Every year, more and more people suffer from a disease such as osteoarthritis of the knee joint - 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 development of the disease.
Classical medical treatment
Inflammatory processes in the knee joint are terrible, not only with the appearance of pain. A special danger is the destructive processes that take place in the tissues, the result of which is that the body can not always recover. Therefore, the treatment of osteoarthritis involves complex therapy. It should be started on time and under strict medical supervision.
The action of prescribed medical care is aimed at relieving pain, adequately nourishing the cartilage and accelerating the process of its recovery. In addition, the therapy improves blood circulation in the affected joint, strengthens the adjacent muscles, as well as increases the distance between the articular bones and increases mobility in the knee.
Depending on the stage of the disease, doctors recommend medical or surgical treatment. In order to strengthen the results of the main therapy, special physical training, massage, use of canes and proper nutrition are prescribed in addition.
Treatment
Drug therapy is prescribed when there are no irreversible changes in the joint and the tissues of the knee joint can recover and absorb nutrients. Only this can be the key to a successful recovery.
Physicians face the difficult task of choosing a competent full treatment that includes:
- chondroprotectors;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- immunostimulants;
- antibiotics (for infectious complications);
- agents that improve blood microcirculation.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are definitely included in the treatment package for osteoarthritis. The purpose of these drugs is to eliminate inflammation and severe pain that interfere with complex treatment. Taking these drugs not only improves the mobility of the knee joint, but also allows you to perform massage procedures.
Due to its properties, non-steroids are not intended for long-term use. First, by relieving pain and alleviating the patient's condition, they can create the illusion of recovery from the disease while destructive processes are actively advancing. Second, this group of drugs has a wide range of serious side effects. Third, taking them orally helps dehydrate the cartilage, which accelerates its destruction.
The course of treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be extended when selective medications are used. In this case, the likelihood of side effects and complications is less.
Chondroprotectors
In the treatment of osteoarthritis, it is necessary to provide adequate nutrition to the cartilage tissue and pay special attention to the restoration of damaged cartilage structure. For this purpose it is necessary to use chondroprotectors - glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. The action of these substances is not aimed at relieving symptoms, but at treating the disease.
Chondroprotectors are most effective in the early stages of osteoarthritis. They are indispensable for the regeneration of cartilage and the production of joint fluid. However, the effect of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is very slow, so treatment occurs in courses and can generally last up to 1. 5 years. In the later stages of the disease, when the cartilage is sufficiently destroyed, the use of chondroprotectors is practically useless.
Surgical intervention
Surgery is the most effective way to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint in the later stages of the disease. However, we rarely resort to this - only when drug treatment is weak.
Modern medicine offers several types of surgical interventions. In some of them, they try to achieve partial immobility of the knee, so the severe pain disappears. More modern methods involve the use of a laser or the installation of a special prosthesis that must partially or completely replace the local joint. The latter options are very expensive, so not everyone can afford them.
The method of surgical intervention for osteoarthritis of the knee joint is selected by the doctor based on the results of examinations, age, general health of the patient and possible allergic reactions..
Auxiliary treatments
In addition to drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage are often prescribed. However, their implementation is possible only after the symptoms of severe pain are eliminated and the acute phase of the disease is over.
Exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee joint is necessary to strengthen the muscles of the lower leg and thigh, as well as to improve knee mobility. First, you should do the exercises with a minimum load, preferably from a sitting position. As the patient's condition improves, it is desirable to complicate the task. There are many specially designed training complexes for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. They can also be made at home.
At the same time, the complex should not have dynamic exercises such as running, brisk walking or jumping. Such loads adversely affect the condition of the joint and further wear out the cartilage tissue.
Manual therapy and physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is very successfully used as an adjunct therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Patients are traditionally prescribed phonophoresis or electrical stimulation of the muscles of the lower extremities using knee magnets, paraffin, ozokerite, hydrocortisone. The above procedures are designed to eliminate swelling, improve blood circulation in adjacent tissues and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
A special place in the fight against osteoarthritis is occupied by manual therapy. With its help, it is possible to increase the mobility of the knee and improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue. As the reflexogenic zones are affected during the massage, the process of self-healing of the joint begins.
Diet
Osteoarthritis of the knee joints often affects overweight people. In such cases, it is very important to pay special attention to your diet. At the same time, you do not need to go on a strict diet.
The main thing is to ensure a properly balanced diet 5-6 times a day, to exclude occasional snacks. At the same time, it is desirable to minimize the use of salt, flour products, spicy and fatty foods.
Be sure to include in the menu:
- fresh vegetables;
- fruit;
- buckwheat and oatmeal;
- low-fat dairy products.
A small amount of lean meat can be consumed. It is important to monitor the amount of fluid you drink - you need to drink at least two liters of water a day. Drinking strong tea and coffee should be limited.
Although osteoarthritis of the knee joint is a chronic disease that requires constant monitoring, today it is possible to slow its development, so that life will be as full as possible. Patience and well-prescribed treatment are the two main components in the fight against this disease.