Arthrosis is a fairly common disease provoked by metabolic disorders, trauma or non-specific infectious arthritis. The disease causes deforming changes in the tissues of the joints and the surrounding bone joints.
What is arthrosis?
Arthrosis is a fairly serious disease affecting the joints. With the disease, damaged joints and surrounding bones thicken. There is pain during exercise, which gradually subsides at rest. Arthrosis of the knee joint, the causes of which are quite different, does not cause an inflammatory process, therefore it does not appear in the form of edema and redness, which differs from arthritis or polyarthritis. It is worth noting that among the patients there are a lot of women suffering from diseases - varicose veins and obesity.
Why does the disease appear?
Arthrosis is an unpredictable disease that occurs due to:
- Overloads
- Injury
- Hereditary predisposition
- Obesity
- Flat feet
How to identify the disease?
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 1st degree - the initial stage of the disease, in which timely treatment is capable of joint performance. At the initial stage, movements become limited, and areas of joints begin to ossify. To detect arthrosis of the knee joint, the treatment of which is quite diverse, at this stage is almost impossible: an X-ray examination will not show visible bone growths. The main signs are sharpening of the articular edges and narrowing of the interarticular gap, which the doctor can detect during the examination. To clarify the diagnosis, an additional examination of ultrasound and MRI of the joints is prescribed.
Typically, patients notice a short tingling sensation in the joint and a crunch issued during movement. Pain occurs after rest, and when walking quickly pass. Such “starting” pains are manifested as a result of friction of the joints on which cartilage and bone destruction (detritus) settle.
At the initial stage, arthrosis does not cause significant inconvenience, therefore, patients do not pay attention to the symptoms that have arisen. Therefore, if there is the slightest suspicion of arthrosis of the knee joint, treatment should be carried out immediately.
Arthrosis Treatment
Before you start the fight against the disease, try to find a good doctor and, after a full examination, draw up a joint treatment plan. Do not make your own diagnosis, it can only aggravate the situation. There are many similar diseases, therefore, without examination, you can make a mistake in determining the disease.
When confirming the diagnosis of arthrosis of the knee joint, treatment is prescribed depending on the stage of the disease. At the initial stage, when the joint is even more or less preserved, they propose carrying out drug therapy with chondroprotective drugs. Today they are presented in a fairly wide range: “Arthra” (USA), “Dona” (Italy), “Kondro” or “Kondro nova” (India), “Structum” (France), “Teraflex” (Great Britain), “ Chondrolon "and" Chondroitin AKOS "(Russia). Regardless of the choice, take these drugs up to 6 months. After six months, it is recommended to repeat the treatment again. The duration of treatment is from 3 to 5 years.
It is worth noting that creams and ointments are not able to relieve the patient of arthrosis, however, they can relieve pain. It is recommended to use warming preparations that will help improve blood circulation, these are: Menovazin, Espol, Gevkamen and Nikoflex Cream. In some cases, when arthrosis is exacerbated by the phenomenon of synovitis, the following agents can be used: "Voltaren - gel", "Indomethacin" and "Fastum".
Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of arthrosis of the knee joint can only be prescribed by a doctor. They are advised to perform daily gymnastics and adhere to an established diet. Try not to overload your joints. Such actions can negatively affect your health. After recovery, try to gradually increase the load and prevent the occurrence of pain.