Timely diagnosis and treatment of arthritis of the knee joint
Arthritis of the knee joint, the treatment of which requires a fairly long time, refers to the common articular pathologies.
The reasons for this are the huge amount of mechanical stresses involved in this joint, and a variety of factors, the effect of which provokes inflammation in the joint cavity.
How arthritis of the knee arises - variants of the disease
This lesion has three varieties:
- osteoarthritis of the knee - the disease is characterized by a slow progression of the degenerative-dystrophic process, in which the articular cartilage gradually becomes thinner.
In most cases, it is registered among the elderly;
- rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs as an inflammatory process of autoimmune origin, destroying articular cartilage, and damage to the synovial membrane.
This pathology arises in all age groups, characterized by simultaneous damage of both knee joints and development of deformity in the outcome of the disease;
- post-traumatic arthritis - develops after a knee injury and can manifest itself even a few years after the impact of the traumatic factor.
Symptoms of the disease
In the case where the patient develops arthrosis arthritis of the knee joint, the inflammatory process is combined with the destruction of the cartilage of the joint, which is manifested by dull pain and the appearance of a crunch during movements.
The inflammatory process progresses slowly but steadily, and the reverse development of changes is almost impossible - the goal of treatment is slowing the resolution of cartilage.
In rheumatoid arthritis, there is pain in the joints, which usually appears against the background of marked signs of activation of the autoimmune process.
The development of the disease is gradual or sudden - in patients there is a feeling of stiffness of movements, and it can persist for a long time.
Sites around the joint swell, making it difficult to move in the joint, and the pain becomes more intense in the morning after a passive rest and after a long walk.
The dependence of pain on weather changes can be observed. With further development of the disease, the movement of difficulty, develops lameness.
Principles of treatment
Treatment of arthritis of the knee joint should be carried out taking into account the etiology and mechanism of the disease.
The methods that determine how to treat knee arthritis depend on the degree of activity of the inflammatory process and the severity of the deformity.
For arthritis of the knee, the treatment is carried out taking into account the form of the disease.
So, for rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint treatment includes the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, immunomodulating drugs, as well as surgical therapy and rehabilitation techniques.
The main principles of treatment - the complexity and individual approach, taking into account the activity of the pathological process, its stage and the nature of the lesions.
For arthrosis arthritis of the knee joint, treatment is performed with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs of rapid action, which quickly inhibit synovitis( inflammation in the joint), basic drugs showing a slow but long therapeutic effect.
In the arthritis of the knee, the treatment with injections directly into the joint gives stable positive results. To improve the functioning of the joints apply therapeutic exercises, massage and physiotherapy procedures.
In the presence of arthritis of the knee joint, the drugs of basic therapy are combined with the administration of NSAIDs. If this approach is ineffective, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, such as azathioprine, are prescribed.
In arthritis of the knee joint, an ointment, which contains propolis or substances with a warming effect, significantly reduces pain, therefore it is necessarily included in the complex treatment.
LFK in knee arthritis includes passive-active movements with elements of activity on the part of the patient. Such mechanotherapy is combined with therapeutic gymnastics. Gymnastics for arthritis of the knee joint is used in the subacute or chronic period of the disease.
The presence of exudative inflammation in the joint, an increase in ESR and a low-grade fever is not an obstacle to its application, but in this case, its minimum dosage is required.
Do not forget and diet food. Thus, a diet for knee arthritis can alleviate the course of the disease.
Favorable effect on the joints is the consumption of fatty varieties of fish, nuts and vegetable oil, turmeric and ginger, foods with a high content of ascorbic acid.