In adults, a pathology such as arthritis of the knee joint is often observed. This is an inflammatory disease with various causes. The knee joint is quite large. Inflammation can occur against the background of the course of rheumatism, gout and many other disorders.
Incorrect treatment can lead to loss of performance and restriction of movement in the knee. The protracted course of the disease often leads to disability. Therapy must be comprehensive, with the mandatory observance of all the recommendations of the doctor.
Features of the disease
The development of arthritis of the knee joint is often associated with non-infectious factors. Its difference from arthrosis is that the basis is inflammation of the tissues, and not their destruction. When arthritis occurs, structures located outside and inside the joint are involved in the course of this process.
The highest incidence rate is observed in people under 30 years of age. However, damage to the joint tissue can also occur in adolescents. One or two joints can be involved in the pathological process. Arthritis can be acute or chronic.
The primary lesion is due to trauma or penetration of pathogens into the joint cavity. The secondary form occurs as a result of other disorders and systemic diseases. This disease is accompanied by painful sensations, inflammation, swelling.
Main types
There are many different types of arthritis of the knee joint (treatment photo below), however, the most common types are:
- osteoarthritis;
- post-traumatic;
- reactive;
- rheumatoid;
- gouty;
- age;
- juvenile.
Arthroso-arthritis of the knee joint develops against the background of the course of inflammation, and at the same time signs of infectious processes in the tissues, as well as dystrophic changes in the muscles and bones may additionally appear. Post-traumatic form may occur as a result of a previous injury. In this case, the normal functioning of articular cartilage is disrupted. As a result, tissue inflammation develops.
The reactive form of the disease can develop as a result of the penetration of infection from the intestine. Rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint occurs mainly as a result of autoimmune diseases. In addition, it can be a complication after a previous sore throat. In some cases, the rheumatoid form in children is formed against the background of an allergy or with a violation of the thyroid function. The main danger is damage to the heart muscle.
A gouty form is formed during the deposition of salts, which occurs in metabolic disorders. The cause of the age-related form is the mechanical wear of the cartilage. A similar manifestation is observed in older people. Juvenile arthritis is mainly manifested in children over 8 years old. Depending on the type of tissue damage, one can distinguish such forms as:
- dry;
- serous;
- purulent;
- serous hemorrhagic.
Depending on the type of arthrosis of the knee joint, there may be a variety of symptoms. That is why it is important to timely recognize the course of inflammation and conduct treatment.
Developmental stages
There are 3 degrees of arthritis of the knee joint, characterized by a feature of tissue damage. At the initial stage of the course of the violation, pain and discomfort are wave-like and often disturb the patient early in the morning or when the weather changes. The images show thinning of bones, densification of muscle tissue, as well as a slight narrowing of the joint space.
In the second stage, pathological changes become more pronounced, and tissue soreness and swelling are also observed. Leg mobility is limited. In the picture, cartilage drying, erosion and narrowing of the lumen are noticeable.
During the third stage, severe muscle dystrophy, bone deformation, accelerated growth of connective tissue, as well as osteophyte overgrowth are observed. In addition, there is a deposition of salts in the joints. Cartilage tissue is very destroyed. If treatment is not done in a timely manner, then the disease goes into a chronic stage.
Causes of occurrence
Arthritis of the knee joint can develop as an independent disease or in the course of concomitant diseases. There are many reasons why pathology can occur, in particular, the presence of various disorders in the body greatly complicates the course of secondary arthritis. For example, they can include such as:
- psoriasis;
- hepatitis;
- lupus erythematosus;
- Reiter's disease.
The development and course of primary arthritis is influenced by factors such as:
- viral infections;
- allergy;
- hypothermia of the body;
- joint damage.
Often, inflammation is associated precisely with injuries. The reasons may be a bruise, a blow. Sometimes symptoms of arthritis of the knee appear after surgery. Damage may be caused by allergies. This occurs after the administration of serum and vaccine, as well as the intake of certain medications.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of arthritis of the knee joint can be very different. In particular, these include:
- painful sensations;
- temperature rise;
- redness of the skin;
- swelling;
- difficulty in moving.
These are just some signs of inflammation. With a purulent form, the symptoms of arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint are somewhat similar to each other and include:
- weakness;
- muscle pain;
- fever
- chills;
- malaise.
Among the additional signs, one can distinguish increased sweating, stiffness of movements, a feeling of heaviness in the legs. In particularly complex and neglected cases, periarticular phlegmon may develop, which threatens with very dangerous manifestations. Often abscesses occur. In the absence of timely treatment, disability can occur, and the disease goes into a chronic stage.
Rheumatoid arthritis is very common, which is a systemic disease of connective tissue with significant damage to the joints. Over time, it can provoke ankylosis. The main cause of this disease is not yet fully established. Such a pathology has certain features, in particular, such as:
- not treated with antibiotics;
- differs in acute manifestation;
- does not have seasonality;
- manifested by an increase in lymph nodes and fever.
The severity of signs largely depends on the activity of the pathology. The main signs are: stiffness, which lasts no more than 30 minutes, swelling of the joints, fever, pain.
The color of the skin in the knee does not change. Extraarticular manifestations include subcutaneous nodule formation, weight loss, weakness, and enlarged liver. At the initial stage, lesions of small joints are observed.
Knee joints can be affected by the course of psoriasis. Together with the joints, damage to the nails and skin is observed. Therapy in this case is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease. In some cases, lupus arthritis may develop. It differs in that there are no clear signs of inflammation. The temperature and shade of the skin do not change at all. Swelling and pain are absent. Changes are detected during instrumental examinations. Hemorrhages, damage to internal organs, as well as hair loss, are possible.
Diagnostics
If you experience pain and swelling in the area of the knee joint, you should definitely contact a traumatologist, orthopedist or surgeon. In order to be able to accurately diagnose arthrosis or arthritis of the knee joint, the doctor prescribes a number of studies, namely:
- general blood analysis;
- antibody tests;
- blood biochemistry;
- skin tests;
- Mantoux tests;
- diagnosis of synovial fluid.
If you suspect a genitourinary infection, a urinalysis will be required. In addition, ultrasound, tomography, x-ray may be required. Only with a comprehensive examination can you determine how to treat arthritis of the knee joint to prevent the occurrence of dangerous complications.
Treatment features
The treatment of arthrosis and arthritis of the knee joints is carried out with the help of medications, alternative methods, therapeutic exercises, as well as physiotherapy. For therapy, drugs such as:
- antibiotics
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- glucocorticoids;
- cytostatics.
The choice of drug depends largely on the cause of the disease. If the inflammation is caused by gonorrhea, then antibacterial agents are mainly used. Immobilization of the affected joint and the use of dry heat are required. To restore joint mobility, physiotherapy exercises are required.
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of the knee has its own characteristics. The scheme of therapy implies the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, cytostatics, glucocorticoids. During remission, massage is indicated. In order to accelerate recovery, it is necessary to follow proper nutrition.
Drug treatment
The treatment of arthritis is carried out mainly through the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, which include hormones and ascorbic acid. If the disease was triggered by an infectious process, then antibiotics are prescribed. The main drugs in this group are penicillins. In the presence of severe pain, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is indicated, in particular, such as Diclofenac, Voltaren, Nurofen, Ortofen, Retard.
For external use, the doctor prescribes creams, ointments, as well as various compresses aimed at eliminating pain, reducing swelling, and normalizing blood circulation in the knee. Often prescribed drugs such as Fastum Gel and Bystrumgel. In severe cases, the use of injections for arthritis, in particular anesthetics, is required. Injections are often injected into the joint cavity. In this case, drugs containing anti-inflammatory substances and hormones are used.
Folk techniques
How to treat knee arthritis at home is of interest to so many patients suffering from such a disease. Therapy with alternative methods is painless and quite effective.
The most common means are compresses made from heated flax, as well as cabbage leaves with honey. You can use rubbing and lotions from alcohol tincture of dry saber. In the summer, it is advisable to apply the leaves of burdock and coltsfoot at night.
You can take a decoction of oats inside. This tool helps to remove toxic substances and is mainly used for infectious arthritis.
The treatment of arthritis of the knee joint at home implies the use of physiotherapy exercises. Gymnastics includes performing a simple set of exercises. They must be done very carefully, eliminating excessive loads and sudden movements, making the main emphasis on stretching. Before conducting a set of exercises, you must definitely perform a light kneading massage. However, before using any means and methods, it is necessary to consult with your doctor in order not to provoke a deterioration in well-being.
Physiotherapeutic Techniques
Physiotherapy is widely used, as well as hardware treatment methods, in particular, such as:
- laser therapy;
- plasmapheresis;
- massage;
- hydrotherapy;
- cryotherapy.
Physiotherapy helps eliminate pain and inflammation in the joints. In addition, such techniques normalize blood circulation, and also prevent muscle atrophy. The doctor may prescribe immobilization of the leg by applying a splint. Similar techniques should be used as an adjunct to the main therapy, but in no case should they replace medical preparations.
Surgical intervention
In severe cases, surgical intervention is indicated. In particular, such techniques are used as:
- joint cavity drainage;
- joint arthroplasty;
- arthroscopy;
- necrectomy
- synovectomy.
During the operation, removal of excess fluid, removal of salt crystals, excision of the synovial bag can be performed. The treatment technique is selected exclusively by the attending doctor, depending on the available indications and the stage of the disease.
Power Features
Proper nutrition very well affects the condition of bone and cartilage and joints. It is recommended to consume as many foods as possible containing vitamins C, A, B and E. It will be very useful:
- cereals;
- fish;
- fruits;
- vegetables;
- liver;
- dairy products;
- leafy greens.
It is necessary to abandon the use of alcohol, strong tea, coffee, salty, smoked food. It is important to minimize salt intake. To get a better result, you need to undergo complex therapy so that you can normalize your overall health.
Prophylaxis
The effectiveness of drug therapy is not always high enough, which is why it is much easier to prevent the occurrence of inflammation. To reduce the likelihood of developing arthritis, you must follow rules such as:
- good nutrition;
- playing sports;
- drink plenty of fluids;
- stop drinking alcohol and smoking;
- exclude injury;
- timely treatment of existing diseases.
Of great importance is dieting. Proper nutrition will avoid intestinal infections, as well as gouty inflammation of the joint cavity. In the case of arthritis, a comprehensive treatment is necessary.
An important preventive measure is to increase immunity. This will prevent the spread of pathogens and inflammation of the knee joint.
Possible complications
Arthritis of the knee joint is very dangerous because it can become chronic after some time. Relapses of inflammation not only significantly reduce the quality of life, but also lead to the spread of the disease to other groups of joints. As a result, polyarthritis can occur.
In the absence of complex treatment, disability and even death of the patient may occur.