Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a fairly common disease, second only to coxarthrosis in frequency.
Statistics show that one in five people on the planet suffers from gonarthrosis (about 22%).There is a certain connection between this pathology and a person's sex: women suffer from this disease twice as often as men.If we talk about age, the risk group includes patients over 40 years of age.
Degenerative changes occur at the molecular level, but over time, as the disease begins to progress, damage to the structure of the cartilage tissue is observed.If timely treatment is not initiated, there is a real danger of bone exposure and destruction of the cartilage itself.
Causes of arthrosis of the knee joint
To understand the specifics of the disease, it is extremely important to know for what reasons gonarthrosis develops.It is necessary to understand that the knee joint experiences enormous stress every day due to the weight of the human body.The natural wear and tear of tissues that occurs as people age leads to changes in the structure of joints.That is why middle-aged and elderly people most often suffer from this disease.
In addition, knee osteoarthritis can occur for the following reasons:
- Damages and injuries.These factors very often influence the development of the disease at an early age.
- Constant loads.We are talking about practicing active sports, despite contraindications and advanced age.
- Excess weight.This factor negatively affects the condition of the menisci.In addition, pressure on the knee joints increases, which provokes the development of the disease.
- Varicose veins of the lower limbs.
- Bad metabolism.The lack of minerals negatively affects the condition of the cartilage.
- Arthritis and other specific and inflammatory joint diseases.
Symptoms of gonarthrosis
The early stages of knee osteoarthritis 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 gets worse.
A person feels severe discomfort when trying to get up after sitting for a long time.Similar sensations occur in the morning when you wake up.
In addition to pain of varying intensity, arthrosis of the knee joint is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Burning in the lower limbs.The condition worsens when climbing stairs.
- Decreased muscle tone.
- Insufficient joint mobility.
- Characteristic crunch.
The specific symptoms depend on the stage of the disease.It is clear that the more advanced the problem, the more pronounced the manifestations of the pathology.
First degree arthrosis
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 1st degree is characterized by a satisfactory condition of the patient, so he may not feel any discomfort.The only thing that can disturb the patient is limited mobility after waking up and fatigue in the lower extremities.
The pain is practically absent or mild.Diagnosis of the disease at this stage is possible only with the help of X-ray examination or MRI.The image shows a narrowing of the space between the joint surfaces and slight irregularities in the cartilage.
Unfortunately, patients at this stage of the disease rarely seek help.Most people are accustomed to not paying attention to small worries, which often leads to a worsening of the condition and rapid progression of the disease.
Second degree arthrosis
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree manifests itself more clearly.The pain occurs immediately after any effort or directly during heavy lifting.This condition disappears with rest, but the discomfort returns again after resuming physical activity.
This phase is also characterized by other symptoms:
- Characteristic crunch.It is quite acute and very often accompanied by painful sensations.
- Synovitis is a condition in which there is inflammation and swelling of the synovial membranes of the joint.
- Deformations.In the early stages, swelling in the knee area is noticeable, but the situation can worsen significantly without proper treatment.
- Insufficient mobility of the knee joint.The patient experiences basic problems bending or straightening the leg.
All these symptoms gradually increase if no treatment is taken.The joint gradually loses its properties, its structure begins to change, which becomes noticeable upon visual inspection.
Third degree arthrosis
Grade 3 knee joint arthrosis is characterized by the presence of intense pain, which can occur both under heavy loads and at rest.Many patients are worried about similar symptoms at night.
Weather dependence appears, so sudden changes in the weather cause significant inconvenience to a person.The joint loses the ability to bend, so the patient's movement becomes extremely difficult.
Pathological changes become visible to the naked eye.The x-ray shows severe narrowing of the joint space and multiple bony growths.
Fourth degree arthrosis
4th degree arthrosis of the knee joint is characterized by severe destruction of the joint, an almost complete absence of movement and severe pain.
Diagnosis of the disease
To prescribe an appropriate treatment regimen, the doctor conducts a consultation.The patient talks about his complaints, at what time of day the pain worsens, at rest or when performing any action.After that, the doctor proceeds directly to the examination itself, palpating the knee area.
Arthrosis in the later stages can be suspected even without the use of instrumental diagnostic methods.When bending the knee, a characteristic crunch will be heard, and the patient will experience rather unpleasant sensations.The palpation process itself is also accompanied by pain.
To get a clearer picture, the patient is sent for an x-ray examination.To clarify the diagnosis, the use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging is also practiced.
Methods of treatment for arthrosis of the knee joint
The treatment of knee osteoarthritis can include different techniques, the effectiveness of which depends on the stage of the disease:
- Drug therapy.
- Massage treatments.
- Manual therapy, physiotherapy treatment, physical therapy.
- Operation.
The main goal of treatment is to relieve pain and increase the range of motion of the joint.
Conservative treatment shows rather high efficacy results, especially in the initial stages.If no positive dynamics occur during treatment, a decision is made to perform surgery.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The initial goal of any treatment is to relieve pain.Drugs from the NSAID category alleviate the patient's condition, reducing not only pain, but also eliminating the inflammatory process in the problem area.Only after eliminating these symptoms can you move on to other treatment methods.
Drugs from this group are first aid for this disease.Their effectiveness depends on the severity of the clinical picture and the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Hormonal agents
If the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not produce positive results, the patient may be prescribed hormonal drugs in the form of injections.This is a much more effective remedy with which you can quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
The difficulty of such treatment lies in the fact that these drugs have a rather aggressive effect on the human body, so you need to be extremely careful when using them.The doctor should prescribe a short-term course of treatment and only if the patient has accumulation of joint fluid.Administration of the injection is possible no more than once every 5-7 days.
Chondroprotectors
The drugs of this group act directly on the very cause of arthrosis.They are designed to restore the structure of damaged cartilage tissue and to normalize the production of joint fluid.This is very important in complex treatment, when it is necessary to influence not only the symptoms, but also the root cause of the pathology.
Recently, the use of hyaluronic acid injections directly into the joint itself has been practiced.This procedure avoids premature wear of the cartilage.It is very important that the drug is administered by a qualified specialist.
Using other methods
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint can be carried out not only with the help of drugs 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.Especially effective in complex therapy, along with other treatment methods.
- External means.Various creams and gels help eliminate pain, swelling and inflammation.The exact list of drugs must be prescribed by the attending physician, so it is not recommended to self-medicate.
If you suffer from this disease, you need to contact the clinic for qualified help.Our specialists have the necessary level of knowledge and extensive medical practice, so they can help you solve your problems.
Remember that in the treatment of arthrosis the main key to success is timely, so be more attentive to your health and the signals that your body gives you.