Knee arthrosis (gonarthrosis) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in cartilage tissue. The disease seriously disrupts the normal rhythm of life, causes severe pain and restricts movement. Medication treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint helps to stop the pain and stop the degenerative processes in the early stages of the disease. Later, the problem is solved with the help of surgery.
Treatment of osteoarthritis by conservative methods
The therapy of gonarthrosis is carried out in a comprehensive manner and includes medication, physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy. Medications relieve pain, improve blood circulation, and promote tissue regeneration.
In the treatment process they use:
- Pills;
- Creams;
- Gels;
- 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 the rapid regeneration of tissues.
Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs
The choice of treatment for osteoarthritis depends on the degree of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and the associated pathologies. In the 1st degree of the disease, a person experiences slight discomfort after long labor, dystrophic processes in the cartilage tissue have just begun. Treatment is carried out using topical ointments. In case of discomfort and minor pain it is recommended:
- In gymnastics;
- Reduce joint stress;
- Take vitamin complexes;
- Follow a diet.
Basic drug therapy is used for grade 2 disease. The person begins to ache, crackling is heard while walking, cartilage tissue is thinned, range of motion is limited. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, stop destructive processes in the joint, and restore leg mobility.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to relieve pain, which give an analgesic effect and relieve inflammatory processes in the tissues.
On the note.Prolonged 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 medication, the causative agent of the infection is identified. To do this, take the fluid from the joint cavity and place it in a nutrient medium. Based on the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribes the drug.
Chondroprotectors
The main group of drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis are chondroprotectors. They are used in a long course and are well absorbed by the body. Thanks to the active substances, they stop the destructive processes in the cartilage tissue, improve the production of synovial fluid and promote tissue regeneration.
On the note.Medications are effective in the first two degrees of gonarthrosis. In the third, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and cannot be restored by itself.
The most suitable drug will be selected by a specialist.
On the note.Medications are available in the form of tablets and injectable solutions. The second form is the most effective. The therapeutic effect begins in a few minutes, bypassing the process of absorption through the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary therapy
Along with chondroprotectors are prescribed medications that help improve metabolic processes, blood supply and enrich the body with vitamins. The following drugs are used for complex therapy:
- 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.
- Topical remedies in the form of creams, ointments and gels improve blood circulation in the knee joint, have a warming and soothing effect and relieve pain.
- Compresses with medications are more effective than creams.
Intra-articular injections
The therapy of gonarthrosis is carried out by another method - injections into the joint. In medicine, this method of taking drugs is called blockade. Depending on the medication used, the injection helps to effectively stop the pain syndrome when other remedies do not help, quickly eliminating the inflammation and creating a protective layer that protects the cartilage tissue from further destruction.
On the note.The sequence of treatment is determined by your doctor. Hyaluronic acid preparations are taken only after the removal of the inflammatory process, otherwise the course of the disease may be exacerbated.
Stem cell and plasma therapy
Modern methods of combating gonarthrosis are based on low invasiveness and reduced recovery period. Such procedures include stem cell therapy, which after injection can grow into cartilage tissue cells, promoting its regeneration. Material for the procedure is obtained from embryos and adipose tissue, from the bone marrow of an adult human.
The procedure helps:
- Pain relief;
- Relieve swelling;
- Restoration of motor functions;
- Improve joint feeding;
- Accelerate metabolic processes.
The taken stem cells are grown under laboratory conditions, injected into the patient's joint. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
On the note.Therapy is carried out only when there is still cartilage tissue and synovial fluid is formed. Treatment of the 3rd degree of the disease will not bring positive results.
A new method of treating osteoarthritis is the introduction of platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is simple:
- Taking blood from the patient;
- The blood is placed in a test tube and centrifuge, where it is divided into erythrocytes, plasma with platelets;
- Only platelet disturbances arise;
- The drug is injected into the knee.
Increased platelet count begins with enhanced cartilage tissue regeneration. Treatment requires 2 to 5 procedures, including a 7-day break.
Other treatments
People use various traditional and non-traditional methods to fight gonarthrosis, one of which is hirudotherapy (lechotherapy). Worm saliva contains many enzymes that are beneficial to humans. It allows you to:
- Reduces blood viscosity, thereby improving blood circulation;
- Removal of pain syndrome;
- Improve metabolic processes.
On the note.Doctors compare the effect of Lech saliva to chondroprotectors. It speeds up the cartilage recovery process. At the initial stage the patient is fully cured.
Hirudotherapy is prescribed with caution to the elderly and children. The procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women, patients with blood clotting and heart failure.
No less effective in osteoarthritis of the knee is the use of ozokerite (black wax), a waxy mass composed of paraffin and resins. Used for inflammatory and degenerative processes of cartilage structures. It has a thermal, analgesic, restorative effect on the diseased joint.
Ozokerite is used in both compresses and applications. The course of treatment should consist of at least 15 daily sessions.
No less effective is electrophoresis with medications. During the session, the drug penetrates deep into the affected 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 is subject to ultraviolet radiation, heat when used topically. The result is improved blood circulation, tissue trophism, activated biochemical reactions in the skin. Positive feedback from patients confirms the effectiveness of the procedures.
Operational methods
Surgical intervention is usually used in grade 3 and 4 disease when the bone heads are practically bare and conservative therapy fails to give a positive result.
Several types of surgery are performed during gonarthrosis:
- Arthrodesis - Remove the remaining cartilage along with the joint. It is rarely used because it does not allow the limb to maintain mobility.
- Arthroscopic Debridement - The removal of a joint from cartilage using an arthroscope. The procedure is used to relieve pain and is a temporary solution to the problem.
- Endoprosthesis is the most common and effective method of surgical intervention for gonarthrosis. This allows you to maintain joint mobility. Modern prostheses are made according to the individual characteristics of the patient. This allows the implant to quickly take root 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, removing the tissue.
- Handles damaged fragments of the bone surface (grinding), puts on a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), inspects.
- Fixed with cement or tight fit.
- Sews the wound, puts on a bandage and splint.
The whole operation takes 2-3 hours. The recovery period lasts about 4 months. The patient first learns to walk, gradually loading and strengthening the muscles. Exercise therapy, massage, swimming are recommended. The healing effect lasts for up to 20 years, then it is necessary to replace the prosthesis with a new one, 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 start complex therapy immediately after consulting your doctor. In severe cases, just replacing the joint will help prevent disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise and moderate knee stress.