What is the meaning of the diagnosis "osteoarthritis of the knee"
This is the condition in which the cartilage can warp and be destroyed. Cartilage is dense tissue, plays the role of the shock in every joint, it is necessary for the movements of the. During the destruction of the cartilage of the hip joint gradually loses mobility, and if the disease is not treated, it ceases to function. However, in the early stages of osteoarthritis is completely treatable with the help of medicines and physiotherapy.
By the way, About 12% of people suffering arthritis, and retirement age this number is more than half — a quarter of all older people complain of symptoms of this disease.
Women suffer osteoarthritis more often than men.
In the high risk group also includes athletes actively training and minor injuries of the cartilage, often leading to restriction of mobility of joints at an early age.
There is evidence that the arthropathy there is some genetic predisposition. If you don't have a family history of the disease, should monitor closely the condition of the joints.
The causes of the disease
Reasons for development of osteoarthritis of the knee a lot. These include:
- injuries and minor injuries of the joints;
- excess weight is an excessive load on the joint of the knee;
- disorders of metabolism, the which cartilage is devoid of essential nutrients;
- unbalanced load during physical work or too intense workout?
- malfunctions of the circulatory system, in which disturbance of the nutrition of the cartilage;
- long-lasting spasms of the blood vessels of the legs. The degree of osteoarthritis of the knee and symptomatology
Knee osteoarthritis develops gradually.Therefore, there are various degrees of this disease.
1 degree. In this stage changes are minor and can even weakly determined by instrumental surveys. The rate of osteoarthritis show symptoms such as a slight stiffness in the knee joint after a long stillness (often — from the morning) and the crackle in the audience with any sudden movements. Intense pain usually does not exist, this is why people often ignore these points and to go to the doctor only when knee osteoarthritis reaches the 2nd stage.
2 the degree of a Joint is deformed in the x-ray images of a sharply narrowing of joint cracks and deformation of the cartilage. The symptoms are intensely acute — patients complain of constant pain, which is reinforced during initiation of movement, restriction of mobility, apparent stiffness in the morning. Small efforts (for example, hoist load) also cause pain. Sometimes the skin over the joint turns red, a little swollen and is warm to the touch — he says that for the development of the inflammatory process. When osteoarthritis of the knee 2nd degree the patients note increased pain when a change in the weather or after insulation.
3 degree. Severe osteoarthritis of the knee is characterized by pain in any movements, lameness, sometimes — apparent shortening of the limb. The area of the hip in particular is on the rise, while every morning the man just can't get out of bed — sometimes you have to wait half an hour before the mobility partially restored. In 3-th degree of osteoarthritis of the knee cartilage significantly thinner, and some destroyed at all, so the bones to come in contact with each other.
4 extent. The complete destruction of the cartilage, untold pain and immobility — here's what you can get, if we ignore the signs of osteoarthritis until the last. The joint gap disappears and it starts the deformation of the bones. Diagnosis as the first stage of treatment
If you suspect the disease you must book an appointment with the doctor, podiatrist, which will put the diagnosis.
Diagnosis of osteoarthritis includes laboratory and instrumental methods.
To the first belongs the general and biochemical blood analysis, as well as a urine analysis. These tests allow you to eliminate autoimmune diseases, leading to damage of the joints, to determine the presence of inflammation.
Of instrumental methods for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis is most often used the simple x-ray in two projections, ULTRASOUND, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging.
Methods for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee
Osteoarthritis of the knee is treated, but the prognosis is more favourable, if you start treatment as early as possible, for 1-2-th stage of the disease. Treatments a lot of, but only comprehensive treatment gives the desired result.
Between effective methods — shock-wave, the pharmaceutical treatment, the attraction of joints, intra-articular introduction of drugs, muscle toning, and physical therapy (PHYSIOTHERAPY).
Drug therapy
It helps to fight only with the symptoms of the disease.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
relief from inflammation and pain.
chondroprotectors
it stimulates the nutrition of the articular cartilage. As a supplement widely used ointment or gel with analgesic action, as well as the external instrument for the relief of inflammation and the improvement of the microcirculation of the blood.
UHT
Shock-wave therapy — a method in which the therapeutic effect is achieved by the effect of sound waves to damaged tissue of the joint. It's a relatively painless procedure, which, however, allows to achieve impressive results — to relieve pain, to destroy and to soften the calcium deposits (osteophytes of), to improve the metabolism in tissues, result in normal blood flow and relieve the swelling, speaking the language of the townsfolk, — "clean up" the audience. The effectiveness of treatment reaches 90%.
Physical THERAPY
Physical therapy — almost a necessary part of the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. kinesitherapy is a specific exercises with a carefully calculated load, and mechanotherapy — exercises that are performed with the help of a special medical simulators. PHYSIOTHERAPY allows you to get back to the pelvis mobility, improve blood circulation, to develop and strengthen ligament welding.
Resistance of joints
Drag, or resistance of the joints is done in a special artificial machine. This method of stretching together and extend a common slot, thereby reducing the friction of the articular surfaces, and sore joints are unloaded. The positive result in 80% of cases.
Intra articular injections
As performed for the extraction of additional synovial fluid, and for the introduction of drugs — anti-inflammatory, painkillers and improve blood circulation in the articular cartilage of drugs, etc.
It is worth to tell you about this method, such as injections own plasma of the patient in a common bag of growth factors contained in plasma. It will accelerate the restoration and regeneration of the damaged cartilage of the joints. The advantage of plazmolifting is that the creature is not an allergy, it is safe biological stimulate regeneration. 2-3 months after the course plazmolifting patients notice that the pain and stiffness was reduced by half, and the mobility of the joint is improved.
Muscle toning
The method of treatment based on stimulation of the muscle microcurrents. When osteoarthritis of the knee occurs atrophy of the muscles of the thigh, disrupting the circulation of the blood. This dramatically increases the load on joints.
Stimulation of muscles allows you to strengthen these muscles, the more you remove the load with the public, to improve the circulation of the blood, to form a reliable framework for the public.
Surgery
arthroscopic debridment. The method, which aims at the removal of public information of the damaged cartilage, parts of meniscus. The operation is performed under the supervision of a video camera. Arthroplasty. If the joint is destroyed completely, then it can only be replaced with an artificial one. The endoprosthesis resort only in the most severe cases, — in the third or fourth stage of the disease.
The new joint will last 12-15 years. For the early diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee it is important not to pull up the last and you don't have to postpone the visit to the doctor, making self-medication and the application of otc tools.
Osteoarthritis develops gradually, however, in some individuals between the first signs of the disease, and from that moment on, when save members of the public can only function, passing just a few years — it all depends on the individual characteristics of the body. In most cases, early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment approach in a position to be treated, the symptoms of osteoarthritis and to restore the public.