Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee - a complex approach to dealing with degenerative-dystrophic pathologies that destroy joint tissue and bone. Doctors - chiropractors and surgeons - use drug therapy, physical therapy procedures, massage, recommend exercise therapies to alleviate the condition, reduce painand return the knee joint to range of motion. Drug treatment and physical therapy are effective if gonarthrosis is in its early stages. If the disease is ignored, joint replacement surgery is often used.
Traditional and alternative medicine methods are also widely used, such as digital therapy, sand heating, compresses based on medicinal plants, Chinese plasters, bales, etc. Tibet. Before using folk remedies for warts, it is necessary to consult a doctor about the appropriateness of the chosen technique.
Knee fibroids therapy
The choice of a therapeutic technique depends on the stage of the disease, other diseases in the patient's history, and the individual characteristics of the organism.
Medicine
The main targets of drugs prescribed for knee gonarthrosis are:
- pain relief;
- stop the inflammatory process;
- inhibits degenerative changes in the joints;
- Restore lost mobility of the knee joint.
Medicines for the treatment of gonarthrosis are divided into:
- analgesic and anti-inflammatory;
- chondroprotectors;
- vitamin and mineral complex.
If the pill doesn't give a clear result, they have to resort to injections that are injected directly into the joint. This procedure is called an obstruction. Chondroprotectors, anesthetics, corticosteroid hormones, hyaluronic acid are used for injection.
If a patient is diagnosed with grade 1 gonarthrosis, he is prescribed:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These pills have a high rate of side effects, so they shouldn't be taken for a long time, otherwise the patient may develop cachexia and stomach ulcers.
- Simple pain reliever.
- Ointments with an irritating effect on the skin, including bee venom, snake venom, chili extract and other preparations.
- Glucosaminoglycans or chondroprotectors are divided into natural, complex and single preparations. They relieve pain, restore mobility to the affected joint and inhibit the degenerative process.
It is important to know. Chondroprotectors are prescribed as background treatment. They must be taken over a long period of time, from 3 months to six months. You can't try to replace the pills prescribed by your doctor with cheaper ones. They may not work, and it will take time, and the person will develop grade 3 gonarthrosis, which is fraught with serious complications, for example, bursitis.
Traditional method
Patients with gonarthrosis are advised to eat magnolia, nettle and celery. Fresh wood ear leaves can be used to prepare salads, seasoned with a small amount of vegetable oil.
Stinging nettle can be added to vegetable soups, or you can make water with garlic and lemon:
- For 100 g of garlic cloves, you need to take 3 medium lemons and 250 g of nettle leaves.
- Put all ingredients through a meat grinder.
- Pour the resulting mixture with 3 liters of boiling water and leave for a day in a warm place.
The infusion must be done daily. On the first day, limit yourself to 70 ml of the product and gradually increase the number of doses up to 3 times a day.
You can make compresses from the decoction of burdock rhizomes:
- 3 tbspPour the mashed ingredients into a cup of boiling water.
- Insist for 15 minutes.
- Cool down.
- Moisten gauze in broth and apply to the affected joint.
- Cover the sore and leave overnight.
A useful and general tonic for gonarthrosis is broth boiled from the bones of cattle. The healing effect is provided by gelatin, which is released due to prolonged heat treatment.
To make the broth, take your knees and hooves, put them in a large pot, and then pour the water so that all the bones are covered.
Simmer until the meat and cartilage easily separate from the bone. 100 ml of broth should be taken before meals.
Physical therapy
If a person is diagnosed with grade 1 or 2 gonarthrosis, the doctor may prescribe different physical therapy procedures:
- Paraffin applications are warming procedures to prevent the development of degenerative processes in the articular joints.
- Plasmolifting, when a drug is injected into the joint cavity based on the patient's own blood. The biologically active substances contained in the plasma have a therapeutic effect. They help heal and restore affected bone and muscle structures.
- Cryotherapy or local contact with liquid nitrogen at the site of pain. This procedure relieves pain and begins to regenerate the damaged joint.
- Laser therapy, is an effective method that allows you to stop the inflammatory process and stimulate metabolism in a short time.
- Ultrasound with glucocorticoids, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, prevents degenerative processes.
- Anesthesia electrophoresis is the effect of electric current into the damaged joint area, helping to promote the absorption of the drug directly into the joint.
- Shock wave therapy, which acts on the damaged area with low frequency sound waves, and at the same time accelerates blood circulation and metabolism in the diseased joint.
On a note. Physiotherapy procedures can be performed at home, using a magnetic therapy device, which allows you to reduce swelling and pain sensations, to stop the inflammatory process.
Hirudotherapy
Alternative medicine methods include leech therapy or hirudotherapy.. . .This treatment of gonarthrosis has many advantages:
- within 3 months, a persistent analgesic effect is achieved, which allows you to cancel drug therapy;
- metabolic processes are stimulated, blood microcirculation in the damaged joint area is improved;
- puffiness is reduced;
- mobility of joints is restored;
- The clot is removed, which is usually formed by the development of gonarthrosis.
Hirudotherapy gives the best results in the early stages of disease development. The healing effect of the painful area is due to the enzymes that leeches secrete into the patient's bloodstream after sucking on the painful knee. These are chemically active substances:
- dissolve thrombi-forming compounds, prevent blood clotting;
- lower cholesterol levels;
- break down hyaluronic acid.
On a note. Enzymes such as eglin and kininase can replace non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers.
Special exercises
Recreational sports are an effective method to treat diseases affecting bones and joints. The purpose of exercise is to strengthen muscles, provide support for damaged joints, and allow joints to return to mobility.
With gonarthrosis, strength exercises, prolonged walking or running are contraindicated. Classes must be alternated with the rest.
Positive effects will be noticed if you exercise regularly for at least six months. Set of approximate exercises:
- Swing your legs with moderate amplitude. It's better to do this while sitting on a chair or high table with your legs loose in the air.
- Without changing positions, you can alternately raise your legs, straighten at the knees, and hold the position for at least 3 seconds.
- The next exercise is the bike. It is done while lying on the floor. At first, simulate cycling slowly, gradually increasing speed, then slowing down again.
- From a prone position, you must slowly bend your knee and pull it towards your stomach. Then also gently straighten the bent limb until there is muscle tension. You need to hold the position for 8 seconds. Then lower your heels to the floor and slowly straighten your legs, returning to the starting position.
A set of therapeutic exercises suitable for the treatment of gonarthrosis. A physiotherapist should be consulted before charging.
Massage
This method cannot cure the disease, but it can reduce symptoms, reduce the duration of exacerbations, and also increase the effectiveness of physical therapy and medication.
Massagewith gonarthrosis:
- relaxes the spasmodic muscles around the affected joint;
- accelerate the healing process;
- "Removal" of toxic substances accumulated in the tissues as a result of the inflammatory process.
To treat gonarthrosis, the following methods are used:
- Japanese, acting on the affected areas with the help of physical exertion points;
- Swedish uses the palm of the hand to rub and stroke the painful joints;
- Finnish, where all the kneading is done with the thumbs.
The massage involves not only mechanical impact on the affected limb, but also massage of the lower spine. During surgery, the patient should not have pain in the damaged joint.
Self-massage is allowed at home. First, you should learn the technique of performing massage movements:
- caress;
- seizure;
- kneading;
- tap or shower with fingers;
- vibrate.
The basic rules for the procedure:
- Self-massage is performed on an empty stomach.
- It is better if a person takes a warm shower or bath at this time (water temperature is not more than 36-38°C).
- The procedure is carried out in the morning, before 14: 00, as it tones the body.
- All movements are performed carefully, leaving no marks or bruises on the skin, and the patient must not feel pain when self-massaging.
- The procedure is initiated from the largest thigh muscle, moving from the knee joint toward the groin crease.
- At the end of the contact, it is recommended to bend and straighten the leg at the knee several times.
Important. Before resorting to self-massage, you need to consult a chiropractor.
Disease prevention
Many reasons lead to arthritis:
- excess weight;
- wrong way of life;
- excessive physical activity;
- genetic predisposition.
Prevention of gonarthrosis includes various measures, such as diet, avoidance of alcohol and smoking, physical education, which helps to eliminate the increased stress on the knee joint. Health sports activities include:
- Nordic walking, using special equipment, like ski poles;
- yoga, which increases joint flexibility, speeds up metabolism, has a beneficial effect on the entire body;
- Exercise cycling activities help keep the knee joint healthy.
If a person leads an active lifestyle - rollerblading, cycling, skiing, he must take care of protective equipment that will help prevent minor injuries and significant knee injuries. Any physical activity should be in moderation, and sporting activities should be alternated with rest.