Osteoarthritis of the knee (gonarthrosis) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in cartilage tissue. The disease seriously disrupts the normal rhythm of life, causing severe pain and limiting mobility. Medical treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint helps to stop the pain and stop the 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 performed comprehensively and includes medication, physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy. Medications relieve pain, improve blood circulation, and promote tissue regeneration.
During treatment, they use:
- pill;
- creams;
- gel;
- injections.
Modern medicine is developing new ways to treat gonarthrosis. Stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma therapy are effective methods. Doctors point to the high efficiency of treatment and rapid tissue regeneration.
Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory
The choice of drugs for osteoarthritis depends on the degree of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and the accompanying pathologies. In the first stage of the disease, a person feels a little discomfort after a prolonged exercise, dystrophic processes have just begun in the cartilage tissue. The treatment is performed using local ointments. For minor concerns and pain it is recommended:
- do gymnastics;
- reduce stress on joints;
- 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 crackle is heard when walking, cartilage tissue becomes thinner, range of motion is limited. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, stop destructive processes in the joints, and restore foot mobility.
To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used, which provide an analgesic effect and alleviate 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, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. To choose the right medicine, the causative agent of the infection is identified. To do this, take fluid from the articular cavity and place it in a nutrient medium. Based on the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribes a medicine.
Chondroprotectors
The main group of drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis is chondroprotectors. They are applied over a long course and are well accepted by the body. Thanks to the active substances, they stop the destructive processes in cartilage tissue, improve synovial fluid production and promote tissue regeneration.
On a note.Medications are effective in the first two stages of gonarthrosis. In the third, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and can not heal itself.
The most suitable medicine will be chosen by a specialist.
On a note.Medications are available in the form of tablets and solutions for injection. The second form is more effective. The therapeutic effect begins within a few minutes, bypassing the process of absorption through the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary therapy
Along with chondroprotectors, medicines are prescribed that help improve metabolic processes, blood supply and enrich the body with vitamins. For complex therapy, the following drugs are used:
- Muscle relaxants - eliminate smooth muscle spasms, 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 overall well-being.
- Local remedies in the form of a cream, oil and gel improve blood circulation to the knee joint, have a warming and decongestant effect and eliminate pain.
- Medication compresses are more effective than creams.
Intra-articular injections
Therapy for gonarthrosis is performed by another method - injections into the joints. In medicine, this method of drug administration is called blockade. Depending on the medication used, the injection helps to effectively stop the pain syndrome when other remedies do not help, quickly eliminate the inflammation and create a protective layer that protects the 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 removed, otherwise the course of the disease may worsen.
Stem cell and plasma therapy
Modern methods of treating gonarthrosis are based on low invasiveness and reduction of the recovery period. Such procedures include stem cell therapy, which, after injection, is capable of transforming into cartilage tissue cells, contributing to its regeneration. The material for the procedure is taken from embryos and adipose tissue, the bone marrow of an adult.
The procedure helps:
- eliminate pain;
- relieving swelling;
- restoration of motor functions;
- improving joint nutrition;
- acceleration of metabolic processes.
The obtained stem cells are grown in laboratory conditions, injected into the patient's wrist. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
On a note.Therapy is performed only when there is still cartilage tissue and when synovial fluid is produced. In stage 3 disease, treatment will not bring positive results.
A new method for treating osteoarthritis is the administration of platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is simple:
- taking blood samples from the patient;
- the blood is placed in a test tube and centrifuged, where it is divided into erythrocytes, plasma with platelets;
- only platelet disturbances are produced;
- the drug is injected into the knee.
With an increased platelet count, enhanced cartilage tissue regeneration begins. For treatment, it is necessary to perform from 2 to 5 procedures, between which there is a break of 7 days.
Other treatments
In the fight against gonarthrosis, people use various traditional and non-traditional methods, one of which is hirudotherapy (caterpillar therapy). Worm saliva contains many enzymes that are beneficial to humans. This allows you to:
- reduce blood viscosity, thus improving blood circulation;
- pain syndrome relief;
- improve metabolic processes.
On a note.Doctors compare the effect of caterpillar saliva with chondroprotectors. Accelerates the cartilage repair process. In the early stages, the patient recovers completely.
Hirudotherapy is carefully prescribed 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 wax mass composed of paraffin and resin, are no less effective. Used for inflammatory and degenerative processes in cartilaginous structures. Has a thermal, analgesic, 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 deep into the diseased areas, bypassing the stomach and liver. This reduces medication intake 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, tissue trophism is improved, biochemical reactions in the skin are activated. Positive feedback from patients confirms the effectiveness of the procedures.
Operative methods
Surgical intervention is usually used in stages 3 and 4 of the disease, when the bone heads are practically bare and conservative therapy can not give positive results.
With gonarthrosis, several types of surgery are performed:
- Arthrodesis - remove the remaining cartilage along with the wrist. It is rarely used, as it does not allow the maintenance of limb mobility.
- 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.
- Endoprosthetics is the most common and most effective method of surgical intervention for gonarthrosis. This allows you to maintain wrist mobility. Modern prostheses are made 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, removes tissue.
- Processes damaged fragments of bone surface (grinding), places a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), tests.
- Fixed with cementation or tight fit.
- Sew the wound, put on a bandage and splint.
The whole operation takes 2-3 hours. The recovery period lasts about 4 months. The patient initially learns to walk, gradually loading and strengthening the muscles. Exercise therapy, massage, swimming are recommended. The healing effect lasts up to 20 years, then a new prosthesis replacement is needed because over time it wears out.
Gonarthrosis is a chronic disease that can be successfully treated at an early stage. Even minor symptoms can not be ignored - you should immediately start complex therapy in consultation with your doctor. In severe cases, just replacing the joints can help avoid disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise and moderate knee stress.