Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis) is a fairly common disease that occurs second most frequently after coxarthrosis.
Statistics show that every fifth person on the planet suffers from gonarthrosis (about 22%).There is a certain connection between this pathology and a person's gender - women suffer from this disease twice as often as men.If we talk about age, the risk group includes patients over 40 years old.
Degenerative changes occur at the molecular level, but over time, as the disease progresses, damage to the structure of cartilage tissue occurs.If treatment is not started in a timely manner, there is a real risk of bone exposure and destruction of the cartilage itself.
Causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint
In order to understand the peculiarities of the disease, it is extremely important to know why gonarthrosis occurs.It is important to understand that the knee joint is subjected to enormous stress from the weight of the human body every day.The natural wear and tear of tissue with increasing age leads to changes in the structure of the joints.For this reason, middle-aged and elderly people most often suffer from this disease.
In addition, knee arthrosis can occur for the following reasons:
- Damage and injuries.These factors most often influence the development of the disease at an early age.
- Constant stress.It's about doing active sports despite contraindications and advanced age.
- Overweight.This factor has a negative effect on the condition of the menisci.In addition, there is increased pressure on the knee joints, which provokes the development of the disease.
- Varicose veins of the lower extremities.
- Poor metabolism.A lack of minerals has a negative effect on the condition of the cartilage.
- Arthritis and other specific and inflammatory joint diseases.
Symptoms of gonarthrosis
The first stages of knee osteoarthritis are characterized by low-intensity pain.As a rule, a person does not take treatment measures and ignores the body's first signals.This condition can last for several years until it worsens.
A person feels severe discomfort when trying to stand up after sitting for a long time.Similar sensations occur when waking up in the morning.
In addition to pain of varying intensity, arthrosis of the knee joint is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Burning in the lower extremities.The condition worsens when climbing stairs.
- Decreased muscle tone.
- Insufficient mobility of the joints.
- Characteristic crunch.
Specific symptoms depend on what stage the disease is at.It is clear that the more advanced the problem, the more pronounced the manifestations of the pathology.
First degree osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 1st degree is characterized by a satisfactory condition of the patient, so he may not feel any discomfort.The only thing that can bother the patient is limited mobility after waking up and fatigue of the lower extremities.
The pain is practically non-existent or mild.Diagnosis of the disease at this stage is only possible with the help of an X-ray examination or an MRI.The image shows a narrowing of the space between the joint surfaces and slight irregularities in the cartilage.
Unfortunately, patients at this stage of the disease extremely rarely seek help.Most people are used to not paying attention to minor problems, which often leads to a worsening of the condition and rapid progression of the disease.
Second degree osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree is more obvious.Pain occurs immediately after any exertion or directly when lifting heavy loads.This condition disappears after a period of rest, but the symptoms return when physical activity is resumed.
This stage is also characterized by other symptoms:
- Characteristic crunch.It is quite sharp and is very often accompanied by painful sensations.
- Synovitis is a condition that causes inflammation and swelling of the synovial membranes of the joint.
- Deformations.In the initial stages, swelling in the knee area is noticeable, but the situation can become significantly worse without appropriate treatment.
- Insufficient mobility of the knee joint.The patient has fundamental problems bending or straightening his leg.
All of these symptoms gradually worsen if no treatment is given.The joint gradually loses its properties, its structure begins to change, which is noticeable when visually observed.
Third degree osteoarthritis
Grade 3 osteoarthritis of the knee joint is characterized by severe pain that can occur both during heavy exertion and at rest.Many patients are worried about similar symptoms at night.
Meteorological dependence occurs, so sudden changes in the weather cause significant inconvenience to a person.The joint loses its ability to flex, making it extremely difficult for the patient to move.
Pathological changes are visible to the naked eye.The x-ray shows severe narrowing of the joint space and several bone growths.
Fourth degree osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 4th degree is characterized by severe destruction of the joint, almost complete immobility and severe pain.
Diagnosis of the disease
To prescribe an appropriate treatment regimen, the doctor conducts a consultation.The patient talks about his symptoms, at what time of day the pain worsens, at rest or during actions.The doctor then proceeds directly to the actual examination and feels the knee area.
The suspicion of osteoarthritis in later stages can exist even without the use of instrumental diagnostic methods.When bending the knee, a characteristic crunch is heard and the patient experiences quite unpleasant sensations.The palpation process itself is also accompanied by pain.
To get a clearer picture, the patient is sent for an X-ray examination.Computed tomography and MRI are also used to clarify the diagnosis.
Treatment methods for osteoarthritis of the knee joint
Treatment of knee arthrosis can include several techniques, the effectiveness of which depends on the stage of the disease:
- Drug therapy.
- Massage treatments.
- Manual therapy, physiotherapeutic treatment, physiotherapy.
- Operation.
The main goal of treatment is to relieve pain and increase joint mobility.
Conservative treatment shows quite high effectiveness results, especially in the early stages.If positive dynamics do not occur during treatment, the decision is made to undergo surgical intervention.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The first goal of any treatment is pain relief.Drugs from the category of NSAIDs alleviate the patient's condition by not only relieving pain, but also eliminating the inflammatory process in the problem area.Only after these symptoms have been eliminated can you move on to other methods of treatment.
Drugs in this group are the first aid for this disease.Their effectiveness depends on the severity of the clinical picture, as well as the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Hormonal active ingredients
If the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not give positive results, the patient can be prescribed hormonal drugs in the form of injections.This is a much more effective remedy that allows you to quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
The difficulty of such treatment is that these drugs have a rather aggressive effect on the human body, so you need to be extremely careful when using them.The doctor should prescribe short-term treatment, and only if the patient experiences accumulation of synovial fluid.Injection administration is possible no more than once every 5-7 days.
Chondroprotectors
Medications in this group work directly on the cause of osteoarthritis.They are designed to restore the structure of damaged cartilage tissue and normalize the production of synovial fluid.This is very important in complex treatments when the aim is to influence not only the symptoms, but also the root cause of the pathology.
Recently, the injection of hyaluronic acid directly into the joint itself has been practiced.This procedure prevents premature wear of the cartilage.It is very important that the medication is administered by a qualified specialist.
With other methods
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint can be carried out not only with the help of medications in the form of tablets and injections, but also with a number of other methods:
- Ozone therapy.This method has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect and also helps to normalize blood circulation.Particularly effective in complex therapy together with other treatment methods.
- External funds.Various creams and gels help eliminate pain, swelling and inflammation.The exact list of medications must be prescribed by your treating doctor, so we advise against self-medication.
If you suffer from this disease, you need to contact the clinic for qualified help.Our specialists have the necessary expertise and extensive medical practice to help you solve your problems.
Remember that when treating osteoarthritis, the key to success is timeliness.Therefore, pay more attention to your health and the signals your body gives you.