Knee arthrosis (gonarthrosis) is a very common disease, second only for coxarthrosis in frequency.
Statistics show that every fifth person on the planet suffers from gonarthrosis (about 22%).There is a certain connection between this pathology and gender of a person - women suffer from this disease twice as often as men.If we talk about age, the risk group includes patients over 40 years of age.
Degenerative changes occur at the molecular level, but over time when the disease begins to progress, damage to the structure of cartilage tissue is observed.If timely treatment is not started, there is a real risk of bone exposure and the destruction of cartilage itself.
Causes of knee arthrosis joint
In order to understand the specificity of the disease, it is extremely important to know for what causes gonarthrosis develops.It is necessary to understand that the knee becomes a tremendous stress every day from the weight of the human body.Natural wear of the tissue, which occurs when people grow old, leads to changes in the structure of the joints.That is why middle-aged people and the elderly most often suffer from this disease.
In addition, knee arthrosis may occur for the following reasons:
- Damage and injuries.These factors most often affect the development of the disease at an early age.
- Constant loads.We are talking about participating in active sports, despite contraindications and advanced age.
- Excess weight.This factor has a negative effect on the state of menis.In addition, there is increased pressure on the knee joints, which provokes the development of the disease.
- Different veins of the lower limbs.
- Poor metabolism.The lack of minerals has a negative effect on the condition of the cartilage.
- Arthritis and other specific and inflammatory pathologies of the joints.
Symptoms of gonarthrosis
The first stages of knee arthrosis are characterized by the presence of low intensity pain.As a rule, one does not take any treatment for treatment, ignoring the initial signals of the body.This condition can last for several years until it worsens.
One experiences severe discomfort when trying to get up after sitting for a long time.Such sensations occur in the morning when you wake up.
In addition to pain of varying degrees of intensity, knee arthrosis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Burning in the lower limbs.The condition worsens when stairs climb.
- Reduced muscle tone.
- Insufficient joint mobility.
- Characteristic crunch.
Specific symptoms depend on what stage the disease is.It is clear that the more the problem is, the more expressed the manifestations of the pathology.
First -degree arthrosis
Knee arthrosis of the 1st degree is characterized by a satisfactory condition of the patient, so that it may not experience discomfort.The only thing that can bother the patient is limited mobility after waking up and fatigue in the lower limbs.
The pain is practically absent or soft.The diagnosis of the disease at this stage is only possible with the help of X -ray or MRI.The image shows a narrowing of the space between the joint surfaces, as well as the slight irregularities in the cartilage.
Unfortunately, patients rarely seek help at this stage of the disease.Most people are accustomed to not paying attention to minor problems, which often leads to a worsening of the condition and the rapid progression of the disease.
Second -degree arthrosis
The arthrosis of the knee joint of the second degree manifests itself more clearly.The pain occurs immediately after each load or directly during heavy lifting.This condition goes away after rest, but the discomfort returns again after the resumption of physical activity.
This stage is characterized by other symptoms:
- Characteristic crunch.It is quite acute and very often accompanied by painful sensations.
- Synovitis is a condition in which there is inflammation and swelling of the synovial membranes of the joint.
- Deformations.In the initial stages, swelling in the knee area is noticeable, but the situation can deteriorate significantly without proper treatment.
- Insufficient mobility of the knee joint.The patient experiences major problems, bending or straightening his leg.
All these symptoms gradually increase if treatment is not taken.The joint gradually loses its properties, its structure begins to change, which becomes noticeable with visual inspection.
Third degree arthrosis
Knee osteoarthritis 3 grade is characterized by the presence of intense pain, which can occur in both heavy loads and at rest.Many patients are concerned about similar symptoms at night.
Meteorological dependence occurs so that sudden changes in time cause a significant inconvenience of a person.The joint loses its ability to bend so that the patient's movement becomes extremely difficult.
Pathological changes become visible to the naked eye.The X -ray shows a sharp narrowing of the joint space and multiple bone growths.
Fourth degree arthrosis
The arthrosis of the knee joint of the 4th degree is characterized by severe destruction of the joint, almost complete absence of movement in it and intense pain.
Diagnosis
In order to prescribe an appropriate treatment regimen, the doctor consulted.The patient talks about his complaints about what time of the day the pain worsens, at rest or when performing any action.The doctor then proceeds directly to the examination itself, palpating the knee area.
Arthrosis in later stages can be suspected even without the use of instrumental diagnostic methods.When the knee bends, a characteristic crisis will be heard and the patient will experience quite unpleasant sensations.The palpation process itself is also accompanied by pain.
To get a clearer picture, the patient is sent for an X-ray examination.The use of computed tomography and MRI is also practiced to clarify the diagnosis.
Treatment methods for knee arthrosis joint
Treatment of knee arthrosis may include several techniques whose effectiveness depends on the stage of the disease:
- Drug therapy.
- Massage treatments.
- Manual therapy, physiotherapy treatment, physical therapy.
- Work.
The main purpose of treatment is to relieve the pain and to increase the range of movement in the joint.
Conservative treatment shows quite high efficiency results, especially in the early stages.If there is no positive dynamics during treatment, then a decision is made to perform surgery.
Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs
The original purpose of any treatment is to relieve pain.Medicines in the NSAID category relieve the patient's condition, not only reducing the pain, but also eliminates the inflammatory process in the problem area.Only after eliminating these symptoms can you move on to other treatments.
Medicines in this group are the first aid for this disease.Their effectiveness depends on the severity of the clinical picture as well as on the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Hormonal agents
If the use of non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs does not produce positive results, then the patient may be prescribed hormonal drugs in the form of injections.This is a much more effective remedy that can quickly eliminate unpleasant symptoms.
The difficulty of such treatment lies in the fact that these drugs have a very aggressive effect on the human body, so you should be extremely careful when using them.The doctor should prescribe a short -term course of treatment and only if the patient experiences the accumulation of joint fluid.Implementation of injection is possible no more than once every 5-7 days.
Chondroprotectors
Medicines in this group act directly on the very cause of arthrosis.They are designed to restore the structure of damaged cartilage tissue, as well as to normalize the production of joint fluid.This is very important for complex treatment when it is necessary to affect not only the symptoms but also the root cause of the pathology.
The use of hyaluronic acid injections directly into the joint has recently been practiced.This procedure avoids premature cartilage wear.It is very important that the drug should be administered by a qualified specialist.
Using other methods
The treatment of knee arthrosis can be performed not only with the help of medicines in the form of tablets and injections, but also with a number of other methods:
- Ozone therapy.This method has an analgesic and anti -inflammatory effect, and also helps to normalize blood circulation.Particularly effective in complex therapy, along with other treatments.
- External means.Various creams and gels help to eliminate pain, swelling and inflammation.The exact list of medicines should be prescribed by your doctor, so we do not recommend that you treat you.
If you suffer from this disease, then you should contact the Clinic for qualified assistance.Our specialists have the necessary level of knowledge as well as extensive medical practice, so they can help you solve your problems.
Remember that in the treatment of arthrosis, the main key to success is timeliness, so be more careful to your health and the signals your body gives you.