Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee 1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees: drugs, physical therapy and other methods

One of the common diseases of the musculoskeletal system – arthrosis of the knee joint, the treatment of which is lengthy and time consuming process. Basically osteoarthritis of the knee is diagnosed in older women, but it is also found among the younger generation, an illness common to athletes. Under the influence injuries, joint tissue lose their strength which causes the person severe pain, as in motion or at rest. Cure osteoarthritis can medication or surgery.

Another name of osteoarthritis of the knee joint – gonarthrosis associated with depletion of cartilage tissue and its gradual Erasure. In case of untimely treatment of the disease can lead to disability. At risk include: the elderly, athletes, office workers and women, aged 45 years.

Symptoms of gonarthrosis

The Sensation that arises when the disease depend on its degree. The initial stage of osteoarthritis is characterized by mild pain in the knee that can be tolerated. Gradually the pain increases, movement is obstructed, the knee is locked, when sudden footsteps are heard crunching. In advanced disease, the joint swells.

listed Below are the symptoms, depending on the extent of the disease:

1. Osteoarthritis of 1 degree. Distinct symptoms observed. A short-term local tingling possibly pain sensation that goes away on its own. Few people notice these symptoms, attributing them to fatigue. The number of cases seeking medical assistance at the first stage of gonarthrosis is very small, which significantly tightens the treatment in the future.
2. Gonarthrosis 2nd degree. Pain is pronounced, they cannot be ignored. You can hear the crunching motion, the knee is markedly increased in size. The discomfort occurs even with little physical exertion. To maintain equilibrium, the patient is recommended to use the crutch when walking. On the x-ray shows a significant reduction of cartilage, articular gap narrowed. The patient is prescribed painkillers.
3. Osteoarthritis of the knee 3 degrees. The pain becomes constant and no longer depends on physical activity. At night the pain is worse, not allowing a person to sleep. The joint reacts to the weather. At this stage of the osteoarthritis patient is not always able to independently bend or straighten the knee. On x-ray seen significant growths. Such patients often become disabled.

figure 1. Changes in osteoarthritis of the knee

The figure shows a healthy joint and the changes caused by osteoarthritis. (Fig.1)

The Reasons of occurrence and development of gonarthrosis:

• injuries and knee injuries;
• a constant load on the joint;
• excess weight, enhance the load on the knee;
• problems of metabolism in the body, leading to a shortage of elements necessary for normal functioning of cartilage.

Indirect causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint is considered to be heredity and flat feet.

Treatment disease

How to treat gonarthrosis, this issue is of concern to all who are faced with illness. Drug treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee will take a long time. Most likely from disease to completely fail, but it is possible to achieve remission.

Treatment of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will relieve the pain and inflammation of a joint. TOOOhese pills will not cure the joint and just make life easier for its owner. They are not recommended to take a long time because of possible side effects.

Removing the pain, the patient may proceed to massage and special gymnastics. It activates the process of blood circulation in the affected area.

Effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee with the use of chondroprotectors, there are special substances, reducing the cartilage. Medicines suited to restore the joint to the first and second stages, the third – even such efficient tool will not help. Duration of treatment ranges from six to eighteen months. The pills should be regular, otherwise the disease will continue to progress.

The Use of ointments and creams will relieve the knee pain. The most effective tools such as Hawkman, Menovazin, Espol and others. They will remove the feeling of discomfort, then it is necessary to switch to other therapies.

An expert physician treats arthritis not only by pills, and a whole range of funds. This includes gymnastics, massage, physiotherapy, warming ointments, and more.

The Wraps have a beneficial effect. They relieve pain and warm up the joint. Following are their types:

1. Dimeksid has goodpermeability through the skin directly to the joint, which compresses more effective than ointments. Relieves inflammation and pain, allowing the cartilage to recover. Accelerating the metabolism, dimexide and promotes tissue regeneration.
2. Medical bile extracted from the gallbladders of animals. Has a warming effect, relieves pain. Contraindicated in diseases of the skin and high body temperatures.
3. Bishofit is a natural mineral with anti-inflammatory and healing effect.

Application of laser therapy in the treatment of disease

Modern lighting equipment allows to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. Laser therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee currently is very effective. Depending on the extent of the disease, you need between 10 and 30 sessions, the duration of which varies in the range of 10-15 minutes. Such procedures should be held regularly, on average 4-5 times a year. Under the influence of the laser expands the small capillaries, improving blood circulation and stimulating their regeneration. This treatment is able to stop the degradation of cartilage, even in the later stages of the disease.

The New laser treatment are special pads on the knees, which is equipped with a laser, which some time affects the affected area.

Spa treatment

For patients suffering from gonarthrosis treatment is required. Spas quite a lot both in Russia and abroad. They differ in the orientation of treatment and range of services. Services provided to vacationers usually depend on the area in which is situated the sanatorium.

Make Sure that the selected medical institution provide the following services:

1. mud (peloidotherapy). Health resorts, offering peloidtherapie, usually located on the shores of salty lakes or the springs. Bad knee covered with clay or mud, which has a mild warming effect, relieves swelling and inflammation, stops pain. The minerals, which penetrate into the soft tissues, activate blood circulation.
2. of Course diadynamic therapy restores metabolism in periarticular tissues, helps to eliminate stagnation and improve blood circulation.
3. Often the capillaries and nerve endings exposed to the current, this procedure is called amplipulse. This is one of the most effective treatments provided in the resort. After the course patients showed sustained remission. The pain goes away, are excreted from the body of accumulated harmful substances, tissues are saturated with oxygen by natural means, restoring the blood supply to the muscles and the ligaments of the joint.
4. interference-therapy – treatment for shock, in which there is relaxation of tissues of muscles. Under the influence of electric currents to the affected areas, remove puffiness and swelling with the knee and also the outflow of accumulated fluid.

surgery

What to do if medication does not bring impressive results? In this case surgery is needed. This is a radical method to return the joint mobility. Replacing the destroyed joint for a prosthetic, made of special alloys. The implant is made individually for each patient according to the anatomical structure of the foot. It is worth considering that the prosthesis has a limited shelf life and must be replaced periodically.

The Operation is performed only if the whole range of drugs have been exhausted. Surgery is not performed in the following cases:

• the patient's condition is dire, and the operation can be life-threatening;
• presence of serious diseases (cancer, diabetes);
• rejection by the body a foreign object.

This is a very serious and rather expensive way of dealing with osteoarthritis.

Alternative therapies

Treatment of the patient should take a competent technician. In some cases, after consultation with the doctor you can turn to folk medicine.

The Treatment of joints promotes the use of lard, so the people called lard. Add a little honey, put on your knee and wrap a woolen scarf. Compress is recommended to do at night. Lard can be treated gonarthrosis at early stages.

The people in preference for another natural drug – fuck. The root should be washed and RUB on a grater, then add water (not too much, so that the mass was covered by liquid) and soar over low heat. The resulting material spread on a cloth and allow to cool to a tolerable temperature, then applied to the damaged area and roll up.

leech therapy is a common treatment for osteoarthritis. Leeches are not the most pleasant experience for many people, but their services are often used in various diseases. This "drug" has many useful properties, mainly due to the saliva:

• is anti-inflammatory and analgesicaction;
• reduced immunity
• stabilizes the circulation of fluids at the point of impact;
• are swelling and swelling.

You Can use only specially grown leeches, swamp are the usual vectors of infection. Each leech can only be used once and for one patient, then it must be destroyed. A week before hirudotherapy donations, which the patient should adhere to 7 days after treatment. Daily you should drink 2-3 liters of water. The course may be assigned only by a physician, self-treatment with leeches can lead to negative consequences and the progress of the disease.

Effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee is possible when combining medicines and folk medicine.

knee Osteoarthritis is a serious condition that deprives people of the opportunity to live a full life. The symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis depend on the extent of the disease. Restoration of the damaged joint should be approached in a comprehensive manner. Necessary medications, massage, exercises, physiotherapy, laser therapy and Spa vacation and the imposition of special applications. Do not ignore the cure for osteoarthritis of the knee in the early stages of the disease, the sooner you start treatment, the more productive it will be. Treated if the disease folk remedies, the patient to solve, but still worth to consult a doctor. Since medicine does not give an exact answer about the possibility of full recovery, it is necessary to take preventive measures and are more likely to listen to your body.