When you move, do you feel the sharp pain that forms in the knee joint? Are the same signs seen if you bend or straighten your leg? Doctors diagnose a disease such as osteoarthritis. At the same time, it is impossible to delay the treatment of the disease.
Please note that the sooner you start taking effective action, the sooner you will cope with the disease and the outcome will not be so dire. It is impossible to trigger the disease on its own, because with it the intra-articular cartilage wears down.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is also called gonarthrosis. In terms of the incidence of the disease, it occupies a leading position. Statistics have shown that there are more patients with this diagnosis in clinics than people with other serious illnesses. As for processing, it takes an impressive amount of time. An integrated approach and the use of drugs are important here.
The disease is characterized by calcification in soft tissues and ligaments, as well as in the places where tendons are attached. Salt deposits are limited. The process is characterized by an imbalance of optimal blood circulation in the bone vessels, which causes changes in cartilage tissue.
Causes of occurrence
Pathological microtraumas that form on the cartilage. The main causes of the onset of the disease include excessive mechanical stress on the surface of the cartilage.
In other words, osteoarthritis of the knee joint develops rapidly in those who are subjected to frequent physical exertion and joint overload. Osteoarthritis can develop in those who squat often. The magnitude of the load increases rapidly if a person is overweight.
The main causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint must be highlighted:
- Chronic faults. Dysplasia affects the formation of chronic microtraumas of the cartilage. This factor leads to an imbalance of the correct load on the joints. Take note that the risk of developing a terrible disease increases in people with abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system.
- Obesity. This factor is the main reason for the development of osteoarthritis. It has been clinically proven that overweight people are more likely to get sick. So every 6 kg. weight increases the possibility of developing osteoarthritis by 45%.
- Genetic predisposition. The fact that osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints occurs much more often in women than in men has been proven. This indicator is explained by autosomal dominant inheritance.
- Inflammation. The fact is that infectious and chronic arthritis provokes the formation of osteoarthritis. The emergence of immunoglobulins indicates the role of similar factors in the development of osteoarthritis.
- Neurogenic disorders. Violations cause a decrease in the tone of the muscles located near the joint. Thus, the load on the joints only increases.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis include sharp pain seen in the knee joint. They appear on exertion, then disappear again, provided the patient is at rest.
With nodular osteoarthritis, dense formations appear about the size of a pea. In addition, seals in the form of cysts, viscous liquids, may appear near the nail bed.
If the knee joints are affected during the development of the disease, the pain increases with prolonged walking or climbing stairs. The main symptom of osteoarthritis is the cracking sound during movement. With osteoarthritis of the hip, pathologies associated with the development of the hip joint are observed.
Signs of illness:
- knee pain that does not go away for long
- if you have an x-ray examination, osteophytes are detected.
- upon analysis of the synovial fluid, it is confirmed that the composition is characteristic of the disease.
- The disease is characterized by the fact that the joint space is narrowed.
- joint stiffness in the morning
- soft tissue changes, osteoporosis and calcification of cartilage.
Optional signs: these are subluxations or dislocations, as well as various erosions and cysts. In total, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is divided into three stages of development, which we will consider below.
1 degree
Recognizing the first degree is quite problematic. An interesting fact is that a person also moves as usual for himself, however, sometimes the disease can manifest itself in the form of pain and stiffness.
But these signs are often attributed to a change in the weather or an awkward position. And even if you go through the study by means of an x-ray, the imperfection cannot be immediately noticed. Here you will need qualified help, as well as a full palpation and examination, which will help to detect an uneven surface in the area of the affected joint.
People with disabilities turn to traditional medicine for first aid. And this is a competent approach to solve the problem, because at the initial stage the disease is difficult to treat.
2nd degree
In case, after noticing the first signs of the disease, you did not act, then it tends to go into the second. In this case, osteoarthritis is chronic and the cartilage begins to deteriorate rapidly.
These signs are particularly visible with increased physical effort. However, giving preference to traditional medicine does not make sense. However, it can be used as an effective supplement to conventional treatments.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint and its symptoms begin to manifest themselves more and more: unreasonable fatigue appears, and the joints of the legs begin to "hurt", and after a while, crunches occur. produce. If the disease is left untreated, it leads to joint deformity.
3rd degree
It also happens that by observing obvious changes, the patient still does not act, while the mechanisms that work against him begin to actively start. Meanwhile, inaction causes irreparable consequences.
It should also be noted that severe pain occurs in the joint. This factor does not depend on whether you are in action or at rest. There are also cases when the joints do not allow a person to move.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee
The treatment of osteoarthritis is a very long process and will depend mainly on the degree of the disease.
Basically, the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee is based on the following steps:
- Anesthetize the affected joint. As a rule, the doctor prescribes pain relievers - pain relievers.
- The inflammation must be eliminated. In the event that inflammation is indicated on the affected area, as well as swelling, such a defect should be immediately eliminated. In this case, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
- Restoration of cartilage tissue. This is considered the most important factor in the treatment. In the event that it cannot be reconstructed, it is imperative to stop the degenerative course. You should not expect instant action from drugs, but they should be taken according to individual characteristics.
If the joint is affected by the absence of symptoms, in this case, the patient will be prescribed effective ointments with a warming effect. Their main goal is to increase blood circulation in the affected area.
These include warming ointments which have no side effects. The treatment is accompanied by a pleasant sensation of heat.
Prevention of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
It is subdivided into secondary and primary.
The first focuses on weight control and injury prevention. The likelihood of developing osteoarthritis can be reduced by wearing the right shoes and doing regular exercises that strengthen muscles and support joints.
Secondary prevention is eating healthy foods, and red meat and animal foods are better replaced with lean fish and poultry. Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and as a preventative measure, capsules containing fish oil. Drink at least 8 to 9 glasses of water.
Concentrate on the minerals and vitamins that support optimal bone function. Antioxidants are also recognized as your allies, which actively fight free radicals that destroy cartilage. Osteoarthritis is a disease that amateurs cannot tolerate, so you should seek help from an experienced doctor.