into 50 ml of cold water.
- Leave the mixture for 12 hours.
- Add 150 ml of boiling water.
- After stirring, add a teaspoon of honey.
A glass of this drink with gelatin is drunk on an empty stomach for 10 days.Then you need a week of rest.The course is repeated two more times.
Ointments and rubs
To prepare an effective ointment at home, you will need the following components:
- turpentine – 150 ml;
- vodka – 150 ml;
- olive oil – 150 ml;
- camphor - 3 grams.
All components of the ointment should be mixed and applied to the sore area twice a day.
At home, deforming osteoarthritis can be treated with radish-based ointment.The following ingredients will be needed:
- black radish;
- linden honey – 150 grams;
- vodka – 100 ml;
- sea salt – 15 grams.
Ointment recipe:
- Peel and chop the radish.
- Pass the tuber through a meat grinder or grind it in a blender.
- Squeeze the juice from the radish.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix the mixture.
Rub the sore knee with this mixture.
Pork fat can be used as an ointment..Every night it is necessary to rub this product on the joints and isolate them overnight.Osteoarthritis should be treated in this way for at least six months.
When you need to quickly relieve pain and restore mobility to your leg, warm ointments will come in handy.It is important to understand that these remedies cannot cure the disease, they only temporarily relieve the symptoms.Contraindications to the use of warming drugs are post-traumatic osteoarthritis and damaged skin.
A warming medicine with an anti-inflammatory effect can be prepared at home.Therapeutic ointment is prepared from the following components:
- comfrey leaves - 1 cup;
- comfrey roots - 2 cups;
- olive oil – 0.5 cups;
- honey – 0.5 cups.
Preparation and use method:
- Grind and mix plant materials.
- Melt honey, if necessary.
- Mix all the ingredients, it is best to do it with a mixer.
- Before use, the required portion of the product must be heated.
- The ointment can be stored for 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
- Apply the medication to the joint, isolate it and leave it to act for 8 to 12 hours.
hyaluronic acid
Primary osteoarthritis is treated very effectively with hyaluronic acid.This substance is the basis of synovial fluid.Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid can cure or stop the development of any type of knee osteoarthritis..This procedure is prohibited at home!Hyaluronic acid injections should only be administered by an experienced doctor under special conditions.
For its part, the patient can eat foods rich in hyaluronic acid to enhance the therapeutic effect.For joint health, it is recommended to include the following dishes in your diet:
- chicken broth or jellied meat prepared from combs, legs, tendons and skin;
- soy;
- tofu;
- soy milk;
- red grape skins;
- red wine;
- roots and starchy vegetables.
To activate the body's own production of hyaluronic acid, it must receive sufficient calcium, rutin and vitamin C.