By comparing the changes that occur between the initial stage and the second stage of the disease, one begins to understand: Without proper treatment, the situation will only get worse.
Causes of diseases
In most cases, the reason for the transition to the second stage of the disease is the irresponsible attitude towards treatment and non-compliance with the doctor’s advice on physical activity and lifestyle changes.
In joints that have been affected by the disease, blood circulation and metabolic processes are slowed to a certain degree, so that the tissues cannot absorb nutrients and oxygen without external help. If treatment is refused or postponed to "later", the destructive process in the joint will be accelerated, and as a result, a mild disease will turn into a more serious disease.
Symptoms
The second stage of gonorrhea of the knee has the following manifestations:
- Increased pain: the onset of pain is regular (one night sleep, long rest, physical exertion);
- Joint stiffness, usually in the morning, disappear after a short walk;
- The size of the knee joint increases, and its soothing effect is eliminated-all the physiological bumps and depressions on the joint are no longer certain. In a standing position, this may appear as the skin "hanging" on the kneecap. In the squatting position, it is obvious that one knee (affected by knee joint disease) is much larger than the other, healthy and spherical.
- A typical crunching sound can be heard when the knee moves.
- The flexion and extension of the joint is severely restricted.
People with grade 2 gonorrhea rarely do not take painkillers, because knee pain starts to bother even during rest. This is due to spike-like growth in the bone tissue of the joint, which stimulates and damages all the structures of the knee.
How does a doctor make a diagnosis
In most cases, patients who have complained of deteriorating health have been diagnosed with gonorrhea, and the attending physician can order an X-ray examination to assess the changes in the joints.
If the doctor has reason to suspect that other diseases are related to gonorrhea, CT, MRI and laboratory blood tests are recommended. This is necessary in order to rule out infections that may penetrate the joints through the blood and the complicated course of gonorrhea and damage the soft tissues.
Complications of this disease
In the absence of treatment or irresponsible attitudes, grade 2 gonorrhea can quickly overcome the last "stage" and enter the final stage, where the pain becomes a continuous partner and the joints experience irreversible changesAnd deformation.
In addition, the fragile joint tissues become susceptible to infection. Any viral or bacterial systemic disease may cause serious complications in gonorrhea. The most common but equally dangerous are infectious joint cavities and the formation of purulent contents, which can spread to soft tissues-muscles and skin.
Treatment
In the treatment of grade 2 gonorrhea, the main focus is to relieve pain, slow down or completely stop the degenerative process of the joint, prevent complications and improve knee mobility.
Drugs
The drugs used to treat 2 degree keratopathy are divided into the following categories:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.These products include the latest generation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which eliminate inflammatory processes in the joints, thereby reducing pain.
- Cartilage protector.This group of drugs helps protect cartilage tissue from further damage and enhance the regeneration process.
- Hyaluronic acid preparationsare analogues of natural lubrication on the inner surface of joints. By reducing friction in the knee joint, these drugs prevent further wear of the cartilage. In some cases, intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid are required (for example, blood circulation in the joints is very poor, which prevents other forms of drugs from reaching the affected tissues).
- AIDS.These include vitamin preparations, immunostimulants, and biologically active extracts of plants (aloe, echinacea, etc. ), which are designed to improve blood circulation in joint tissues, thereby accelerating the metabolic process in joint tissues.
Physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy
Therapies such as physical therapy, massage therapy, and exercise therapy can be regarded as adjuvant treatments of grade 2 knee keratopathy and are rarely used as independent treatments.
Physical therapy (UHF, speech therapy, ultrasound therapy, magnetic therapy) is used to improve the blood circulation of the joints and stimulate the recovery process of the joints.
One of the most effective physical treatments for joint diseases is MLS laser therapy, which has the ability to adjust the laser radiation power. This therapy uses a constant and pulsating wavelength, so it can achieve deep tissue penetration and obvious clinical effects. MLS laser can treat all joint diseases, osteochondrosis, hernia and other musculoskeletal system diseases.It is recommended to have a massage in 10-15 sessions, once a day or every other day. Massage can improve the blood supply of the joints, normalize the metabolic process of the joints, and provide more effective drug effects on the tissues affected by the disease.
When diagnosing second-degree knee arthritis, massage methods using medications (chondrocyte protectants, anti-inflammatory drugs or irritant ointments, cooling medicines and anesthetics) are often prescribed. factor.
After evaluating the effectiveness of the medication, the complexity of the physical therapy practice is assigned to the attending physician, and the selection is made in consideration of the individual characteristics of the course of the disease and the patient's overall health.
Lifestyle correction
Correcting lifestyle is one of the most important conditions for effective treatment. If you have grade 2 gonorrhea, you must follow the following rules:
- Reduce the burden on diseased joints.For this purpose, an orthopedic cane is used, which allows you to distribute the load with minimal involvement of the knee joint during the movement. It is important to choose a walking stick that suits your height-when you stand, you should be right from your wrist to the ground.
- Eating.For this disease, it is recommended to reduce foods containing animal protein (eggs, meat, fish, whole milk), carbohydrates (baked goods, sweets) and any food containing synthetic flavors, sweeteners and preservativesAnd drink consumption.
- Lose weight. Obesity is one of the risk factors that increase the possibility of metabolic disorders in all tissues (including joint tissues). In addition, being overweight is an unnecessary burden on the joints.
Surgical treatment
Each operation has its own list of instructions, this intervention will be the most effective.
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is a low-invasive surgical method in which the operation is performed using miniature lighting, surgical and video equipment inserted into the joint cavity through a small puncture.
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- The presence of bone tumors (osteophytes) that hinder joint mobility;
- The deformity of joint tissue can be corrected without large-scale surgical intervention;
The contraindications for arthroscopy are acute infectious diseases, blood clotting disorders and small joint range of motion-the inability to fully extend or bend the joint to prevent the surgeon from performing the necessary operations.
Internal repair
Internal prosthesis-Replace the knee joint with an artificial joint made of durable and hypoallergenic materials. The structure of the artificial joint is the same as the natural bone tissue.
Over time, the prosthesis will take over all the functions of the "natural" joints and allow you to return to normal life.
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- Ineffective after long-term conservative treatment;
- The disease progresses rapidly;
- changes in the joints can severely impair the patient’s ability to exercise, causing severe and frequent pain and/or risk of disability.
Among the absolute contraindications, there are only those systemic diseases that cannot be operated on.
The attending physician weighed the risks and benefits of surgical treatment, and based on the conclusions reached, made a decision on whether to require surgery or continue conservative treatment.