Knee osteoarthritis or gonarthrosis mainly affects women, usually after the age of forty. At an earlier age, such pathology may develop as a result of injury or professional exercise. A particularly severe course of the disease is observed in people who are overweight or suffer from varicose veins of the lower extremities.
An attack of the disease is characterized by the appearance of moderate pain in the knee during movement, especially when walking up stairs. Also, pain can occur if a person stands for a very long time or gets up on his feet after a long stay in a sitting position. At rest the pain usually subsides. Acute and intense pain in osteoarthritis of the knee joint does not occur spontaneously, it is usually preceded by long-term discomfort in walking, physical activity. Gradually growing pain is one of the main signs of gonarthrosis.
Stages of the disease
Phase One
In the initial stage of development of gonarthrosis, the bones in the knee do not change their shape, only swelling of the joint can occur, usually associated with the accumulation of fluid in the knee. If its amount exceeds the allowable level, edema develops that affects the back of the leg. In this case, you can alleviate the swelling with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Second phase
The next stage of knee osteoarthritis is characterized by a significant increase in pain intensity. The pain is felt even after a light load, there is a squeak in the knee joint, which intensifies if the disease progresses. The patient has difficulty bending the leg, there is severe pain, up to the complete impossibility of bending the knee. Also in the second stage of the disease, the joint begins to change its shape, which becomes quite noticeable on palpation - the expansion and accumulation of joint bones is felt. Synovitis manifests itself much more strongly in this phase - the appearance of swelling as a result of fluid accumulation.
Third phase
The third stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of severe pain that occurs even at rest. The patient has long been looking for an appropriate position in which the pain will be less. With impaired blood circulation, pain can bother a person even during sleep, causing a painful sensation in the joint. The mobility of the joint is reduced to a minimum, the person is often unable to keep the leg in a straight position and is forced to bend it while walking. With significant deformation of the bones, the gait becomes fluttery, the change in the shape of the lower extremities becomes noticeable.
How to recognize osteoarthritis of the knee joint?
The patient is initially referred for a blood test, followed by X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, or computed tomography.
In some cases, ultrasound or arthroscopy may be prescribed (examination of the joint with a special device through a small incision).
During the X-ray examination, the stage of development of the disease is determined, the picture shows the changes on the joint and bones, as well as the distance between the bones. In the early stages of the disease, changes in the cartilage tissue are not visible on X-ray.
Ultrasound examination, as well as computed tomography, enable the detection of abnormalities in the soft joint tissues and the determination of the amount of accumulated fluid during the development of synovitis.
How is knee osteoarthritis treated?
Osteoarthritis of the knee is treated by specialists such as a rheumatologist or orthopedist. At an early stage, the disease is in most cases curable without surgery, but treatment must necessarily be comprehensive and qualified. In the second and third phase, it is impossible to restore the joint to its previous shape without surgery, it is only possible to improve the condition of the periarticular tissues.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used to reduce inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis of the knee. After reducing the pain syndrome, the patient may be prescribed massage, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy procedures.
Drugs that are part of the chondroprotective group and enable the regeneration of cartilage tissues are also used to treat gonarthrosis. Such preparations also help maintain the elasticity of cartilage, saturating its tissue with moisture. In the first and second stages, chondroprotectors have a gradual effect, the treatment is quite long and can last a year or a year and a half. Taking glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate together has a greater effect. In the third stage, such drugs are no longer able to have a positive effect.
Drugs that dilate blood vessels have a good effect in the treatment of osteoarthritis. They are able to improve blood circulation in the joint and relieve cramping in the small vessels, which helps to repair the affected joint. It is recommended to combine taking such medications with the use of chondroprotectors. In order to alleviate painful muscle spasm, the patient may be prescribed muscle relaxants. Such drugs are used only in combination with chondroprotectors and joint traction. The dimexid compress also has a positive effect in the treatment of arthrosis, which reduces inflammation and relieves pain, especially when fluid accumulates. To prepare such a compress, you need to mix one tablespoon of boiled water with a tablespoon of Dimexid. Then moisten the medical bandage in the resulting solution, then place the affected joint and cover with a plastic bag and diaper on top. The duration of the procedure is from twenty to sixty minutes, once a day, no more, two to three weeks.
All drugs are used in the absence of contraindications, strictly according to the doctor's prescription. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint requires medication and physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises.