Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint at home

Knee osteoarthritis is a disorder of the hyaline cartilage that surrounds the oval processes of the tibia and femur.This chronic disease develops slowly and continuously progresses, due to which the hyaline cartilage is gradually destroyed.In the later stages of the disease, the damage affects the joint and is transferred to a part of the bone located in the immediate vicinity.

If you have osteoarthritis of the knee joint, you can treat it at home, but first you need to familiarize yourself with the basic principles.First of all, it is important to understand that therapy is a complex process.Treatment includes medication, diet, massage, exercise and physical therapy.

Arthrosis of the knee joint is called gonarthrosis, osteoarthrosis, defarthrosis.These are all different names for the same disease.

What is osteoarthritis of the knee?

Gonarthrosis is a progressive disease of the intra-articular cartilage, in which the nutrition of the tissue around the joint is impaired.Osteoarthritis mainly affects the elderly.Less often, professional athletes or people engaged in heavy physical labor suffer from this disease.

Symptoms

The main question that interests people with signs of arthrosis is the symptoms and treatment of the disease at home.Before contacting a doctor, do not ignore the signals your body is giving you.The following symptoms indicate that you have gonarthrosis:

• pain that occurs during running, intensive walking or climbing stairs;
• swelling, which is expressed in a slight swelling of the knee cap;
• accumulation of fluid in the joint, which leads to an increase in its volume (the joint swells and becomes like a ball);
• feeling of stiffness or tightness in the knees;
• pain that occurs when getting up from a sitting position and the first steps taken after getting up from a seat;
• heaviness in the knees;
• limited mobility;
• sharp pain on every attempt to bend the leg.

The severity of symptoms depends on the degree of gonarthrosis.In the early stages, the pain appears rarely and disappears when the patient walks a certain distance.In the later stages, the signs of the disease appear constantly and do not disappear even at night.

Degrees of arthrosis

Doctors distinguish 2 types of gonarthrosis: primary and secondary.Primary osteoarthritis occurs in elderly patients and is associated with age-related changes in their body.Secondary gonarthrosis is a consequence of injuries, pathologies and developmental disorders.This type of gonarthrosis can occur at any age.

There are 3 degrees (stages) of disease development:

1. Manifestations of gonarthrosis in the first stage are mild.Dull pain occurs irregularly.Most often this happens in cases where the joint is subjected to prolonged and heavy load.In the first stage of the disease, there is no deformation of the joint, only slight swelling is possible.
2. In the second stage, the symptoms of gonarthrosis appear at regular intervals.The nature of the pain changes: the discomfort becomes sharp, strong and long-lasting.Additional signs: the appearance of a crisis, stiffness and slight deformation of the joint.
3. The third stage of gonarthrosis: clinical manifestations intensify to the maximum.The pain becomes constant, the gait is disturbed, the swelling increases, the temperature in the joint area rises.

In severe cases, fragments of broken osteophytes appear - growths on the surface of bone tissue.This leads to a blockage of the joint, which is manifested by sharp pain.Therefore, the patient cannot move independently.

Most often, patients wonder how to treat grade 2 arthrosis.At this stage, the majority of patients consult a doctor.However, you should not delay visiting a medical facility.The earlier you start the treatment of gonarthrosis, the greater the chance that the treatment will give good results.

Reasons for the development of the disease

The occurrence of gonarthrosis is explained by a complex of factors.Doctors identify a number of causes of the disease:

1. Injuries: meniscus damage, tibial fractures, ligament damage.The pathology develops 3-5 years after the injury, but in some cases it appears much earlier - after 3-4 months.
2. Increased load on the joint.Gonarthrosis often affects professional athletes and people engaged in heavy physical labor.The risk group includes people who started playing sports after 40 years.They do not take into account age-related changes, which is why they put unusual stress on the joints.
3. Excess body weight.Excess weight leads to increased axial load on the joints.The latter leads to microtraumas, meniscus damage and ligament tears.The greater the patient's weight, the higher the risk of developing the disease.
4. Past illnesses.Pathologies that can lead to gonarthrosis over time include psoriatic, rheumatoid or reactive arthritis, gout, and ankylosing spondylitis.
5. Hereditary factor.The disease is caused by a weakness of the ligament apparatus, which is genetically determined.

Doctors identify several other causes: metabolic disorders, congenital anomalies, capillary fragility, blood circulation pathologies, hormonal and endocrine system disorders, old injuries that have not been treated.

Prevention

Prevention of arthrosis of the knee joints includes a set of the following measures:

• maintaining an optimal body weight through proper nutrition and dosed physical activity;
• drinking 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day;
• be careful when playing sports;
• See a doctor immediately if you feel discomfort in the knee area.

Experts recommend creating a diet taking into account the individual needs of bone and cartilage tissue.It is strictly forbidden to follow diets that are based on the refusal of certain foods (for example, cereals).This can lead to metabolic disorders and subsequent pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint at home?

To get rid of gonarthrosis at home, you need to approach the treatment comprehensively.Therapy includes medication, diet and physical therapy procedures.Conducting a massage for arthrosis is an equally important point that should be entrusted to medical professionals.Self-medication can lead to worsening of the disease.

Drug treatment

Before treating osteoarthritis of the knee, you need to understand how to relieve knee pain.Medication is the main part of the treatment aimed at eliminating pain and restoring cartilage tissue.

Medicines for arthrosis

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed to relieve inflammation and associated discomfort.This is a group of drugs that have a complex effect: they relieve pain, calm inflammation and reduce temperature.In the treatment of gonarthrosis, they are prescribed intravenously or intramuscularly.

Another group of pain relievers are COX-2 NSAIDs.This category of drugs has a similar therapeutic effect, but the side effects of these drugs are milder.Medicines from this group can be used to relieve pain for several months.

Painkillers help to relieve pain, but do not affect the cause of the disease.To cure gonarthrosis, you need to take chondroprotectors, hyaluronic acid, ointments and other drugs prescribed by a specialist.

Chondroprotectors

Chondroprotectors are a group of drugs intended for the restoration of cartilage tissue and symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis.Preparations from this group are produced from animal or vegetable raw materials, hyaluronic acid, collagen and chondroitin sulfate.The latest generation of drugs are a combination of the listed substances.They are also supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins.

Chondroprotectors are available in the form of gels, ointments, tablets and injectable solutions.

Ointments

Ointments, creams and gels are products suitable for rubbing.They have a number of effects:

• heat the affected area;
• calming inflammation;
• activate local blood circulation and distract from pain.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is part of epithelial, nervous and connective tissue.Preparations based on this component act on the joint in the same way as the natural lubrication of the joints, which is why they were given a second name - "liquid prostheses".

It forms a film on the surface of the damaged tissue, which performs a protective function.This helps to prevent further breakdown of the cartilage tissue and improve the gliding of the surfaces that come into contact with each other during movement.

Compresses with medicines

To improve effectiveness, ointments and solutions can be used in the form of compresses.Ointments, creams or gels are applied to the affected area using a napkin and secured with a bandage.A plastic film is placed on top, and a cotton cloth is placed on top of it.You can keep this compress for no more than an hour.

People's funds

Traditional medicine in combination with traditional medicine gives excellent results.

Towels and baths

The rub is a mixture of medicinal solutions that is rubbed into the skin of the affected area.The goal is to improve blood flow, warm the sore spot, and distract the patient from the pain.It is recommended to use this method in combination with a sauna or hot tub.First, you need to warm the body with hot water or a steam bath in the bathroom, and then apply a mixture of medicinal solutions to the sore spot.

Tinctures and decoctions

Infusions and decoctions will help relieve pain and improve the patient's condition in the initial stages of gonarthrosis.The following folk remedies are used to relieve symptoms: black bean tea, infusion of lemon, garlic and nettle, and decoction of beef hooves.

Compresses

You can make your own compresses based on natural ingredients.They are carried out in the same way as wrapping with ointments and solutions.For a base, you can use natural honey, clay, camphor oil and young dandelion leaves.This compress can be left overnight.

Exercise therapy and procedures

Therapeutic gymnastics

Doing knee arthrosis exercises at home is one of the most effective ways to self-treat this disease.Physiotherapy exercises are not prescribed for patients with exacerbations of gonarthrosis.You can perform exercises only during periods when there is practically no pain and mobility is not limited.

Therapeutic massage

In gonarthrosis, specialists allow self-massage of the knee joint.In order for the massage technique to give the expected result, it is important to do it correctly.The knee joint massage technique is as follows:

1. Sit in a chair, bend your knees at a right angle.To make it more comfortable, place a bench or a small chair under your feet.
2. During the process, one hand should be behind the knee and the other in front.
3. There are several ways to massage the knee: rubbing with the edge of the palm, a hand clenched into a fist, or a gentle circular stroking with the pads of the fingers is allowed.

Experts recommend knee massage for arthrosis at home up to 5 times a day.The total duration of the procedure is up to 15 minutes.Contraindications for massage: acute stage of the disease, bleeding, vascular thrombosis, fever, fever.

Thermal treatments

It is an effective method of treatment that is used together with other methods.The procedure is performed after the acute stage of gonarthrosis subsides.This treatment option is aimed at expanding blood vessels, activating metabolic processes, accelerating regeneration and increasing joint mobility.Pain relief is another bonus that thermal treatments provide.

Magnetic therapy device

There is a device that emits a magnetic field that comes into contact with charged particles in the body and accelerates metabolic processes.Thanks to this, the restoration of cartilage tissue is stimulated, the production of natural lubricant increases and metabolic processes are improved.

The device is often used in medical facilities and sanatoriums.Therapy with the device can also be carried out at home.The kit includes detailed operating instructions.

food

The patient with gonarthrosis must get rid of excess weight and remove harmful foods from his diet.Below are two charts that will help you lose weight and eat foods that are good for your joints.

Useful and prohibited foods

In the treatment of arthrosis, doctors recommend maintaining a normal weight and following the following diet:

Healthy products	Prohibited products
lean meat; mineral water without gas; nuts; cereals; birds and fish; fermented milk products; bone broth jellied meat; chicken eggs.	tomatoes; refined oils; mayonnaise; fast food; alcohol; coffee; flour and sweet products; fruits with a high acid content; sausages; sausages; fatty meat; black pepper; white cabbage.

You should eat often and in small portions (up to 300 g).The last meal should be no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.

An example of a diet

Sample menu:

breakfast	Lunch	Afternoon breakfast	Dinner	Late dinner
buckwheat porridge with mushrooms - 150 g; a piece of rye bread - 20 g.	jellied meat of pork legs - 250g.	a glass of kefir - 250 ml.	mashed potatoes - 100 g; roasted pollock - 80 g.	chicken breast - 80 g.

You can add all allowed products to the menu.The main rule is not to overload the body with heavy food and eat on schedule.