The main cause of acute knee pain in patients over 50 years of age is knee arthropathy (deforming arthropathy of the knee).The disease is characterized by a rapid progression that can lead to disability and disability, so prompt recognition of the symptoms of knee arthritis and treatment of the disease, including at home, are the main tasks when examining patients at risk of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
What is knee arthritis
The knee joint is one of the most mobile joints in the human skeleton and is susceptible to injury and other mechanical damage.It connects the tibia and femur, as well as the largest sesamoid bone in the tendon of the quadriceps (patella or kneecap).The joint surface is covered with cartilage tissue—a dense, elastic substance that surrounds chondrocytes (oval-shaped cells formed by cartilage cells) and forms a protective shell around them that also acts as a shock absorber.
Cartilage tissue contains collagen and glucosamine. Collagen is a fibrous protein that is the main component of connective fibers and provides cartilage's strength and elasticity.Glucosamine is a substance produced by cartilage tissue.Glucosamine is a component of chondroitin and is part of synovial fluid—a yellowish, elastic substance that fills joint cavities and acts as a lubricant.If the synthesis of glucosamine and proteoglycans is disturbed, the amount of synovial fluid is reduced, exposing part of the joint and causing severe pain, so treatment of grade 1 knee joint disease usually includes the use of glucosamine and chondroitin medications.
- What happens to joints with arthritis:
- The cartilage becomes soft and loose, and deep ulcers appear on the surface;
- Thickening of the synovial membrane;
- The composition of synovial fluid changes and its secretion decreases;
- Ligament and joint capsule sprains;
- The joint space is filled with exudate—inflammatory fluid released from blood vessels during acute inflammation.
If not treated promptly and adequately, arthropathy can lead to complete deformation and destruction of the knee joint, and patients may experience unnatural movement of the joint and complete immobility.In cases of diagnosed knee arthrosis, in order to halt the destructive process of the joint and cartilage surfaces, the doctor may recommend endoprosthetic treatment, a surgical procedure to replace the damaged joint with an appropriately sized artificial prosthesis.If necessary, surgery can be performed within the limits of compulsory medical insurance.
Classification and etiology
Knee osteoarthritis can be primary or secondary.Primary arthropathy is diagnosed when the pathological cause cannot be accurately determined.If cartilage deformation is preceded by other diseases and pathologies, such as knee injuries, arthrosis, it is considered secondary, that is, occurring in the context of a primary disease.
- The main causes of secondary arthritis of the knee include:
- Various dysplasia and other pathologies in which tissues develop and form improperly;
- Lumbar or cervical neurodystrophic diseases;
- Knee joint inflammation (arthritis);
- joint injuries and microtrauma;
- Surgery to remove the damaged meniscus or part of it (meniscectomy);
- Diseases of the endocrine system and hormonal disorders, in which metabolic reactions are slowed down and the metabolism of bone tissue is destroyed.
Primary knee arthritis usually occurs in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle or, conversely, in people whose knee joints are constantly under greater physical stress.Overweight patients, people over 50 years old, residents of environmentally unfavorable areas, addicts of various toxic substances (smokers, drug addicts, alcoholics) are also at increased risk of developing knee joint disease.
Frequent low temperatures can lead to inflammation and further deformation of the knee joint, so it is recommended that people with a tendency to musculoskeletal system diseases pay attention to temperature conditions and avoid activities that expose them to low temperatures for a long time (outdoors, refrigerators and freezers, etc.).
Women over 45 years old who are interested in how to treat knee joint disease should know that a predisposing factor for the development of the pathology can be the reduced estrogen synthesis, which can occur after menopause and in certain gynecological diseases: endometrial hyperplasia, uterine fibroids, fibroadenomas, endometriosis.One negative is that various diets limit the intake of foods rich in minerals, vitamins and other elements needed for joint health.
signs and symptoms
To make the prognosis for future life as good as possible, it is important to understand not only how to treat the knee joint, but also what symptoms the disease exhibits.This is necessary for prompt contact with specialists and early detection of possible deformations and other injuries to the knee joint.In the early stages, pathological symptoms are quite sparse, so grade 1 knee arthropathy can only be discovered after hardware and instrument diagnosis.
- The first symptoms of the disease include:
- Morning stiffness in knees;
- Pain when walking more than 1-1.5 kilometers;
- Knee pain after sitting for long periods of time (more than 2 hours in a row);
- Knee pain after standing for a long time;
- Knee pain occurs at the end of the day or in the first half of the night.
If the patient does not receive necessary treatment at this stage, the disease will progress.To choose the appropriate drug for knee arthritis, a series of diagnostic examinations (MRI, computed tomography, X-ray photography, etc.) are required to determine the degree of deformation, the level of synovial fluid in the joint cavity, and the density of cartilage tissue and synovial membrane.The following table lists the symptoms of grade 2 and 3 knee arthrosis.
| diagnostic signs | Knee arthritis 2nd degree | Knee joint 3 degrees |
|---|---|---|
| Pain during rest at night | It may occur when changing body position or getting out of bed. | It happens without any movement. |
| Public transport is available (except low-floor buses) | The patient experiences pain when climbing stairs, but with certain restrictions, he can use public transportation without assistance. | Due to limited movement of the knee joint, the patient is unable to ride a bus or tram on his own. |
| limp | Express it a little bit. | The lameness is severe and requires additional support (a cane) for mobility. |
| Stiff knees after getting up | Lasts less than 10-15 minutes. | Lasts about 20-30 minutes or more. |
| pain when walking | Occurs after 800-1000 m. | They begin at the onset of movement and intensify after traveling distances less than 500 m. |
| self-care ability | Usually saved. | Patients are unable to perform many movements without assistance. |
Treating Knee Arthritis at Home
- Knee arthritis can be treated with:
- medicinal methods;
- physical therapy;
- massage.
Traditional medicinal recipes should be used only after consulting a doctor and should not replace the main treatment prescribed by experts.The choice of treatment drugs and methods depends not only on the age of the patient and existing chronic diseases, but also on the stage of the joint and the degree of deformation of the cartilage and articular surface.
first degree arthropathy
This is the mildest form of joint disease and can be cured in most cases with mild medical correction and other measures: massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy.The most effective way to treat your knee joint, no matter what stage it is in, is laser therapy.This is the main method of physical therapy, and the effect is quite good in the early stages of joint disease.
- It helps achieve the following effects:
- The degree of inflammation in the joint cavity is reduced;
- Reduction in pain intensity;
- Stimulates tissue regeneration process;
- Glucocorticoids and other medications with serious side effects are no longer necessary.
As alternatives to laser treatment, doctors may recommend pulsed magnetic therapy, acupuncture, electromyography, and electrophoresis.These methods are quite effective in treating arthropathy with a degree of deformation of no more than 20-25%, but can be even more effective when combined with physical therapy and massage.Orthopedic doctors and surgeons note the positive effects of using water exercises to strengthen leg muscles.Patients with grade 1-2 knee joint disease can receive sanatorium-style treatment (during stable remission), including mud therapy, sauna warm-ups, and medicinal baths.Overweight patients require a special diet, as obesity is one of the main factors in the development of knee joints.
Joint 2 degrees
Treatment for grade 2 knee joint disease includes physical therapy and massage (outside of the acute phase), special nutrition, physical therapy, and medication.It is important to reduce the load on damaged joints: limit walking and avoid movements that require bending the knee.As arthrosis progresses rapidly, special orthotics are required - orthopedic devices designed to immobilize the diseased joint and limit its mobility.
- Medication regimens may include the following medications:
- Chondroprotectant containing glucosamine and chondroitin;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid;
- Inject corticosteroids.
The diet of a knee patient should contain adequate amounts of collagen-rich foods.
- These are:
- Products containing gelling additives (jelly, jelly, aspic, aspic);
- Products with added pectin;
- fish oil
Almost all fruits and berries contain essential amino acids and minerals that help maintain joint health and mobility, but people with diabetes should limit their intake of these foods.
Joint 3 degrees
The treatment of grade 3 knee arthritis is no different from the treatment of grade 2 arthropathy.If it is ineffective and movement is severely limited, the patient is treated surgically and further repairs of the damaged joint are performed.
traditional method
Before learning how to treat your knee joints at home using alternative medicine recipes, you need to talk to your doctor.The methods given below are suitable only for the initial stages of 1st degree and 2nd degree arthropathy.
Nettle and lemon infusion
This infusion should be taken orally 20-30 minutes before meals.Single dose is 50-80 ml.
- To prepare an infusion, you will need:
- Mix 100 grams of dried or fresh nettle leaves with three peeled heads of garlic;
- Pass mixture through meat grinder;
- Add 4 tablespoons lemon juice;
- Mix all ingredients, add 250ml boiling water and cover;
- Leave for 4 hours.
The duration of treatment with this method is at least 60 days.Infuse once a day for the first week, then twice a day for the next 7-10 days.Starting from the third week of treatment, the dose should be increased to 3 times daily.
Joint Honey Ointment
This ointment helps relieve inflammation and reduce pain.The first results will be noticeable after a week of daily use, but 30-45 days of use are necessary to get consistent results.
- To prepare the ointment, you need:
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter;
- Mix the oil with two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of 6% apple cider vinegar;
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator to harden.
You need to apply this ointment to your knees 2-3 times a day (last time before going to bed).
Take a bath with dandelions
For such a bath, use dandelion root tincture.To prepare it, you need to mix 120 g of crushed dandelion roots with 150 ml of vodka and leave it in a dark place for 24 hours.Before bathing, the contents of the container should be poured into water and stirred.It is recommended to take such a bath 1-2 times a week.After the surgery, the pain in the knee was relieved and the mobility of the joint was gradually restored.If you add 150 grams of sea salt rich in iodine and bromine to the water, the treatment effect will be higher.