Osteoarthritis of the knee: what is this, stage, symptoms and myths of treatment

Osteoarthritis of the knee – the complex, degenerative disease-degenerative nature specific osteo-cartilaginous department of the knee. The disease usually affects is the knee department of the lower limbs. Pathological changes in the cartilage and peri-articular areas, which in the majority of cases develop on the background of injuries, biological aging of the body, disorders are autoimmune in nature, really a depressing effect on the musculoskeletal system potential walk. The joint becomes logopedija, loses stability, normal motor and damping characteristics. In the end, it is progressively deformed, and in the latter stages completely out of use.

Degeneration of joint tissues are manifested not only in the form of dysfunction physical of the lower limbs, but also strong painful feelings in them. During severe malocclusion causes disability, in some cases, paralysis of the legs. In relation to this disappointing prognosis of the disease is important as the first can reveal, and once proceed to his care.

Important about the disease

The patients, it is important first to study the medicinal tactics familiarize yourself with the following material to possess full information regarding the mechanism of nucleation and clinical manifestations of malocclusion. Once it is known that arthrosis and arthritis are closely linked, as considered to be the disease is the consequence of an arthritic disease. But from where appear the unfortunate diseases that destroy without mercy important bone link? The extent to which the gravity is osteoarthritis osteoarthritis and which events can you recognize?

The causes of osteoarthritis

Degenerative-degenerative pathogenesis, "lanciano", the following factors-the provocative:

• once you have transferred the injury – fractures of the tibia, luxations of the knee, injury of the body of the meniscus, the anguish and the retinal breaks, peripheral joints, fall on their knees, all kinds of injuries;
• the excess of exercise;
• sedentary life-style;
• high body mass index;
• system malocclusions to rheumatoid, gouty, psoriatic type, systemic lupus erythematosus;
• genetically inherited weakness ligamentous-the muscle system congenital or underdevelopment and the structural elements of the joint;
• disorders of the metabolism and blood circulation;
• hormonal imbalance, diabetes mellitus and other endocrine diseases malocclusion;
• transferred or chronic infectious diseases-inflammatory diseases.

Very often the people themselves become the perpetrators, to accelerate the intractable clear the disease. Often, after being hit, ignore the referral to a specialist, preferring to do the first obtained a preparation from the pain, home-made gadgets and the like. And a few years later, because of a in the past led to inadequate treatment, come to see a doctor already with gonartrosiom, in the best of cases of average severity. And there is already a physical prevention and to mitigate the ointments, like in the previous by, and fail to act, often radically, by applying the tactics of surgical.

The phase of destruction

In orthopaedics, this disease is divided into the initial stage, from which later, and rejected a specialist in the preparation of the treatment plan. Degree, description, location, nature of origin and destruction of the bone marrow connection in the knee detected through a series of diagnostic measures like x-ray, mri, CT, ULTRASOUND, different types of analysis of blood and urine of the patient.

The quality of the treatment and the speech can not be without distributed information, such as on the conditions of the knee, and on the characteristics of the body of the patient, and also without a visit to a doctor and obtain from him adequate to the recommendations therapeutic. So, if you want to improve the quality of life, do not ignore the call to a technician, only he can say if you can make a qualified conservator to help or if your issue effectively will be only one surgery.

The malocclusion has a series of stages of development, according to the classification of Kellgren their only four. They all characterize the severity of the morphological changes (presence of osteophytes, the reduction in volume of the articular cartilage and the degree of thinning, the reduction of the joint space, and so on) and clinical signs (limits flexion/extension, the rate of the capacity of the support, the nature and intensity of pain, etc.).

• Osteoarthritis of the first phase is a disease that is only at the beginning. External symptoms easy or missing, congruence and forms of articulation satisfactory. On x-rays or photos magnetic RESONANCE imaging can be traced back to small osteophytes marginal along the edges of the articular surfaces, in podsolennom department blurred osteosclerosi subchondral, small bone cysts. The articular slot, which is usually normal or modified, but not substantially.
• During the illness of the second degree, in addition to the above indicators, osteosclerotic home is more pronounced, you can clearly see the contraction of the interarticular slot. Patient develop stronger and more to worry about pain when walking, pick up/drop off for the stairs, long walk, sometimes during the night. Develops lameness, movement to the joint purchase of inferiority, especially during the downturn.
• The third phase is characterized by a strong progression to irreversible degeneration and deformation. The configuration of the joint greatly distorted, the distance between the cartilage surfaces is greatly reduced, bone outgrowths in the shape of the peaks increased in size. The pain becomes long and pronounced, and is concerned about a person even at rest, lameness worsened. It appears the dependence of support and help.
• The fourth stage degenerative-degenerative pathogenesis, when there are volumetric osteopenia growth, hyaline cartilage was completely destroyed, the articular slot disappears, or that you have just drawn, the epiphysis pair of bones that form the joint, the stronger so deformed. The articulation of the knee is recognised as completely unsustainable organ of the musculoskeletal system, the person becomes incapable.

The symptoms and complaints

The severity of clinical manifestations depends not only on the pathological characteristics, but also by personality factors. In any case, a nice little knee osteoarthritis, tolerated, very difficult and in the 2nd, and 3-4 tablespoons In common a list of symptoms are:

• the syndrome of pain, especially of the mechanical (stupid, aching, acute, sudden, periodical and permanent);
• the aspect crunch when the movements;
• stiffness of the joint;
• the limitation of the amplitude of the movements;
• muscle weakness of the limbs;
• hyperthermia of the skin and swelling in the knee area;
• the change of pace, they suffer from lameness, and mowing the foot;
• the instability or the syndrome of "the drawer";
• "jamming" of the knee, what happens when a sudden blockage of the movement of a bone marrow connection.

Important! The conservative treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee does not help, if the disease has complicated everything, which can already happen in the worst case in the second phase of development of the system muscle-degeneration of the cartilage. In contrast to the traditional conservative therapy and the alternative techniques, they all, without exception, the operation with a serious knee osteoarthritis 2-3-4 measure, the only way for a long period of life that helps to dramatically improve the quality of life.

Conservative treatment

Bezoperatsionnye treatments instrumental in the initial stage of deforming arthrosis. The principle of non-surgical treatment involves:

• the systematic execution of physical therapy, developed by an individual professional;
• procedures, physiotherapy;
• the application of pain medications in the form of ointments, pills, injections, etc;
• a proper diet and follow a special diet, given to you by a doctor;
• respect of the special regime of daily physical activity;
• full give up bad habits;
• uncritical step of re-diagnostic monitoring;
• annual visit a specialized spa inside the structure.

The operation for osteoarthritis of the knee

Now a look at the ways in which the most often occurs the need, because in an early stage of malocclusion often is not noticed. In practice, it is necessary to have with osteoarthritis in full "bloom" that the great swept to articulate the structure and has touched periarticular matter.

• Arthroplasty – helps more than 95% of the cases, full recover the lost ground of the musculoskeletal system and the functions of the knee of the department of the lower limb. The task is not easy, after you should be difficult rehabilitation, but the effect is worth the effort. After about 3 months after the installation of artificial similar instead of christmas joint, which is subjected to irreversible pathological changes, it returns a range of motion of the foot, completely liquidated the pain syndrome.
• Introduction – consider the procedure of "locking" of the joint, due to its aggressive action on biological structures, however, at times, and she has, for example, if the person has the ability to perform the implantation. Its essence consists in the removal of the articular surfaces and latch free coupling bones from their special clamping unit in a position of advantage. With the passage of time occurs, the remodeling of the natural items listed. Artificial ankylosis totally blocks the mobility of the joint, but you can get a good the ability to support the arts and reduce the pain.
• Osteotomy of the knee – also used in extreme situations, for the same reason, that and arthrodesis, in particular when it is necessary to delay the replacement in a few years. At the time the operational session, the specialist performs the artificial fracture, podpilivaya bones and putting them under a more correct angle, so that it is advantageous to distribute the load on the cartilage elements.

Exercise fatal the pathogenesis does not solve the problem, you must understand if if. Ointments and also drugs of series chondroprotectors, not to mention my grandmother's advice-treated gelatin, a special role is also not playing. The maximum that can help you in running situation, then, is to prepare the bones and muscle for the next operation.

Modern knee implants are able to withstand normal, everyday load, working perfectly for at least 15 years and often 20 to 25 years. A person can also replace a range of sports.

Treatment of 3 degrees

3 stage of osteoarthritis make the operation. Changes in the town have very pronounced at this stage, the disease extremely reduces the level of life and of the integrity of the patient. The bone-cartilage damage reached a critical point, in which the bone tissue free of any functional importance, do not represent. Hyaline cover almost entirely destroyed.

• Important the cartilage is not restored in itself, also through ways of non-surgical.
• Denuded and flattened surface interact bone ends exert pressure that is unnatural to the other, constantly rub against each other, severely damaging the nearby soft tissues and the every day strain even more.
• The man feels a terrible pain, not to mention lost the ability to walk normally. Patients experience day-to-day flour, and when the sleep is not in the joy, and the day of pain there is peace. Relatively tolerant only been observed a handful of people.
• Anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs, usually, have a mild action, but this does not "work". In the chondroprotectors doesn't make sense, because the strengthening and the make-up of minute residues of cartilage, it does not save the situation.

The consequences of arthrosis of 2-3 degrees sometimes try to treat minimally invasive surgery (arthroscopy), in which it is possible to remove the edge osteophytes, but also to retrieve the detached muscle system-fragments of the articular cartilage. These manipulations, as evidenced by the reviews), facilitate the state of the patient, a little improves the motor function, but temporarily. Osteoarthritis of the knee, and it remains active, and in the near future, the new will manifest.

The pathogenesis of grade 3-4 is a serious problem, solve it really is just much more complex reconstructive and operating systems tactics. Today there is such a procedure, which could be compared with arthroplasty. Knee replacement prosthesis, completely faithful to the mechanical characteristics, the configuration of the shapes and dimensions of the natural organ, will give the opportunity to say goodbye as an unfortunate malocclusion and disability, where she "received".

The disease progresses rapidly and able to walk moderate-to-middle phase of up to 4 degrees in a matter of a few months. The surgery to pass as soon as possible, while degenerative processes are not penetrated deep into the bone. Heavily damaged bones can cause difficulty with the staging of an endoprosthesis.

Many, at the end, not realizing that the gravity of successive degeneration, not comparable with the conservatives, and unconventional tactics, they try all ways to work around the operation the swallowed a handful of pills, applying an ointment on the affected area. Someone refers to the osteopaths, medical doctors, individuals who practice all kinds of alternative methods. Unfortunately, against nature not to go, healing after of them will not come, and with this done, you need to accept. Then fold without a sense of the company, act accordingly.

The physical value depends on your decision! You can always continue to suffer from stiffness and pain, in vain to test "empty" methods of treatment: medication and non-standard instruments that do not have evidence of effectiveness in severity of the disease. And can perform the surgical treatment, and live a full life, to free herself from a past of suffering and the devices that support it.

Worry about intervention is not necessary, the modern technology a step forward, and now abroad brilliantly vary knee joints durable plants. After a similar plant, built in a good clinic, the risk of complications is minimal (1-2 %), and the recovery of the functions of mobility in more than 95 % of the cases. After joint replacement will follow a course of rehabilitation in 3-4 months, which provides:

• the physical recovery by means of a special medical gymnastics;
• intake of drugs (antibiotics, antithrombotic funds, etc);
• the program of physiotherapy, including myostimulating, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound healing procedures;
• massage (on the later stages of rehabilitation).

Good to know! 1 the degree of suffering you can stop and prevent in a conservative manner. If you do nothing and run the osteoarthritis of the knees, giving it to go from 1 to 2 degree, the treatment of medications will already be much more problematic, but for a certain category of patients is still appropriate non-surgical approach. The last two phases, it is always a task.

Treatment of 2 degrees

When gonarthrosis of average severity, quality of life is already becoming quite the embarrassment. Sore knee more concerned with strong, painful syndrome manifests itself more often and more intensively than it was at the beginning of the disease. In particular, expresses the pain immediately after waking in the morning, during the ascent and descent of stairs. Often has the unpleasant sensation of numbness, which appears after a long journey and long-standing in one position. Knee flexion field is reduced, and the patient is not able to bend the leg, as it is required by the physiology. The man begins to save his limb, trying almost not to step on it, for it occurs in the progressive muscular atrophy.

Draw note that the compulsory treatment involves a qualified integrated approach.

• If the doctor does not see the need for urgent surgery, takes a prominent position assigned to the reduction of the load of work on the problem department. If you have excess weight, to ensure a good discharge of the affected by arthritis in the joint, be sure to adjust the weight of the body, adhering to the diet, which will advise the doctor.
• All patients prescribed the use of special orthopaedic devices, in a moment of movement. This, depending on the existing problem, can be knee brace, a compression garment, elastic bands, stick, crutches, walkers.
• In addition, orthopedic-traumatologo prescribe a sort of complex of exercises, which will help to strengthen and improve the strength of the muscles of the affected limb.
• Also osteoarthritis in moderate-to-medium event includes the use of drugs, which include substances present in the cartilage tissues of the knee. To him refer to compounds based on chondroitin sulfate, the hyaluronic acid injections, medicines with glucosamine. You may not repair of cartilage, but to saturate its nourishing, thanks to which it is possible to obtain the remission of the disease.
• Are recommended procedures and physiotherapy treatment, however, are used only after that will disappear all the signs of inflammation. Physical sessions, for example, the laser, the magnet or the ultrasound, it should go to the internal facilities for healthcare. Thanks physiotherapy improves the nutrition and the metabolism of bones, muscles, cartilage, tissues. If you have purchased vibroacoustic device for home use, the first contact about the possibilities of its application during his diagnosis and the operating characteristics of the device.

We have examined the fundamental principles on which is based the official treatment of osteoarthritis in conformity with the standards of orthopaedics. So how many people with osteoarthritis 2 ° article very much interested in alternative methods, looking at their salvation, we know the most popular of them. And discover, the more so if they are unique, as presented to us in line.

Stem cells for the treatment of the knee

It is self-mesenchymally stem cells of a patient with knee osteoarthritis the knee, taken from the crest of the pelvic or femur. Cell therapy, as claimed by the sources concerned, will reach, almost self-renewal total joint due to the activation of regenerative processes of self-healing in a segment. Thanks to this technology it is theoretically possible to get improvements constituting units of the system of the muscle and cartilage of the body. However, in practice, until there is no one "live" x-ray test, which has confirmed that after the implementation of the stem cells into the affected area of the articulation become healthy.

A positive effect on the stem cells to the joints and bones are not shown and under the big doubt, because the technique in orthopaedics has not been recognized. Scientists study and experiment with. In addition, information is available relatively dangerous effect on the human body of the stem cells, which, according to well-qualified professionals, are able to cause cancer. And what about those people who have paid for the procedure, when they were satisfied with the result? Here you can only say one thing: many patients believe for the money and eternal life, but the placebo effect works along, not to think about it too much.

Mud treatment

Curative sources, containing the unique components (magnesium, chromium, iodine, bromine, calcium nitrate, etc), help to reduce the painful symptoms, increased blood flow to the diseased regions, the stimulation of the metabolism. The maximum value that they represent for persons with mild stage of the disease, or patients already undergoing surgery to the foot. Make the therapy of the mud and allowed to 2 degrees, if the doctor believes that the natural remedy in combination with the basic curative program will help reduce the aggression and pathological phenomena (stop the progression) and will improve the overall clinical picture. Mud therapy is practised in special medical institutions resort-spa type. The natural healing properties of the mud on the basis of peloids used in the form of applications and in combination with the method of galvanization (electrophoresis).

The use of gelatin

Natural gelatin – safe tool, allows you to maintain joint structure in good condition. Gelatinous substrate, diluted in water, you should consume on the inside. According to the opinion of some doctors, the jelly in the fastest way and most productive acts on bone, cartilage and muscular-ligamentous elements. Experts point out that this method has no healing properties, it only promotes the prevention of osteoarthritis. Accordingly, when it already held the pathogenesis of relationality when the lack of malocclusion or in the early stages can only be regarded as a measure of prevention of onset or progression of degenerative and dystrophic changes. When the disease is the middle and heavy to the forecasts, this approach and prevention is not good.

Ayurveda for joints

The modern alternative medicine is known by many extraordinary developments, including the and the treatment of Ayurveda, various parts of the musculoskeletal system. According to this informal meeting in the valley, the defeat of joint league with a surplus of toxins accumulated in the body due to disharmony. It is a mechanism of disturbance of the energy balance (Lana) is the preeminent it works by helping to Agni, or to the apparatus of the fire, which has led to an accumulation in the intestine is not digested food residues (Ama). Are the toxins that the blood carries to the joint, where are deposited the harmful substances and inhibit the metabolism.

For Ayurveda, osteoarthritis is classified into several types, and each species has its own invented a treatment system, the base of each of them make up the diet, herbal medicine, the reception of ayurvedic pills and powders, yoga and breathing exercises, not conventional massage, auto-training on the healing, etc. of Course, all of this sounds tempting, but if the osteoarthritis is not possible to reverse even through scientific, high-technology, you may not believe in what herbal powders, processing thoughts, and other tactics of Ayurveda cure irreversible deformation?!

Compresses of salt

The salt is applied for the preparation of a salt solution used for the impregnation of compresses, which are applied to the affected area for a couple of hours. This therapy should not be considered as an independent tool, and even more so as the panacea of knee osteoarthritis. The salt is able to calm temporarily the pain, relieve the edema of the soft tissues covering the bone design, and without damage to the biological structures. But she does not cure the disease and will walk the patient! Its action is purely symptomatic. A solution is prepared from the calculation: 1 l of temperature of the water is taken 100 g of salt.

Worth the read! Sometimes the salt used in a place warm and dry for the form, place it in a bag, and carry out local heating of the knee. Sometimes as wet, but warm dressings. Hot procedures dangerous when pyo-inflammatory processes in the joint cavity, are only extremely aggravate the clinical picture. Therefore, do not use these recipes, not being sure that the defeat is not accompanied by a similar process.