If a flare is heard in the knee joint during movement, this is the first sign of gonarthrosis. Conservative methods of traditional and alternative medicine will help prevent cartilage destruction and maintain normal motor function. Treatment should begin immediately - only in this case, rheumatologists give a favorable prognosis.
What is gonarthrosis?
A non-inflammatory, degenerative-dystrophic disease that affects the largest joint, the knee, is called gonarthrosis. A rather unusual medical definition has a simpler "folkloric" concept - "salt deposition". Although the clinical picture of joint gonarthrosis has little to do with the excess of calcified salts in the knee joint. They have no effect on the pathology and are a side effect of impaired metabolism.
The development of knee joint gonarthrosis is facilitated by negative processes in the hyaline cartilage, mainly poor blood circulation in small bone vessels. The lack of nutrients and oxygen carried by the lymph flow leads to the destruction of the outer layer of the knee cartilage.
In the early stages, the disease is extremely difficult to recognize. Joint deformity occurs slowly, until the vitreous hyaline cartilage is pulled into the process. The anatomical structure of the ligament is modified. Turbidity occurs, the fabric thickens, becomes thin, cracks in all directions. The result of the pathology can be the complete disappearance of cartilage, which leads to neoplasms in the bone tissue and irreversible curvature of the knee.
Disease classification
The International Classification of Diseases divides gonarthrosis into seven illuminating subheadings:
- Bilateral primary gonarthrosis. The diagnosis is most often made in women aged 70 to 74 years and men aged 60 to 64 years. This puts the disease in the "elderly" category.
- Another primary gonarthrosis. Pathology of a knee joint, due to natural wear and tear or against the background of other diseases.
- Bilateral post-traumatic gonarthrosis. People of different age groups with severe leg injuries are affected.
- Other post-traumatic gonarthrosis. Unilateral, in the context of limb injuries and contusions.
- Other secondary gonarthrosis are bilateral. They are the result of chronic, not fully healed bruises, fractures, or dislocations. It is most often diagnosed in athletes who have heavy loads on both legs - football players, athletes, figure skaters.
- Other secondary gonarthrosis. Unilateral development of pathology associated with the profession. For example, miners, metallurgists, fishermen.
- Unspecified gonarthrosis. It is diagnosed with an unexplained etiology of the disease, after excluding age, occupational and genetic predisposition.
According to medical statistics, more than 10 million people of different age groups suffer from gonarthrosis of one type or another. Every year, about 3, 000 people die with an established diagnosis.
Causes
Knee joint osteoarthritis develops due to impaired metabolism in the knee joint, which leads to a loss of cartilage softness and elasticity.
Destructive processes are caused by several reasons:
- Diseases of the thyroid gland, which violate the hormonal background;
- Decreased permeability of blood vessels in the knee joint;
- genetic conditioning;
- natural aging;
- Previous or current knee injuries of various origins;
- Obesity (more than 20% of the norm), which puts a lot of pressure on the knee joint;
- Inflammatory joint diseases (polyarthritis, purulent arthrosis);
- Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis);
- Specific infectious pathologies (syphilis, tuberculosis, encephalitis);
- Living in ecologically unfavorable areas, poor quality of food and water.
In addition, rheumatologists identify several additional reasons that lead to the development of gonarthrosis. Dysplasia in newborns. With this diagnosis, the joint wears out faster. Changes in the structure of collagen lead to violations of the protein located in the connective tissue.
Symptoms depending on the degree of gonarthrosis
It is difficult to diagnose the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the knee. Only a description of the symptoms by the patients themselves and external examinations by rheumatologists allow us to trace a clinical picture that differs for each degree of progression of gonarthrosis:
- I grade gonarthrosis.Pulling pain in the knee, feeling of some stiffness, partial loss of sensation, difficulty in bending the leg, especially after prolonged immobility, inability to walk or run for a long time, appearance of slight swelling. As a rule, symptoms disappear after rest or simple anesthetics.
- Grade II gonarthrosis.At this stage, it is already possible to determine the pathology on an X-ray examination. The pain becomes stronger and occurs after every physical activity. Discomfort can still be relieved by rest. In the morning it becomes more difficult to straighten the legs, it takes some time to restore motor function. The discomfort is complemented by frequent calf cramps, especially at night. During the movement, a click is heard. Swelling of the knee joint is pronounced. There are visible signs of limb deformity.
- III degree of gonarthrosis.There are irreversible changes in the knee joint. Cartilage abnormalities can be unambiguously determined on an x-ray. Knee pain becomes constant, sharp. The leg stops bending at the knee. The patient cannot walk without a cane or crutches. The swelling is significant. The anatomical shape of the knee is smoothed and takes on a solid appearance. There is a primary curvature of the spine.
Diagnosis
To make a correct diagnosis, a combination of clinical manifestations of arthrosis of the knee joint and patient complaints is used. To clarify or exclude the causes of the disease, studies are carried out in various ways.
The default diagnosis is as follows:
- Making an anamnesis of the disease. History of concomitant diseases, genetic predisposition, past trauma and surgical interventions, professional activities, etc.
- External evaluation of the deformation of the musculoskeletal system. Gait, posture, state of the knee joint, curvature of the legs.
- General inspection. Palpation of the leg, thigh, damaged joint, determination of the location of the disease.
- Laboratory tests. A general blood test provides data on the absence of an inflammatory process. If the process is present against the background of other diseases, an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate will be found in the blood. The level of protein, globulin and fibrinogen will be different from the normative indicators. The biochemical composition will remain within standard limits. If the progress of the pathology is in the final stages, a biopsy of the synovial fluid of the knee joint is performed.
- Instrumental research. Radiography is the main and most common method of diagnosing suspected gonarthrosis. As a rule, a rheumatologist can easily determine changes in the structure of bone tissue from an image already at the beginning of stage 2 of the disease. The presence of secondary diseases and the causes of their occurrence are diagnosed with the help of more modern and accurate equipment - magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, ultrasound, osteostincigraphy, thermography.
Gonarthrosis treatment
Like all joint diseases, gonarthrosis requires systemic treatment, which should be started when the first symptoms appear. In this case, the prognosis of therapy becomes favorable and guarantees the return to a normal lifestyle in a short time.
Comprehensive treatment aims to remove the main signs of the disease:
- Discomfort, pain syndrome and muscle tone;
- Improve the motor function of the knee joint;
- Stopping the process of cartilage destruction;
- Strengthening of connective muscles;
- Restoration of normal blood circulation in the knee joint.
Medicines
anti-inflammatory drugs
They help to deal with pain, relieve swelling caused by inflammation of muscle tissue.
chondroprotectors
The regeneration and restoration of cartilage tissue is impossible without chondroprotectors. They are the main component of conservative treatment.
Vasodilators
They are used to improve the permeability of intra-articular blood vessels.
hormonal drugs
Reduce the production of the hormone cortisone, to prevent the development of inflammatory processes.
Hyaluronic acid injections
Used to restore intra-articular synovial fluid. Due to this, the friction between the joint parts is reduced, motor function is normalized and the elasticity of the cartilage tissue is restored.
anti-enzymatic agents
They inhibit trypsin activity, thus preventing further joint destruction. Named in the complex.
Physiotherapy
Physiological treatments have been used successfully for decades to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. It can be as a separate type of therapy, for prevention or during the rehabilitation period. So is an integrated approach to the disease.
Most often, the following types of procedures are prescribed by a rheumatologist:
- Electrophoresis with analgesics;
- Ultrasound treatment;
- Magnetotherapy;
- Laser exposure;
- Paraffin applications;
- Sludge treatment;
- Therapeutic exercise (exercise therapy);
- Manual therapy, massage with medicinal ointments.
surgery and prosthesis
If the gonarthrosis is at an advanced stage, the knee joint and cartilage tissues are destroyed, it is impossible to do without a surgical operation. Otherwise, the person will remain an invalid for life.
Modern medicine offers several ways to solve the problem:
- Arthrodesis. Complete removal of the affected tissues and the knee joint. The body is free from the disease focus, but the limb's motor function is completely lost. It is used extremely rarely if the patient has additional joint disease.
- arthroscopy. Destroyed hyaline cartilage is removed. The operation is mildly traumatic, has a short period of rehabilitation. It is indicated for patients whose progress has not affected the knee joint itself.
- Periarticular osteomy. A complex operation, whose essence is to file deformed bones and excrescences, with subsequent connection with the necessary anatomical structure.
- Endoprostheses. The completely destroyed knee joint is removed and a titanium prosthesis is placed in its place. An effective method that allows you to forget about gonarthrosis forever. It requires careful preparation and long rehabilitation.
traditional medicine
The use of folk recipes in combination with conservative treatment can relieve external symptoms (pain, swelling). Recipes based on bay leaf, burdock root, St. John's wort, malt and hay have proven themselves well. Ointments, creams, tinctures and decoctions are made from them.
These plants have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It requires regular, long-term use to get visible results.
Ointments and compresses made from honey, with the addition of alcohol or apple cider vinegar, relieve swelling well and have a soothing effect on the affected tissues.
A nutritional blend is made of lemon and garlic, which is taken orally, one teaspoon each, after breakfast and dinner. Such a recipe has a general strengthening effect on the body, increases the permeability of blood vessels and nourishes the joints with useful trace elements.
It should be remembered that home treatments do not remove the main problem - the pathological destruction of the knee joint.
Diet
Compliance with the diet is an integral part of the complex treatment. Adjusting your diet will not only help you control your weight, it will also provide your bones and joints with essential vitamins.
For a patient diagnosed with gonarthrosis, it is contraindicated:
- Fried, spicy, salty and pickled foods;
- fatty broths;
- Sweet pastry;
- Fruits, with a high content of acidic enzymes;
- Alcoholic beverages.
The menu should be replenished with raw vegetables, fruits and herbs, low-fat dairy products, bone broths and dishes containing gelatin (jelly, jam).
Additional Methods
For the treatment of gonarthrosis, it is necessary to have a regular spa treatment, at least once a year, if possible more often. Hydrotherapy procedures, mud therapy and manual therapy are able to conserve the disease for a long time and prevent joint destruction.
It will take the rest of your life to keep a painful knee in a stable condition. But it can become quite useful for the body as a whole. Reviewing nutrition, eliminating bad habits, playing sports, visiting resorts - the quality of life can improve significantly.
It should be remembered that self-medication, ignoring the primary symptoms and unbearable stress on the painful knee joint, can very quickly transform a healthy person into a helpless and disabled person.