Knee joint arthrosis (gonarthrosis) is a very common disease, the second only for coxarthrosis in frequency.
Statistics show that every fifth person on the planet suffers from gonartrosis (about 22%).There is a certain link between this pathology and a person's gender - women suffer from this disease twice as often as men.If we talk about age, the risk group includes patients over 40 years old.
Degenerative changes occur at the molecular level, but over time, when the disease begins to progress, damage to the cartilage tissue structure is observed.If time treatment is not started, there is a real risk of exposing bone and destruction of the cartilage itself.
Causes of knee joint arthrosis
To understand the specifics of the disease, it is extremely important to know which reasons gonarthrosis develops.It is necessary to understand that the knee joint experiences great stress daily from the weight of the human body.Natural coating and tissue tear that occurs as people grow old leads to changes in the structure of the joints.This is why middle -aged and elderly people most often suffer from this disease.
In addition, knee arthritis can occur for the following reasons:
- Damage and damage.These factors most often affect the development of the disease at a young age.
- Continuous loads.We are talking about involvement in active sports, regardless of contraindications and advanced age.
- Excess weight.This factor adversely affects the state of the meniscus.Moreover, there is increased pressure on the knee joints, which provokes the development of the disease.
- Varicose veins of the lower extremities.
- Poor metabolism.Lack of minerals adversely affects the condition of the cartilage.
- Arthritis and other specific and inflammatory pathologies common.
Symptoms of gonartrosis
The first stages of knee arthritis are characterized by the presence of low intensity pain.As a rule, a person does not take any action for treatment, ignoring the body's initial signals.This condition can last for several years until it worsens.
A person feels severe discomfort when trying to stand up after sitting for a long time.Similar sensations arise in the morning when you wake up.
In addition to the pain of the varying degrees of intensity, the arthrosis of the knee joint is associated with the following symptoms:
- Burning at the lower extremities.The situation worsens when you climb the stairs.
- Sitting muscle tone.
- Insufficient joint mobility.
- Characteristic crisis.
Specific symptoms depend on the stage at which the disease is.It is clear that the more advanced the problem is, the more pronounced the manifestations of the pathology.
First degree arthrosis
The arthrosis of the first -degree knee joint is characterized by a satisfactory condition of the patient, so he may not suffer any discomfort.The only thing that can disturb the patient is limited mobility after awakening and fatigue in the lower extremities.
Pain practically lacking or mild.Diagnosis of the disease at this stage is only possible with the help of X or MRI examination.The image shows a narrowing of the space between the articular surfaces as well as minor irregularities in the cartilage.
Unfortunately, patients are extremely rarely seeking help at this stage of the disease.Most people are accustomed not to pay attention to the minor concerns, which often lead to worsening the condition and rapid progression of the disease.
Second degree arthrosis
The arthrosis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree is more clearly manifested.The pain occurs immediately after each exercise, or directly during severe elevation.This condition is removed after the break, but the embarrassment returns again after resuming physical activity.
This stage is also characterized by other symptoms:
- Characteristic crisis.It is quite sharp and very often associated with painful sensations.
- Synovitis is a condition in which there is inflammation and swelling of the synovial merger membranes.
- Deformities.In the initial stages, swelling in the knee area is noticeable, but the situation can be significantly deteriorated without proper treatment.
- Insufficient motility of the knee joint.The patient experiences basic problems by bending or fixing his leg.
All of these symptoms gradually increase if treatment is not taken.The joint gradually loses its properties, its structure begins to change, which becomes apparent after visual inspection.
Third -degree arthrosis
The osteoarthritis of scale 3 of the knee joint is characterized by the presence of intense pain, which can occur both under severe loads and at rest.Many patients are concerned about similar symptoms at night.
Meteorological dependence appears, so sudden weather changes cause significant concerns for a person.The shock loses his ability to bend, so the patient's movement becomes extremely difficult.
Pathological changes become visible to the naked eye.X-ray shows a sharp narrowing of the joint space and multiple bone growth.
Fourth degree arthrosis
The arthrosis of the knee joint of the 4th degree is characterized by severe destruction of the joint, an almost complete lack of movement in it and severe pain.
Diagnosis of the disease
To prescribe a proper treatment regimen, the doctor performs a consultation.The patient talks about his complaints, at what hour of the pain day deteriorates, at rest or when taking any action.After that, the doctor continues directly to the exam itself, palpating the knee area.
Later stages arthritis can also be suspected without the use of instrumental diagnostic methods.When bending the knee, a characteristic crisis will be heard, and the patient will suffer quite unpleasant sensations.The palpation process itself is also associated with pain.
To get a clearer picture, the patient is sent for an X -ray examination. To clarify the diagnosis, the use of calculated tomography and MRI is also practiced.
Treatment methods for knee joint arthrosis
Knee arthrosis treatment may include some techniques whose effectiveness depends on the stage of the disease:
- Medication therapy.
- Massage treatments.
- Manual therapy, physiotherapeutic treatment, physical therapy.
- operation
The main purpose of treatment is to relieve pain and increase the range of movement in the joint.
Conservative treatment shows quite high results of effectiveness, especially in the early stages.If there is no positive dynamics during treatment, then a decision is made to perform surgical intervention.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The initial purpose of any treatment is to relieve pain.Drugs from the NSAID category relieve the patient's condition, reducing not only the pain but also eliminating the inflammatory process in the problem area.Only after eliminating these symptoms can you move on to other methods of treatment.
Drugs in this group is the first aid to this disease.Their effectiveness depends on the severity of the clinical figure as well as the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Hormonal agent
If the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not give positive results, then the patient may be prescribed hormone medication in the form of injections.This is a much more effective medicine with which you can quickly eliminate unpleasant symptoms.
The difficulty of Such Treatment Lies in the fact that they have drugs have a rater aggressive effect on the human body, so you need to be extramely careful use.The doctor should prescribe a course of short -term treatment and only if the patient experiences an accumulation of joint fluid.The injection administration is possible no more than once every 5-7 days.
Chondroprotectors
The drugs in this group acts directly on the cause of arthrosis itself.They are designed to restore the structure of damaged cartilage tissue as well as normalize the production of joint fluid.This is very important in complex treatment, when it is necessary to affect not only the symptoms but also the root cause of the pathology.
Recently, the use of hyaluronic acid injections directly in the joint has been practiced.This procedure avoids premature cartilage coating.It is very important for the medicine to be administered by a qualified specialist.
Using other methods
Treatment of knee joint 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 methods of treatment.
- External tools.Various creams and gels help eliminate pain, swelling and inflammation.The exact list of medicines should be prescribed by your attending physician, so we do not recommend that you self-medicate.
If you suffer from this disease, then you should contact the clinic for qualified help.Our specialists have the necessary level of knowledge as well as extensive medical practice so that they can help you solve your problems.
Remember that in the treatment of arthritis, the key to success is the time limit, so be more attentive to your health and the signals your body gives you.