There are diseases that progress over time. It is impossible to completely cure them, as well as return to the starting point, but it is quite possible to diagnose and stop them in a timely manner. Previously, it was possible to know the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint in older people, but now the disease is "getting younger" and is often the cause of disability. So, what are the signs you need to watch out for when starting treatment?
The essence of what is happening
Before starting treatment or determining the specific signs of the disease, it is necessary to understand what is happening in the joint.
The articular surfaces of human bones are covered by cartilage. In some joints, such as the knee, there are menisci - layers of cartilage that act as shock absorbers. The joint fluid produced by the capsule acts as a lubricant.
Polyarthrosis is a disease when all or most joints in the body are affected. The disease develops as a result of destruction of joint cartilage and exposure of bone.
When the knee joint is affected, changes in joint fluid production also occur. Some or all of the cartilage is lost, and over time, the joint wears out. When this is seen in most joints, the diagnosis is made: polyarthrosis.
The body tries to deal with this violation as well as limiting the pain. With the progression of the disease, the joint becomes deformed, bones begin to grow due to spines (osteophytes). They can usually be felt when probing in advanced situations, when polyarthrosis has developed. The surface of the bones is uneven and they do not fit together. The result is limited mobility.
From the above symptoms it is clear that these are not salts, which everyone is used to thinking about with knee pain.
When the alarm sounds
The first thing in which knee arthrosis, or polyarthrosis, manifests itself is pain, which can occur after prolonged physical exertion or simply bother you all the time. Its nature is different, often the pain intensifies at night or at night, preventing sleep, leading to the interruption of normal life. Already at this stage, it is worth visiting your doctor, because the simplest diagnosis - an x-ray, can reveal a violation and, in some cases, polyarthrosis. The image will show a narrowing of the joint space, which indicates thinning of the cartilage.
Symptoms
There are three grades of osteoarthritis, each with its own specific signs. With their help, you can also suspect polyarthrosis, which will require special treatment.
In the first stage, the pain is not severe and it seems to many that it will soon pass. In addition, there is discomfort and a slight swelling that occurs periodically. This will require minor treatment, which will be discussed below. In addition, laser therapy and other physical therapy are indicated.
In the second degree, symptoms become more complex, a seizure is added to all of the above, and mobility is impaired. There may be a little bleeding.
Laser therapy and doctor's recommendations on medication use can help in this case. If this is not done, the pain will become permanently pronounced and it will be time to think about the third degree.
In the third stage, the integrity of the cartilage is completely destroyed. The pain is constant, and one cannot speak of a normal gait. Climbing stairs becomes a real problem, the joints are swollen. When moving, pronounced grinding occurs, the joint becomes deformed, pain is felt on palpation.
Polyarthrosis is also manifested by redness of the skin, it is hot when touched. There is bleeding in the skin as a result of the rupture of blood vessels or a venous network. If this cosmetic defect interferes, it is actually possible to get rid of it with a laser.
In the later stages, the person becomes unstable as a result of muscle and ligament weakness. Walking is only possible with the support of a cane, and even then for short distances. It all ends up with a deformity of the knee, which not even a laser can correct. Changes can no longer be reverted, a person is deactivated. In this case, the joints are deployed towards each other or in opposite directions.
Medical diagnoses may reveal a small change in shape, and for significant ones, additional diagnoses will be required. Usually, the doctor prescribes an x-ray, which shows changes in the joints. A more subtle diagnosis is performed using CT scan, MRI and an ultrasound of the knee joint is additionally used.
Treatment
The treatment of this disease excites many, and only a doctor can find out. The arsenal of drugs is very large, it is impossible to use them uncontrollably.
With drug misuse, a stomach ulcer can also be added to osteoarthritis. But it is almost impossible to restore damaged cartilage.
First of all, the doctor prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to the patient, which, along with the inflammation, relieves the pain. But the treatment does not end there. Exercises, physical therapy are widely used. Special therapeutic exercises are selected only by a doctor, so it gives maximum therapeutic effect. About everything in more detail.
Use of drugs
The main treatment is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, agents that improve cartilage nutrition and promote its gradual regeneration are used. The most tested in this regard are the drugs based on glucosamine and chondroitin. Special creams and ointments with a local effect allow the treatment to be fixed.
It is worth noting that drugs reduce pain and relieve inflammation, but it is very dangerous to use them constantly. Treatment for a long time adversely affects the condition of the gastric mucosa, liver and heart. Recently, they began to produce drugs with a minimal negative effect, according to some manufacturers, can be used for several months.
gymnastics and physiotherapy
Complementary therapies can improve blood flow and, consequently, joint nutrition. Special exercises can strengthen ligaments and muscles. That's just the effect of gymnastics in the early stages, when the joint hasn't changed much. Exercises are selected strictly individually, depending on the severity of the course of the disease and the physical abilities of the patient.
In addition, exercises are supplemented by physical therapy, there are a large number of them. Magnetotherapy, laser therapy, diodynamics, UHF, novocaine electrophoresis, ultrasound and more are used.
joint injections
In the later stages, when physiotherapy or laser does not help, to relieve pain, they resort to injections in the joint cavity. Preparations based on hyaluronic acid are introduced, which increase the restorative properties of cartilage. The introduction of hormonal drugs is often practiced, however, this is not safe, as over time, the duration of the therapeutic effect is reduced, and the cartilage simply becomes unusable.
endoprostheses
Joint replacement is a last resort when your own joint cannot be saved and is no longer able to function. This operation is called arthroplasty and it allows you to almost completely restore lost function, remove pain. In fact, it is possible to replace the entire joint (total arthroplasty) or its most altered part. At the current stage, the level of surgical technique, implants manufactured is so perfect that it allows to get successful results and introduce this treatment method everywhere.
It is not difficult to diagnose polyarthrosis of the knee, especially if you pay attention to the characteristic symptoms. A visit to the doctor will allow you to refute or confirm the diagnosis. There are many treatment options, as well as the choice of medication, which allows you to quickly remove the pain. But it's not worth taking your knees for a joint replacement, because your native joint is much better than an artificial one, no matter how high the quality.