Osteoarthritis of the knee joint: first symptoms and treatment methods

The osteoarthritis disease has many varieties.For example, hip joint disease is called coxarthrosis, and knee disease is called gonarthrosis.

The treatment method for all subtypes is usually the same.But still, many people do not know the difference between osteoarthritis and gonarthrosis of the knee joint.

On this basis, many erroneous uses of these terms have appeared among patients with this problem.

Causes

Gonarthrosis is a disease of the knee joint with damage to the cartilage tissue.Many people mistakenly believe that the disease is typical only for older people, since it is degenerative.But, as practice shows, gonarthrosis appears more often in young people.

This is confirmed by the causes of the disease:

• knee injuries (fractures, dislocations, cracks);
• weight lifting, intense physical activity without proper training;
• inflammation of the joints due to exposure to various factors, including hypothermia;
• excess weight, since it entails a large load on the joints and their subsequent degeneration;
• genetic predisposition.

As you can see, all the factors for the appearance of gonarthrosis are more typical for young people, since they lead an active lifestyle.

Although, due to excess weight, the disease can also appear in retirees.According to statistics, after 50 years of age, gonarthrosis occurs more often in women.This is due to the restructuring of the body, changes in metabolic processes.

Principles and types of treatment.

Osteoarthritis in general is a chronic disease, so it takes a long time to treat it.Therapy can be surgical or conservative.

With both the first and second methods, doctors try to somehow influence the cause of the disease, as well as eliminate pathological symptoms.

It should be noted that surgical intervention is more typical for stages 3 to 4 of osteoarthritis.In the fourth, it is inevitable, and in the third, you can still try to overcome the disease with conservative methods.

Additionally, it is recommended to use special sets of gymnastic exercises, for example, the Bubnovsky technique.

In addition to the destruction of cartilage by gonarthrosis, muscle fibers and ligaments are susceptible to destruction.The goal of treatment is:

• pain relief;
• elimination of inflammation;
• elimination of edema of the periarticular area;
• stop the destruction of cartilage, its full or partial restoration;
• return to a full life and freedom of movement.

Even in cases where a person cannot completely cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint, he can partially return to a normal lifestyle thanks to therapy and prevention.The condition persists until the next relapse.

conservative method

This method of therapy is used in most cases and is the main one.As a rule, patients are treated in this way in the initial and middle stages of gonarthrosis.All actions involve the use of medications (tablets, capsules, injections) with chemically active substances.

The following may be prescribed for treatment:

• analgin;
• chondroprotectors;
• non-steroidal medications;
• synovial prostheses;
• glucocorticosteroids.

Other conservative methods include treatment with various ointments, mud baths, etc.

Recently, gymnastics and light physical exercise have become very popular to stop the course of the disease or a possible recovery of the patient.

The body reacts strongly to non-steroidal medications.However, they are widely used in the treatment of osteoarthritis due to their multifunctional action:

• elimination of swelling in the joint;
• pain relief;
• Treatment of inflammatory processes.

Because of these properties, doctors are increasingly choosing these medications instead of traditional pain relievers.

Glucocorticosteroids are synthetic drugs that can replace natural hormones produced by the adrenal glands.Compared to non-steroidal drugs, glucocorticosteroids are much more powerful.In addition, they have an anti-allergic effect.

Chondroprotectors act directly on the cartilage and are completely safe treatments for knee osteoarthritis (gonarthrosis).They are obtained from the bone structure of animals, the cartilage of fish and the shells of crustaceans.Medicines are a building material for cartilage, improve metabolic processes and proper nutrition of the joint.

In addition to the use of medications, the following are prescribed during treatment, recovery and prevention:

• physiotherapy;
• physiotherapy;
• various massages;
• visiting sanatoriums and resorts.

All of this allows the patient to return to normal life and fixes the result obtained with conservative treatment.

Plus the classes are easy.A very useful exercise for the knee joint with gonarthrosis is to roll a ball placed on the floor or another cylindrical object, for example, a roller, with your foot.

surgical intervention

If it is not possible to cure the disease with the help of medications or therapeutic exercises, then it is necessary to undergo surgery.It can be done in both open and closed joints.At the same time, surgical methods are improved every day and new methods are added to the previous ones, performed with modern equipment.

New trading methods include:

• microsurgical intervention to restore damaged cartilage tissue;
• laser beam treatment with the necessary characteristics: thickness, power, etc.;
• creation of a 1 mm thick electrolytic plasma field;
• arthroscopy;
• endoprosthesis: replacement of parts of a joint with artificial prostheses.

Modern surgical methods are low-traumatic and allow a large number of different manipulations with the joint.

traditional medicine recipes

Conservative treatment methods cannot always give the maximum result in the treatment of gonarthrosis.Traditional medicine recipes can be used as additional remedies.

To get rid of knee pain and crunching, you can use the following recipe:

• 150 grams of garlic;
• 4 lemons with peel;
• 250 g of celery roots.

Grind all the components in a meat grinder, mix and pour boiling water.Then put it in a saucepan, cover it tightly with a lid and let it cool.Take 60-70 g 3 times a day for a month.If pain appears, the course can be repeated or done every six months as prevention.

You can also use this recipe:

• beat two eggs and mix with 4 tablespoons of salt;
• Apply the mixture to a bandage and apply it to the sore spot.

The procedure must be repeated two times in a row.Do not remove the bandage until the mixture dries.

To make a medicinal ointment you will need the following ingredients:

• 200 grams of alcohol;
• 4 egg whites;
• 50 g of camphor;
• 50 g mustard powder.

Add mustard and camphor alternately to alcohol.Beat the egg whites in another container and then mix.The ointment is applied to the sore spot.

Of course, intense physical activity in athletes is as common a cause of gonarthrosis as aging of the joints over time.

But lately cases of illness that appear without such underlying causes have become more frequent.People, on the other hand, lead a sedentary lifestyle, which is why they gain weight.

The load on the joints increases and prevents them from remaining healthy for a long time.

The difference between osteoarthritis and gonarthrosis.

Not everyone understands the difference between gonarthrosis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint.Gonarthrosis is characterized only by damage to the knee, while osteoarthritis itself is the name of a group of joint diseases that can affect any joint.

In the theory of medicine, there are many diseases in the names of which the "arthrosis" part is included: osteoarthrosis, polyarthrosis, coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis.In this sense, ignorant people do not always correctly understand the meaning of each of them, thinking that they are all synonyms.

Gonarthrosis can be easily confused with the following diseases:

• arthritis;
• vascular pain in the knees;
• periarthritis: inflammation of the tendons of the knee;
• meniscal damage.

But it is still possible to distinguish gonarthrosis from these diseases.For example, damage to the meniscus (meniscopathy) is a disease that begins with sudden, sharp pain in the knees after unsuccessful movement, and gonarthrosis develops and progresses over the years.If meniscopathy is not treated, pain will occur from time to time, but bone deformation will not occur.

In coxarthrosis (hip joint disease), reflex pain is often felt in the knees, but both diseases can be distinguished from each other in the following ways:

• with gonarthrosis, a person can calmly move his legs in the hip joint and spread them apart;
• with coxarthrosis, on the contrary, the patient can freely bend and straighten the knee;
• If pain is felt in both joints, we can assume that it is polyarthrosis.

Arthritis is characterized by inflammation of the joints and a sudden onset, but the pain does not affect joint mobility (as occurs with periarthritis) and is eliminated thanks to warm ointments.With this disease, swelling, high fever and increased pain at night appear.

Vascular pain occurs due to circulatory disorders;This usually affects young people under 20 years of age.This is due to the rapid growth of the entire organism.

Therefore, osteoarthritis is the general name of the disease and gonarthrosis is a name that indicates the location (knee).That is why it is correct to say “arthrosis of the knee joint” or “gonarthrosis”, but not “gonarthrosis of the knee joint”.And it is quite possible to determine an accurate diagnosis through careful research and personal observations.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis): diagnosis and treatment.

The knee joint is a wonderful flexion-extension mechanism that nature has provided us.At rest, it occurs only in disabled and excessively obese people who have lost the ability to move.

Count how many times a day you make movements and you will conclude that the knee is the most mobile part of the joint.It is not surprising that diseases often choose it as a target.

One of them is gonarthrosis or osteoarthritis of the knee joint..

Causes of osteoarthritis of the knee joint.

It is difficult to say what causes early cartilage deficiency in some people.The culprit is generally believed to be a metabolic disorder in which the metabolism of important amino acids and trace elements occurs slowly or incorrectly.

Here, in turn, the following reasons are to blame:

1. Some diseases related to the immune system (for example, rheumatoid arthritis)
2. Self-loathing: Sports, movement, and nutritious nutrition containing a wide range of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals are often put aside by people in faraway places for "later" ("I'll start on Monday, of course")
3. Already from birth the natural balance is altered, the so-called hereditary causes.It's easy enough to check your genetic predisposition: see what your grandparents are sick with and ask them what their ancestors were sick with.
4. Disturbed hormonal balance: such disturbances especially affect the female body during a period of estrogen deficiency, an important hormone necessary for osteosynthesis.It is not in vain that the majority of osteoarthritis victims are women of a wonderfully mature age, when they are not yet old, but they are already wise, that is, the “over 50 years” mark.
5. Vascular diseases - osteoarthritis is often combined with venous insufficiency, venous thrombosis and other diseases.
6. Mood: If you think stress just ruins your mood, you're wrong: stress can slow your metabolism to a state of suspended animation.
7. A risk factor for osteoarthritis is excess weight.

What symptoms allow us to suspect this bad pathology?

Symptoms of gonarthrosis by stage.

Each stage has its own distinctive features, but they are united by the gradual development of the disease:

You can't suddenly stop walking because of pain: A symptom of sudden, sharp knee pain likely indicates an injury.

First stage.In the first stage, the following symptoms occur:

• Mild pain after a long walk, climbing stairs, etc.
• Stiffness after rest
• There is no deformity in the knee, but it may be somewhat swollen due to accumulated fluid: this phenomenon is called synovitis.Fluid can accumulate even in the posterior part, the popliteal fossa, forming a cyst, which frightened patients often mistake for a cancerous tumor.The cyst usually resolves easily after treatment with injections of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or glucocorticosteroids.

Second stage

In the second stage, the following signs are noted:

• Increased pain after exercise and movement and appearance of a characteristic harsh crunch.
• Increased morning stiffness
• Complete movement or even 90 degrees is accompanied by a pain symptom, sometimes so strong that it is impossible to complete it.
• Due to the appearance of deformation, the bones thicken and become rough;this can be determined by palpation.
• Synovitis can get worse

Third stage

In the third stage, which is already defined as late deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the symptoms appear:

• Constant pain that does not go away even at night: the knee hurts and twists, especially in cold and humid weather.
• A sharp reduction in the range of motion - no more than 90 degrees, or even less.
• Changes in gait: the patient begins to limp, walks slowly with legs half bent, waddles, climbing steps is especially difficult
• Visible severe deformation with mixing of the joint axes;Because of this, the legs take the shape of the letter "X" or "O" (such signs are called hallux valgus).
• At this stage, the cartilage, as a rule, is already completely destroyed and ossification (ossification) occurs in the ligaments.
• Subsequently, the surface of the joint becomes covered with calcium deposits, giving the knee a lumpy, uneven appearance.
• Due to severe deformation and lack of synovial fluid, knee movements become extremely painful.
• Gradually, almost complete immobility of the knee occurs - late deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint.

Gonarthrosis treatment

The treatment of this disease is complex and prolonged, effective only in the early stages.In the latter case, conservative treatment only contributes to alleviating the patient's situation.

Diagnosis.An important preliminary stage is diagnosis.

• The best way to diagnose and determine if the pain is caused by an injury or osteoarthritis is with an X-ray or MRI of the knee joint.
• Osteoarthritis is diagnosed if you notice: degeneration or absence of cartilage tissue and a small space between the joint and the capsule.

Conservative treatment

During exacerbations, the most important condition for treatment is:

• Maintain rest and do light exercise.
• Take pain relievers (for severe pain, in the form of intra-articular injections)
• In the third and fourth stages of osteoarthritis, injections with fluid are also prescribed to lubricate the joints.

For gonarthrosis, the following types of physiotherapy are effective:

• SWT (shock wave therapy)
• electromyostimulation
• acupuncture
• magnetotherapy
• radiofrequency therapy, etc.

Rehabilitation treatment

To avoid contractures and even greater immobility, knee exercises should be started immediately after the acute pain disappears;For this, exercise therapy is prescribed under the supervision of a rehabilitation specialist.Long-term cyclical administration of substitutes for natural cartilage components (chondroprotective drugs) is also carried out.

Attention: In the third degree, osteoarthritis of the knee joint cannot be cured with the help of chondroprotectors..

Surgical treatment

The effective treatment of late osteoarthritis is only surgical: replacing the joint that has lost its function with an endoprosthesis.

However, we must remember:

• In old age, prosthesis healing is slower
• After surgery there may be pain for a year.
• Long-term rehabilitation with mechanotherapy and comprehensive exercise therapy is needed.

If the patient rejects surgery, conservative supportive treatment is prescribed, the objective of which is to combat pain and preserve the motor function of the knee.

What is osteoarthritis of the knee joint often confused with - gonarthrosis?

• When diagnosing gonarthrosis.Errors occur as frequently, if not more, than in the diagnosis of hip diseases.
• Below is a list of diseases that are often confused with osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis).
• From the practice of Dr. Evdokimenko,Very often, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is confused with the following diseases:

Damage to the menisci (meniscopathy) and locking of the knee joint.

Meniscus injuries and knee locks occur in people of all ages, young and old.Men and women get sick with the same frequency.Typically, a knee joint is damaged.

Unlike gonarthrosis, the disease develops rapidly.As a rule, after an unsuccessful movement when walking, running or jumping, a person hears a crunch in the knee and feels sharp pain in the joint.After 10 to 15 minutes, the acute pain subsides slightly and the person can move.But the next day or so, the knee swells and the pain intensifies again.

Without proper treatment, the disease continues for years: the pain subsides or reappears.But compared to gonarthrosis, meniscopathy rarely causes deformation of the bones of the knee joint, unless damage to the meniscus triggers the development of knee osteoarthritis.And this, it should be noted, also happens quite frequently.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint (coxarthrosis)

The diagnosis of "gonarthrosis" is often mistakenly made with "referred" pain, which often occurs with osteoarthritis of the hip joint and extends from the hip joint to the knee.

But these conditions are very easy to differentiate: with osteoarthritis of the hip joint, the mobility of the knee does not decrease at all, the knee bends and straightens easily and without pain.

But the ability of a person suffering from osteoarthritis of the hip joint to rotate the leg "from the hip" and extend the legs to the sides decreases sharply.

A person suffering from gonarthrosis, on the other hand, easily rotates his leg from the hip and easily extends his legs to the sides.But he bends his knee with difficulty and crouches down in pain.

arthritis

The knee joints are the most vulnerable joints in the human body.In addition to osteoarthritis and meniscopathy, the knee joints can be affected by any of the arthritis described in the second part of the book: reactive, rheumatoid, psoriatic, gout, ankylosing spondylitis and articular rheumatism.

Arthritis affects people of any age, but most often the onset of the disease occurs in young people.

With arthritis, one or both knees may become swollen.

A characteristic feature of arthritic inflammation of the knee joint is a rapid onset (within 1 to 3 days), with obvious swelling and swelling of the knee, as well as increased pain in the affected joint at night (around 3 to 4 am).That is, the pain at night, at rest, can be stronger than when walking.With osteoarthritis, as you remember, the pain decreases at night.

In addition, almost any arthritis causes inflammation of not one, but several joints at once: in addition to the knees, the joints of the fingers and toes, elbow joints, ankle joints, and heel tendons become inflamed and swollen in any combination.

Vascular pain in the knees.

These pains, which arise due to poor blood circulation in the knee joints, are familiar to many people.They generally begin during adolescence, a period of active growth, since vascular development in fast-growing adolescents often does not keep pace with accelerated bone growth.

Once it occurs, vascular pain in the knees can accompany a person almost their entire life.But its intensity usually decreases at 18-20 years of age (and does not increase with age, as occurs with osteoarthritis).And unlike osteoarthritis pain, vascular pain in the knees is not accompanied by a decrease in mobility of the knee joints.

Pain sensations are usually symmetrical, that is, they are equally pronounced in the right and left knee;They occur when the weather changes, in the cold, during colds and after physical activity.At such times, sufferers complain that their knees "twist."

In most cases, vascular pain in the knees is easily eliminated by rubbing warm ointments, massage and self-massage (vigorous rubbing of the knees) or taking vasodilating drugs.No special therapy is required for this condition.

Inflammation of the tendons of the knee (bursa anserine periarthritis)

Women are mainly affected, most often over 40 years of age.The pain usually appears when going down stairs or when carrying heavy objects or heavy bags.When walking calmly on a level surface, pain is extremely rare.

The pain caused by periarthritis does not extend to the entire knee.It focuses exclusively on the inside of the knees, approximately 3 below the point where the knees would touch when bringing the legs together.And unlike osteoarthritis, with periarthritis there is no restriction of knee mobility;the leg bends and extends at the knee as expected, completely.