Knee arthropathy (knee arthropathy) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in cartilage tissue. This disease severely disrupts the normal rhythm of life, causing severe pain and inconvenience. The medical treatment of knee joint disease helps to stop the pain and stop the degenerative process in the early stages of the disease. Later, the problem was resolved with the help of surgery.
Treat arthropathy with conservative methods
The treatment of knee joint disease is carried out in a comprehensive way, including medication, physical therapy, massage, and exercise therapy. Drugs can relieve pain, improve blood circulation, and promote tissue regeneration.
During treatment, they use:
- pill;
- cream;
- gel;
- injection.
Modern medicine is developing new methods to treat knee joint disease. Stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma therapy are effective methods. The doctor pointed out that the treatment efficiency is high and the tissue regeneration speed is fast.
Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs
The choice of drugs for joint disease depends on the extent of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and the related pathology. At the first degree of the disease, a person will feel a little discomfort after a long period of exercise, and the process of malnutrition in the cartilage tissue has just begun. Use topical ointment for treatment. For discomfort and slight pain, it is recommended:
- Practice gymnastics;
- Reduce pressure on joints;
- Taking multivitamins;
- Diet.
The main drug treatment is used for the second degree of the disease. A person begins to feel pain. When walking, he hears crunching sounds, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner, and the range of motion is restricted. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, stop the destructive processes in the joints, and restore leg mobility.
To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used, which have analgesic effects and relieve the inflammatory process in the tissues.
On the notes.Long-term use of these drugs can have negative effects on the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
Today, doctors are increasingly prescribing "new generation" non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can be used for a long time with minimal side effects.
If the infectious disease joins the joint disease, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. In order to choose the right medicine, determine the pathogen of the infection. To do this, remove the fluid from the joint cavity and place it in a nutrient medium. According to the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribed a medicine.
Chondroprotective agent
The main medicine for treating joint diseases is chondroprotective agents. They have a long application time and are accepted by the body. Thanks to active substances, they can prevent destructive processes in cartilage tissue, improve synovial fluid production, and promote tissue regeneration.
On the notes.The drug is effective for the first two degrees of knee joint disease. Third, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and cannot recover on its own.
The expert will choose the most suitable medicine.
On the notes.The medicine is provided in the form of tablets and injections. The second form is the most effective. The therapeutic effect starts within a few minutes, bypassing the absorption process through the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary therapy
Medications prescribed with chondroprotective agents help to improve metabolic processes, blood supply and are rich in vitamins. For complex treatments, the following drugs are used:
- Muscle relaxants-eliminate smooth muscle spasm and relieve pain;
- Venotonics and vasodilators can improve blood flow and tissue nutrition around joints;
- Vitamin complexes fill the body with essential substances, have a positive effect on metabolic processes, and improve overall health.
- Local treatments in the form of creams, ointments and gels can improve the blood circulation of the knee joint, have a warming and decongestant effect, and relieve pain.
- Compression with medicine is more effective than cream.
Intra-articular injection
Knee joint disease is treated by another method-injection into the joint. In medicine, this method of administration is called blockade. Depending on the medicine used, injection can help prevent pain syndromes effectively when other methods are not helpful, quickly eliminate inflammation, and form a protective layer to protect cartilage tissue from further damage.
On the notes.The order of treatment is determined by the doctor. Hyaluronic acid preparations are administered only after the inflammatory process has been eliminated, otherwise it will aggravate the course of the disease.
Stem cell and plasma therapy
The modern treatment of knee joint disease is based on low invasiveness and shortened recovery period. Such procedures include stem cell therapy, which can be transformed into cartilage tissue cells after injection to promote their regeneration. The material for this procedure is obtained from embryonic and adipose tissue, and adult bone marrow.
This program helps:
- Eliminate pain;
- Relieve swelling;
- Restore motor function;
- Improve joint nutrition;
- Speed up the metabolic process.
The removed stem cells are grown under laboratory conditions and injected into the patient’s joints. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
On the notes.Treatment is performed only when there is still cartilage tissue and synovial fluid is produced. At level 3 of the disease, treatment will not bring positive results.
A new way to treat arthropathy is to administer platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is very simple:
- Take a sample from the patient;
- The blood is placed in test tubes and centrifuges, where it is divided into red blood cells, plasma and platelets;
- Only cause platelet anxiety;
- The drug was injected into the knee.
As the number of platelets increases, the regeneration of cartilage tissue begins to increase. For treatment, it is necessary to perform 2 to 5 procedures with a rest period of 7 days.
Other treatments
In the fight against knee joint disease, people use various traditional and non-traditional methods, one of which is leech therapy (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 process.
On the notes.The doctor compares the effects of leech saliva with the chondroprotective agent. It speeds up the process of cartilage repair. In the early stages, the patient is completely cured.
Leech therapy is used with caution for the elderly and children. Pregnant women, patients with poor blood coagulation and heart failure should not use this procedure.
For knee joint disease, using ozokerite (black wax), a waxy substance composed of paraffin and resin, is also effective. It is used in the process of inflammation and degeneration of cartilage structure. It has heat, analgesic and regenerative effects on diseased joints.
Ozokerite is used as dressing and application. The course of treatment should include at least 15 courses per day.
Drug electrophoresis is equally effective. During treatment, the drug penetrates into the diseased area, bypassing the stomach and liver. This reduces the intake of drugs, and the effect of surgery is more obvious.
At home, you can use special equipment. The equipment is exposed to ultraviolet radiation and heat when used locally. As a result, blood circulation, tissue nutrition are improved, and biochemical reactions in the skin are activated. The positive feedback from the patients confirmed the effectiveness of the procedure.
Method of operation
Surgical intervention is usually used in grades 3 and 4 of the disease, when the bones are almost exposed, and conservative treatment cannot produce positive results.
For knee joint disease, several types of surgery are performed:
- Arthrodesis-remove the remaining cartilage along with the joint. It is rarely used because it does not allow to maintain the mobility of the limbs.
- Arthroscopic debridement-the use of an arthroscopy to release the joint from the cartilage tissue. This procedure is used to relieve pain and is a temporary solution to the problem.
- Endoprosthesis is the most common and effective method of knee surgery intervention. It allows you to maintain the mobility of your joints. Modern prostheses are made according to the individual characteristics of the patient. This allows the implant to take root quickly in the body without causing discomfort to the patient.
Joint replacement surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Surgeon:
- Make a longitudinal incision in the central part of the knee to push the tissue away.
- It processes damaged fragments on the surface of the bone (grinding), installs a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), and performs tests.
- Fixed by bonding or tight fit.
- Suture the wound, use bandages and splints.
The entire operation takes 2-3 hours. The recovery period lasts about 4 months. The patient first learns to walk, gradually loading and strengthening the muscles. Recommended exercise therapy, massage, and swimming. The healing effect can last for up to 20 years, and then a new prosthesis needs to be replaced because it will wear out over time.
Knee joint disease is a chronic disease that can be successfully treated at an early stage. Even minor symptoms cannot be ignored-you need to consult your doctor immediately to start complex treatment. In severe cases, only joint replacement can help avoid disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise, and moderate knee pressure.