In the article, we consider the causes of arthritis of the knee joint and treatment.
The knee joint is one of the largest in our body, any physical activity causes a huge load on it. Accordingly, a disease such as arthritis of the knee joint is very common. Arthritis implies an inflammatory process that affects the surface of the joint and nearby tissues.
What is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint?
At first glance, it may seem that the symptoms of these joint pathologies are similar. In both cases, the patient is worried about severe pain, and mobility decreases. However, there is a significant difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee.
It is worth noting that both diseases can cause deformation and degenerative changes in the joint, but there is a difference between them, and it consists in the symptoms, the causes of the disease, and the nature of the pain. Such differences significantly affect the choice of drug therapy.
What distinguishes arthritis from arthrosis of the knee joint is interesting to many.
Arthritis has an inflammatory nature. It develops under the influence of local factors, for example, when an infection enters the joint, may be the result of an allergic reaction.
Arthrosis, in turn, is a process of destruction of the joint structure. It occurs against the background of age-related changes, strong physical exertion, circulatory disorders. Quite often arthritis and arthrosis occur together. In this case, the joint destruction process is combined with its inflammation.
Further consider the causes of arthritis of the knee joint.
Causes of pathology
The main reason for the formation of pathology is an infection that has entered the joint cavity. Weakened human immunity plays a small role. Arthritis can progress due to the following factors: injuries in the knee; chronic diseases, and, as a result, weakened immunity; degenerative disorders; autoimmune pathologies.
Arthritis is primary and secondary. The primary form is due to infection of the joint cavity due to injuries or injuries. Signs of such inflammation are acute pain, high body temperature up to 40 degrees, as well as swelling of the affected areas. Pus often appears. The secondary form of arthritis provokes the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the blood.
Symptoms of Arthritis
Appointment of adequate therapy involves timely diagnosis of the disease. The main symptoms of the disease include:
- The appearance of swelling in the joint. This symptom is not always found and appears more often with inflammation in the acute form or as a result of inflammation of chronic arthritis. The reason for this phenomenon is an increase in the amount of synovial fluid in the joint or suppuration.
- Knee pain. Soreness increases significantly with physical exertion. Depending on the cause of arthritis and the degree of joint inflammation, the pain can be pulling, dull, acute, intense.
- Impaired functioning of the joint. Human movement due to pain may be limited. Puffiness, deformation of the surface are also observed.
- Redness, local temperature increase. The skin above the affected joint is hotter and redder.
In the morning, the patient with arthritis of the knee joint may experience stiffness of movements. It is difficult to bend the knee only after warming up.
In children, there are some features in the symptoms of arthritis:
- Knee pain occurs mainly in the morning. It is practically not felt during the day.
- The disease begins to manifest itself after a cold or SARS.
- Quite often, children suffer from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. With this disease, damage to the articular surface occurs, a steady deformation is observed.
Therapy of knee arthritis in children also has its own characteristics and differs from the treatment of illness in adult patients.
Treatment
When appropriate symptoms appear, it is first necessary to consult a specialist. It is necessary to consult a therapist or rheumatologist. The doctor will conduct the necessary examination in order to identify the causes of the development of the disease, establish its nature. Diagnosis of arthritis involves examinations such as arthroscopy, MRI, ultrasound, rheumatic tests, clinical and biochemical laboratory tests of blood and urine. All this helps to diagnose arthritis of the knee joint.
Then the specialist will prescribe treatment. Most often, it is complex and completely depends on the stage of arthritis. For example, the acute stage involves the use of drugs against inflammation, the use of ointments and injections. In some cases, the treatment of arthritis requires hormonal medication. With a purulent form, the joint cavity is washed, antibiotic drugs are prescribed
In reactive arthritis, treatment should be directed to the underlying disease.
Therapy of gouty arthritis during an exacerbation implies adherence to a special diet and the exclusion of products containing purine bases and uric acid salts from the patient’s diet. In this case, the patient should be provided with complete rest, loads on the diseased joint are completely prohibited.
The complex treatment of arthritis of the knee joint is supplemented by the use of chondroprotectors based on glucosamine, chondroitin, sulfate.
Chondroprotectors help to improve the nutrition of cartilage and prevent further damage to the articular surface. As a supplement, you should take vitamin complexes and drugs that improve joint blood circulation.
After eliminating acute inflammation, it is necessary to supplement the therapy with physiotherapeutic procedures, exercise therapy and massage. Most exercises are performed lying or sitting, which allows you to remove the load from the affected joint. The most common procedures are: paraffin therapy, phonophoresis with hydrocortisone, UHF, magnetotherapy, mud baths.
In some cases, the doctor may prescribe surgical treatment. It is relevant if there is a combination of arthrosis and arthritis, a rheumatoid form of arthritis. With appropriate indications, the knee joint is replaced with an endoprosthesis. Such prostheses have a large margin of safety, they can be used for 10 or more years.
Arthritis Therapy
If there is an exacerbation of arthritis of the knee joint and edema, you should immediately contact your doctor and limit the load on the inflamed joint. In order to improve their own condition, it is necessary to take at home those drugs that have been prescribed by a doctor. Performing gymnastics will help to relieve pain.
In addition, you need to reconsider your own lifestyle, try to get rid of such bad habits as taking drugs and alcohol, smoking tobacco. It should be remembered that eating a large number of spicy dishes and spices can provoke the occurrence of side effects from taking hormonal drugs and non-steroidal drugs against inflammation.
It is worth paying attention to your body weight and diet. Refined and fatty foods should be excluded from the menu . In accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician, you can apply warming compresses or take wellness baths.
Consider what types of therapy are used for arthritis of the knee joint .
The treatment methods are as follows:
- Use of medicines.
- Performing wellness exercises.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures.
- Massage.
- Surgical treatment.
- The use of folk remedies and methods.
Arthritis Therapies
Most often, with the complex treatment of arthritis, the following groups of drugs are prescribed to the patient:
- Chondroprotective agents.
- Warming ointments.
- NSAIDs.
- Steroid hormones.
- General strengthening medicines.
- Vitamin complexes.
Therapy can be carried out using one group of drugs, or several at the same time. This is due to the individual characteristics and susceptibility of the patient to drugs of different groups. Accordingly, a single treatment regimen for arthrosis does not exist.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Most often, experts recommend taking anti-inflammatory drugs that are dispensed from pharmacies without a prescription. It can be Aspirin, Paracetamol, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen. These drugs can relieve pain in the joint and relieve inflammation.
Pain medications for inflammation of the knee joint are used primarily. Do not forget that even the simplest drugs can cause the development of side effects, and their effect can weaken over time due to the addiction of the body.
In some cases, doctors prescribe drugs with a more pronounced analgesic effect. Such drugs are only available with a prescription. Most of them also have a number of side effects that disappear after discontinuation of the drug.
Glucosamine and chondroitin
These drugs are sulfate supplements that can relieve arthritis pain. They are made on the basis of components of animal origin, or synthesized artificially. The greatest effect of these drugs is observed when taking them in the early stages of arthritis.
Chondroitin and glucosamine should be used in accordance with the instructions for use and the recommendations of the doctor.
A powerful anti-inflammatory effect is exerted by drugs of the corticosteroid group. When treating arthritis, they are injected directly into the knee joint. They are used for severe swelling and moderate or severe pain. It is not recommended to prescribe corticosteroids to patients in whom arthritis is accompanied by damage to the mechanics of the knee joint.
The use of drugs of the corticosteroid group has its own characteristics and nuances, so therapy with their use is ambiguous. For example, injections stimulate the development of pain and swelling. It is possible that infection will join, the damage to the joint increases.
Quite often, hyaluronic acid is injected into the joint, which helps to improve the quality of the joint fluid. Sometimes injections with gold salts and other immunomodulators are prescribed.
Arthritis Ointment Treatment
The treatment of arthritis of the knee joint (ICD code 10 M13) in most cases involves the use of a variety of ointments and other drugs used externally. These include:
- "Diclofenac" (the analogue is "Voltaren Emulgel"). This is one of the most effective external drugs against inflammatory processes. It is the main active ingredient in the preparations Diklonak and Ortofen.
- Ketonal. An anti-inflammatory drug with a pronounced analgesic effect. The main active ingredient in the composition - ketoprofen - belongs to the group of non-steroid medicines.
- Nise gel. A synthetic drug used to treat arthritis pain.
- "Collagen Ultra."
- "Indomethacin Ointment"
- "Long cream."
- "Bystrumgel." A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug based on propionic acid.
An ointment for arthritis of the knee joint should be selected by a doctor.
In case of pain in the joint, "Diclofenac" in an amount of 2-4 grams should be applied with a thin layer on the skin in the area of the affected joint, and then rub it with light movements.
In addition to those listed, other agents are also used to treat arthritis. A fairly common way to combat the disease is to use recipes of traditional medicine, many of them are recommended even by doctors.
Regardless of which treatment regimen is chosen, it is necessary to consult a specialist before using it. This will avoid complications, and side effects of light to a minimum.
Diet for arthritis of the knee
Therapy of such a disease involves, first of all, a change in lifestyle and diet. The patient should stop smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs, because alcohol and nicotine contribute to the destruction of cartilage.
A very important aspect is nutrition. Fatty, salty and spicy foods should be excluded from the patient's diet. Caffeine should not be consumed, since it significantly leaches minerals out of the body. It is recommended to reduce the amount of meat dishes consumed. Honey, chips, egg yolks, crackers, french fries, butter are enemies of the joints.
To achieve the best effect of treatment, the patient should review his diet, add natural chondroprotectors of animal and plant origin to it. Gelatin belongs to animal chondroprotectors, and ginger belongs to plant chondroprotectors. The fish is saturated with amino acids necessary for the normal functioning of the joints. Preference should be given to salmon fish species. The use of salmon dishes twice a week will provide the necessary anti-inflammatory therapy, as well as saturate the body with the necessary amount of vitamin D.
Vitamin E is able to protect joints from exposure to toxic substances, strengthen the joint bag. Vitamin E-rich foods include nuts, including almonds, peanuts, and walnuts.
The production of collagen in the tissues of cartilage is stimulated by apples. It is desirable to eat them every day, along with the skin.
Beans are a natural anti-inflammatory agent. It contains trace elements necessary for the body.
Beijing cabbage contains a daily calcium requirement. Broccoli is an excellent antioxidant, a leader among vegetables in the content of vitamins C and A. It has the ability to protect cartilage tissue from destructive processes.
Therapeutic exercises for arthritis
Symptoms of arthritis of the knee joint (ICD code 10 M13) will manifest less if you perform a daily set of therapeutic exercises. Gymnastics can be normal in the pool. The complex should contain exercises that will affect the affected joint while not overloading, but warming it up and kneading. Each workout must begin with a light workout. It must be carried out from top to bottom: first of all, you should stretch your neck, shoulders, arms. After warming up, you can proceed to the implementation of the main set of exercises.
Given the location of the disease, it should be influenced by rotational movements, rhythmic circular stroking, flexion and extension, abduction, pinching.
Exercises for arthritis of the knee should be performed carefully.
Massotherapy
To increase mobility in arthritis, doctors recommend daily exercise, swimming, and massage the knee. Such events help strengthen muscles, improve blood circulation in the lower extremities, relieve stiffness and limited movement.
Massage is an effective way to treat knee arthritis, helping the patient avoid surgery. Massage is of the following types: therapeutic, deep, self-massage.
Massage for arthritis is more effective after a small therapeutic gymnastics. Its duration is approximately 15 minutes, twice a day. Only three methods are used: rubbing, kneading, stroking.
Sitting on the bed, you need to stretch one leg on the bed, and lower the other down. Perform massage with arthritis of the knee joint with both hands: the left should be put a little lower than the knee, and the right - higher. With both hands you need to make stroking movements directed in different directions.
The lateral surfaces of the joints must be rubbed with your fingertips, then - with your palms. Rubbing should take place in a spiral, pressure should be deep, displacing the skin. Self-massage ends with a light stroking.
How to treat knee arthritis folk remedies?
Arthritis Treatment with Compresses
As part of the complex therapy of knee arthritis, alternative methods can be used. However, they should first be agreed with your doctor.
Almost any expensive ointment can be replaced with various compresses based on boiled potatoes, onions, garlic. .
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