Osteoarthritis of the knee (gonarthrosis) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in cartilage tissue. The disease seriously disrupts the usual rhythm of life, causing severe pain and limiting mobility. Medical treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee joint helps to stop pain and degenerative processes in the early stages of the disease. Later the problem is solved with the help of an operation.
Treatment of osteoarthritis with conservative methods
Treatment of knee osteoarthritis is carried out comprehensively and includes medication, physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy. The drugs relieve pain, improve blood circulation and promote tissue regeneration.
During treatment they use:
- pills;
- creams;
- gels;
- injections.
Modern medicine is developing new ways of treating knee osteoarthritis. Stem cell therapy and platelet rich plasma therapy are effective methods. Doctors emphasize the high efficiency of the treatment and the rapid regeneration of tissues.
Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs
The choice of drugs for osteoarthritis depends on the degree of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and associated pathologies. At the 1st degree of the disease, a person feels a little discomfort after prolonged exertion, dystrophic processes are only beginning in the cartilage tissue. Treatment is carried out with the help of topical ointments. For discomfort and minor pain, it is recommended:
- to practice Gymnastique;
- reduce stress on the joint;
- take vitamin complexes;
- diet.
The main drug treatment is used for the 2nd degree of the disease. A person begins to feel pain, a crunch is heard when walking, the cartilage tissue thins, the range of motion is limited. The aim of treatment is to relieve pain, stop destructive processes in the joint and restore mobility to the legs.
To relieve pain, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used, which give an analgesic effect and relieve inflammatory processes in the tissues.
On a note.Long-term use of these drugs negatively affects the gastrointestinal tract and the liver.
Today, more and more doctors are prescribing "new generation" NSAIDs that can be used for a long time and have minimal side effects.
If an infectious disease joins the osteoarthritis, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. In order to choose the right drug, the causative agent of the infection is identified. To do this, take fluid from the joint cavity and place it in a nutrient medium. Based on the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribes a drug.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectors are the main group of drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis. They are applied in a long course and are well accepted by the body. Thanks to the active substances, they stop destructive processes in the cartilage tissue, improve the production of synovial fluid and promote tissue regeneration.
On a note.The drugs are effective in the first two degrees of knee osteoarthritis. In the third, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and cannot recover on its own.
The most suitable drug will be selected by a specialist.
On a note.Medicines are available in the form of tablets and injectable solutions. The second form is the most effective. The therapeutic effect begins within a few minutes, bypassing the process of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary therapy
Along with chondroprotectors, drugs are prescribed that help improve metabolic processes, blood supply and enrich the body with vitamins. For complex therapy, the following drugs are used:
- Muscle relaxants - eliminate smooth muscle spasms, reduce pain;
- Venotonics and vasodilators improve blood flow and tissue trophism around the joint;
- Vitamin complexes saturate the body with necessary substances, have a positive effect on metabolic processes and improve general well-being.
- Local remedies in the form of cream, ointment and gel improve blood circulation in the knee joint, have a warming and decongestant effect, and eliminate pain.
- Compresses with drugs are more effective than creams.
Intra-articular injections
Treatment of knee osteoarthritis is carried out by another method - injections into the joint. In medicine, this method of delivering drugs is called a blockage. Depending on the drugs used, the injection helps to effectively stop the pain syndrome when other means do not help, quickly remove the inflammation and create a protective layer that protects the cartilage tissue from further destruction.
On a note.The sequence of treatment is determined by the doctor. Hyaluronic acid preparations are administered only after the inflammatory process has been eliminated, otherwise the course of the disease may worsen.
Stem cell and plasma therapy
Modern methods of treatment of knee osteoarthritis are based on low invasiveness and reduced recovery period. Such procedures include stem cell therapy, which, after injection, are able to transform into cells of cartilage tissue, contributing to its regeneration. The material for the procedure is obtained from embryos and fatty tissue, bone marrow of an adult.
The procedure helps:
- eliminate pain;
- relieve swelling;
- restore motor functions;
- improve the nutrition of the joints;
- accelerate metabolic processes.
The collected stem cells are cultured under laboratory conditions, injected into the patient's joint. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
On a note.Treatment is only carried out when there is still cartilage tissue and synovial fluid is being produced. At grade 3 of the disease, treatment will not bring positive results.
A new method of treating osteoarthritis is the administration of platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is simple:
- blood collection from the patient;
- blood is placed in a test tube and centrifuge, where it is divided into erythrocytes, plasma with platelets;
- only platelet concerns are produced;
- the drug is injected into the knee.
With an increased number of platelets, improved regeneration of cartilage tissue begins. For treatment it is necessary to carry out 2-5 procedures, between which there is a break of 7 days.
Other treatments
In the fight against knee osteoarthritis, people use various traditional and non-traditional methods, including hirudotherapy (leech therapy). The saliva of worms contains many enzymes that are beneficial to humans. It allows you to:
- reduce blood viscosity, thereby improving blood circulation;
- relieve pain syndrome;
- improve metabolic processes.
On a note.Doctors compare the effect of leech saliva with chondroprotectors. It speeds up the process of repairing cartilage. In the early stages, the patient is completely cured.
Hirudotherapy is prescribed with caution to the elderly and children. The procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women, patients with poor blood clotting and heart failure.
For osteoarthritis of the knee, applications with ozokerite (black wax), a waxy mass made up of paraffin and resins, are no less effective. It is used for inflammatory and degenerative processes in cartilage structures. It has a thermal, analgesic and regenerating effect on the diseased joint.
Ozokerite is used in the form of compresses and applications. The treatment should consist of at least 15 daily sessions.
No less effective is electrophoresis with drugs. During the session, the drug penetrates deep into the diseased areas, bypassing the stomach and liver. This reduces the intake of medication, and the effect of the procedure is more pronounced.
At home, you can use a special device. The device, when used locally, is exposed to UV radiation, heat. As a result, blood circulation, tissue trophism improves, biochemical reactions of the skin are activated. Positive patient feedback confirms the effectiveness of the procedures.
Operational methods
Surgical intervention is usually used in grades 3 and 4 of the disease, when the heads of the bones are practically bare, and conservative treatment cannot give positive results.
With knee osteoarthritis, several types of operations are performed:
- Arthrodesis - remove the remaining cartilage with the joint. It is rarely used because it does not help maintain limb mobility.
- Arthroscopic debridement - the release of the joint from cartilage tissue with the help of an arthroscope. The procedure is used for pain relief and is a temporary solution to the problem.
- The stent is the most common and effective method of surgery for knee osteoarthritis. It helps maintain the mobility of the joint. Modern prostheses are made according to the individual characteristics of the patient. This allows the implant to take root quickly in the body without disturbing the patient.
Joint replacement surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Surgeon:
- Make a longitudinal incision in the middle of the knee, pushing the tissue apart.
- He treats damaged fragments of the bone surface (grinding), installs a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), tests.
- Attaches by sealing or tight fit.
- Suture the wound, apply a bandage and a splint.
The whole operation takes 2-3 hours. The recovery period lasts about 4 months. The patient first learns to walk, gradually loading and strengthening the muscles. Exercise therapy, massage, and swimming are recommended. The healing effect lasts up to 20 years, then a new replacement of the prosthesis is necessary, because over time it wears out.
Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that can be treated successfully at an early stage. Even the small symptoms cannot be ignored - you should immediately begin complex treatment in consultation with your doctor. In severe cases, only joint replacement can help prevent disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise, and moderate knee stress.