Arthrosis of the knee (gonarthrosis) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in cartilage tissue. The disease severely disrupts the normal pace of life, causing severe pain and limiting mobility. Medical treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint helps to stop pain and degenerative processes in the early stages of the disease. Afterwards, the problem is solved with the help of an operation.
Treatment of arthrosis with conservative methods
The therapy of gonarthrosis is carried out comprehensively and includes taking medication, physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy. Medicines relieve pain, improve blood circulation and promote tissue regeneration.
During treatment, 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 the treatment and rapid tissue regeneration.
Analgesics and anti-inflammatories
The choice of drugs for arthrosis depends on the degree of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and associated pathologies. In the 1st degree of the disease the person feels a little discomfort after prolonged efforts, dystrophic processes are just beginning in the cartilage tissue. Treatment is carried out with topical ointments. For discomfort and mild pain, it is recommended:
- do gymnastics;
- reduce joint stress;
- take vitamin complexes;
- follow a diet.
The main drug therapy is used for the 2nd degree of the disease. The person starts to feel pain, there is a clicking sound when walking, the cartilaginous tissue becomes thinner, the range of motion is limited. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, stop destructive processes in the joint, and restore leg mobility.
For pain relief, 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 negatively 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 the arthrosis, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. To choose the right drug, the causative agent of the infection is identified. To do this, remove the fluid from the joint cavity and place it in a nutrient medium. Based on the test results, the doctor prescribes a drug.
Chondroprotectors
The main group of drugs used to treat arthrosis are chondroprotective drugs. They are applied over a long course and are well accepted by the body. Thanks to the active substances, they interrupt the destructive processes in the cartilage tissue, improve the production of synovial fluid and promote tissue regeneration.
On a note.The drugs are effective in the first two degrees of gonarthrosis. In the third, the cartilaginous tissue is destroyed and cannot recover on its own.
The most suitable medicine will be selected by a specialist.
On a note.Medicines are available in the form of pills and injectable solutions. The second way is the most effective. The therapeutic effect starts within a few minutes, bypassing the absorption process through the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary Therapy
Along with chondroprotectives, medications 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 necessary substances, have a positive effect on metabolic processes and improve general well-being.
- Local remedies in the form of cream, ointment and gel improve blood circulation in the knee joint, have a warming and decongestant effect, and eliminate pain.
- Medicated compresses are more effective than creams.
Intra-articular injections
Therapy for gonarthrosis is performed by another method - injections into the joint. In medicine, this method of drug administration is called blocking. Depending on the medications used, the injection effectively helps to stop the pain syndrome when other means do not help, quickly eliminate 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 physician. Hyaluronic acid preparations are administered only after removal of the inflammatory process, otherwise the course of the disease may be aggravated.
Stem Cell and Plasma Therapy
Modern methods of treating gonarthrosis are based on low invasiveness and a shortened recovery period. These procedures include therapy with stem cells, which, after injection, are able to transform into cartilage tissue cells, contributing to their regeneration. Material for the procedure is obtained from embryos and adipose tissue, bone marrow from an adult.
The procedure helps:
- eliminate pain;
- relieve swelling;
- restore motor functions;
- improve joint nutrition;
- accelerate metabolic processes.
The stem cells collected are cultured under laboratory conditions and injected into the patient's joint. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
On a note.Therapy is only performed when cartilage tissue is still present and synovial fluid is being produced. In grade 3 of the disease, treatment will not bring positive results.
A new method of treating arthrosis is the administration of platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is simple:
- blood collection from the patient;
- blood is placed in a test tube and centrifuged, where it is divided into erythrocytes, plasma with platelets;
- only platelet concerns are produced;
- the drug is injected into the knee.
As the number of platelets increases, the improved regeneration of cartilage tissue begins. For the treatment it is necessary to carry out 2 to 5 procedures, between which there is an interval of 7 days.
Other treatments
In the fight against gonarthrosis, people use various traditional and non-traditional methods, one of which is hirudotherapy (leech therapy). The worm's saliva contains many enzymes that are beneficial to humans. It allows you to:
- reduce blood viscosity, thus improving blood circulation;
- relieve pain syndrome;
- improve metabolic processes.
On a note.Doctors compare the effect of leeches' saliva with chondroprotectives. It speeds up the cartilage repair process. In the early stages, the patient is completely cured.
Hirudotherapy is prescribed with caution for the elderly and children. The procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women, patients with poor blood clotting and heart failure.
For arthrosis of the knee, applications with ozokerite (black wax), a waxy mass composed of paraffin and resins, are no less effective. It is used for inflammatory and degenerative processes in cartilage structures. It has a thermal, analgesic and regenerating effect on the diseased joint.
Ozokerite is used as compresses and applications. The course of treatment should consist of at least 15 sessions daily.
Drug electrophoresis is no less effective. During the session, the drug penetrates deeply 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 ultraviolet radiation, heat. As a result, blood circulation, tissue trophism improves and the skin's biochemical reactions are activated. Positive patient feedback confirms the effectiveness of the procedures.
operating methods
Surgical intervention is generally used in grades 3 and 4 of the disease, when the heads of bones are practically bare and conservative therapy cannot give positive results.
With gonarthrosis, several types of operations are performed:
- Arthrodesis - remove the remaining cartilage along with the joint. It is rarely used as it does not allow the limb to remain mobile.
- Arthroscopic debridement - the release of the joint from cartilaginous tissue using an arthroscope. The procedure is used to relieve pain and is a temporary solution to the problem.
- The endoprosthesis is the most common and effective method of surgical intervention for gonarthrosis. It allows you to maintain joint mobility. Modern prostheses are made according to the patient's individual characteristics. 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:
- Make a longitudinal incision in the middle of the knee, separating the tissue.
- Processes the damaged fragments of the bone surface (rectification), installs a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), forehead.
- Fixes by cementation or tight fit.
- Suture the wound, apply a bandage and a splint.
The entire 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 up to 20 years, so a new replacement of the prosthesis is necessary, as it wears out over time.
Goonarthrosis is a chronic disease that can be successfully treated at an early stage. Even small symptoms cannot be ignored - you need to start complex therapy immediately in consultation with your doctor. In severe cases, joint replacement alone can help to prevent disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise and moderate stress on the knees.