Osteoarthritis of the knee (gonarthrosis) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in the cartilage tissue. The disease seriously alters the normal rhythm of life, causing intense pain and limiting mobility. The medical treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint helps to stop pain and degenerative processes in the early stages of the disease. At a later date, the problem is solved with the help of an operation.
Treatment of osteoarthritis with conservative methods.
Gonarthrosis therapy is carried out comprehensively and includes taking medications, physiotherapy, massages, exercise therapy. Medications relieve pain, improve blood circulation, and promote tissue regeneration.
In the course of treatment, they use:
- tablets
- creams
- gels
- injections.
Modern medicine is developing new ways to treat knee osteoarthritis. Stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma therapy are effective methods. Doctors note the high effectiveness of the treatment and the rapid regeneration of tissues.
Analgesics and anti-inflammatories.
The choice of drugs for osteoarthritis depends on the degree of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and associated pathologies. In the first degree of the disease, a person feels a little discomfort after prolonged exertion, dystrophic processes just begin in the cartilage tissue. Treatment is with topical ointments. For minor aches and pains, it is recommended:
- do gymnastics;
- reduce stress on the joint;
- take vitamin complexes;
- follow a diet.
The main drug therapy is used for the second degree of the disease. A person begins to experience pain, a cracking sound is heard when walking, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner, the range of motion is limited. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, stop destructive processes in the joint, and restore mobility to the legs.
To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used, which give an analgesic effect and relieve inflammatory processes in tissues.
On a note.Long-term use of these drugs adversely affects the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
Today, doctors are increasingly prescribing "new generation" NSAIDs that can be used for a long time and have minimal side effects.
If an infectious disease joins osteoarthritis, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. In order to choose the correct drug, the causative agent of the infection is identified. To do this, take fluid from the joint cavity and place it in a nutrient medium. Based on the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribes a drug.
Chondroprotectors
The main group of drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis are chondroprotectors. They are applied over a long course and are well accepted by the body. Thanks to active substances, they stop destructive processes in cartilage tissue, improve synovial fluid production and promote tissue regeneration.
On a note.The drugs are effective in the first two degrees of knee osteoarthritis. In the third, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and cannot recover on its own.
The most suitable drug will be selected by a specialist.
On a note.The drugs are available in the form of tablets and injectable solutions. The second way is the most effective. The therapeutic effect begins within a few minutes, without going through the absorption process through the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary therapy
Along with chondroprotectors, drugs are prescribed that help improve metabolic processes, blood supply, enrich the body with vitamins. For complex therapy, the following drugs are used:
- Muscle relaxants: eliminate spasms of smooth muscles, reduce pain;
- Venotonics and vasodilators improve blood flow and tissue trophism around the joint;
- Vitamin complexes saturate the body with the necessary substances, have a positive effect on metabolic processes and improve general well-being.
- Local remedies in the form of cream, ointment and gel improve blood circulation in the knee joint, have a warming and decongestant effect, and eliminate pain.
- Medicated compresses are more effective than creams.
Intra-articular injections
Therapy for gonarthrosis is carried out by another method - injections into the joint. In medicine, this method of administering medications is called blocking. Depending on the drugs used, the injection helps to effectively stop the pain syndrome when other means do not help, quickly removes inflammation, and creates a protective layer that protects cartilage tissue from further destruction.
On a note.The sequence of treatment is determined by the doctor. Hyaluronic acid preparations are administered only after the inflammatory process has been eliminated; otherwise, the course of the disease may be aggravated.
Stem cell and plasma therapy
Modern methods of treating knee osteoarthritis are based on low invasiveness and a reduction in the recovery period. Such procedures include stem cell therapy, which, after injection, are capable of transforming into cartilage tissue cells, contributing to their regeneration. The material for the procedure is obtained from embryos and adipose tissues, bone marrow of an adult.
The procedure helps:
- eliminate pain;
- relieve swelling
- restore motor functions;
- improve joint nutrition;
- accelerate metabolic processes.
The extracted stem cells are grown under laboratory conditions and injected into the patient's joint. The procedure is done under local anesthesia.
On a note.Therapy is carried out only when there is still cartilaginous tissue and synovial fluid is being produced. In grade 3 of the disease, treatment will not bring positive results.
A new method of treating osteoarthritis is the administration of platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is simple:
- blood sampling from the patient;
- blood is placed in a test tube and centrifuged, where it is divided into erythrocytes, plasma with platelets;
- only platelet concerns occur;
- the drug is injected into the knee.
With an increased number of platelets, the enhanced regeneration of cartilage tissue begins. For treatment, it is necessary to carry out 2-5 procedures, between which there is a 7-day break.
Other treatments
In the fight against gonarthrosis, people use various traditional and non-traditional methods, one of which is hirudotherapy (leech therapy). Worm saliva contains many enzymes that are beneficial to humans. It allows you:
- reduce the viscosity of the blood, thereby improving blood circulation;
- relieve pain syndrome;
- improve metabolic processes.
On a note.Doctors compare the effect of leech saliva with chondroprotectants. Speeds up the cartilage repair process. In the early stages, the patient is completely cured.
Hirudotherapy is prescribed with caution to the elderly and children. The procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women, patients with poor blood clotting and heart failure.
For osteoarthritis of the knee, applications with ozokerite (black wax), a waxy mass made up of paraffin and resins, are no less effective. It is used for inflammatory and degenerative processes in cartilaginous structures. It has a thermal, analgesic and regenerative effect on the diseased joint.
Ozokerite is used as compresses and applications. The course of treatment should consist of at least 15 daily sessions.
Drug electrophoresis is no less effective. During the session, the drug penetrates deeply into the diseased areas, bypassing the stomach and liver. This reduces the intake of drugs and the effect of the procedure is more pronounced.
At home, you can use a special device. The device, when used locally, is exposed to UV radiation, heat. As a result, blood circulation improves, tissue trophism, biochemical reactions in the skin are activated. Positive feedback from patients confirms the effectiveness of the procedures.
Operating methods
Surgical intervention is usually used in grades 3 and 4 of the disease, when the heads of the bones are practically bare and conservative therapy cannot give positive results.
With knee osteoarthritis, several types of operations are performed:
- Arthrodesis: remove the remaining cartilage along with the joint. It is rarely used as it does not allow limb mobility to be maintained.
- Arthroscopic debridement: release of the joint from cartilage tissue using an arthroscope. The procedure is used to relieve pain and is a temporary solution to the problem.
- The endoprosthesis is the most common and effective method of surgical intervention for knee osteoarthritis. It allows you to maintain the mobility of the joint. Modern prostheses are manufactured 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:
- Makes a longitudinal incision in the central part of the knee, separates the tissue.
- Process the damaged fragments of the bone surface (polishing), install a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), test.
- It is fixed by cementation or airtight fit.
- Suture the wound, apply a bandage and a splint.
The whole operation takes 2 to 3 hours. The recovery period lasts approximately 4 months. The patient first learns to walk, gradually loading and strengthening the muscles. Exercise therapy, massage, swimming is recommended. The healing effect lasts up to 20 years, then a new replacement of the prosthesis is necessary, because over time it wears out.
Gonarthrosis is a chronic disease that can be successfully treated at an early stage. Even the smallest symptoms cannot be ignored - you should immediately start complex therapy in consultation with your doctor. In severe cases, only joint replacement can help prevent disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise, and moderate stress on the knees.