Regular knee pain with movement and limited mobility indicate a serious problem with the joint. With a high degree of probability, osteoarthritis will be diagnosed - the breakdown of the cartilaginous tissue of the joint. To avoid disability, it will be necessary to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
What medications are prescribed to treat joint osteoarthritis?
The choice of the appropriate treatment system and medications depends on the degree of joint damage and the presence of concomitant diseases. If the osteoarthritis is in the 1st or 2nd stage, drug treatment is then possible. In the case of the 3rd stage of the disease, complicated by other conditions, the only treatment is surgery. Therefore, it is important to recognize the problem in time and start solving it using conservative methods.
Osteoarthritis can develop during childhood due to improper formation of ligaments or joint surfaces.
The disease can also appear after injury or the formation of other pathologies in the body, including:
- fractures, muscle strains, contusions and dislocations of the knee;
- consequences of professional sport;
- meniscus surgery;
- arthritis;
- obesity;
- salt deposits in the joint;
- pathologies accompanied by muscle spasms.
If treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint is started immediately after the first signs of the disease are identified, then complete recovery is possible. At a later stage, when the disease becomes chronic, long-term remission can be achieved.
Conventional treatments include:
- use of medications;
- manual therapy, exercise therapy, physiotherapy and massage;
- use of traditional medicine (ointments, frictions).
Today, doctors offer new methods of treating osteoarthritis of the knee: the use of drugs containing hormones, drugs to relieve spasms and restore the cartilaginous tissue of the joint. These are non-steroidal drugs that relieve inflammation, chondroprotectors, various types of ointments, compresses, intra-articular injections.
A complex treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint is also possible, in which the simultaneous use of traditional medicine, medications and massage is allowed. They complement each other, relieve pain and promote joint renewal.
Let's look at how each type of medication works in treating osteoarthritis.
general informations
In the process of restoring the joint, you should limit the load on the knee and adhere to the orthopedic regime. During an exacerbation, the patient's diet plays an important role.
All efforts at the processing stage should be aimed at:
- pain relief;
- elimination of inflammation and swelling;
- improve the condition of articular cartilage;
- activation of blood supply to the painful knee;
- restoration of joint muscles.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
The treatment regimen for knee osteoarthritis generally includes treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They reduce pain and eliminate inflammation. Prescribing medication in the form of injections is the most effective. The drugs act quickly on the affected area and do not affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes NSAIDs are used in the form of ointments. They are less effective and generally serve as a complement to the main treatment.
The attending physician usually prescribes nonsteroidal medications at the lowest effective doses, increasing them if necessary.
Chondroprotectors
In addition to NSAIDs, to improve the condition of a painful knee, chondroprotectors are prescribed, restoring cartilage tissue and improving the composition of synovial fluid. A distinctive feature of this group of drugs is the long recovery period during drug administration. Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint with chondroprotectors lasts six months or more. If no visible changes occur during this period, other recovery methods are selected.
It is advisable to use chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid simultaneously. Preparations based on hyaluronic acid are injected into the joint. They promote the restoration of connective tissues, as they participate in the formation of chondrocytes - articular cartilage cells.
Ointments for knee treatment
For osteoarthritis, the use of local medications, for example, ointments, is also recommended. They cannot completely cope with the disease, so they are used along with other drugs. Using ointments can speed up healing.
The main effects of ointments against osteoarthritis:
- relieve inflammation;
- eliminate pain;
- relieve muscle spasms;
- improve blood circulation;
- hot;
- improve the nutrition of joint tissues;
- protect against the development of an infection.
Compresses for the knee with osteoarthritis
This type of manipulation is most common in the treatment of gonarthrosis and osteoarthritis. This is due to the fairly rapid relief of the symptoms of the disease. Compresses are most often used in alternative medicine, where herbal decoctions and tinctures are used for treatment. It should be understood that a compress alone will not cure the disease, so you need to combine its use with taking traditional medicines.
The use of compresses is associated with quickly obtaining positive effects:
- blood circulation improves;
- nutrients and components of the drug quickly reach the affected area of the joint;
- muscle tone increases;
- inflammation is relieved;
- pain intensity decreases;
- the functionality of the synovial fluid is restored.
Intra-articular injections
Intra-articular injection is one of the most advanced forms of treatment. This therapy is very effective, but also quite expensive. The condition of the painful knee improves due to the fact that the medicine directly reaches the affected area. The drug stops the development of the inflammatory process and nourishes the articular cartilage. Intra-articular injections of chondroprotectors treat the joint and not only relieve symptoms.
If the drug is injected directly into the area of the joint capsule, it immediately begins to act. With intramuscular and intravenous injections and taking tablets, the time of action is significantly prolonged. Additionally, there are negative side effects on other organs.
There are two groups of medications prescribed for injections into the joint. These include glucocorticoids and hyaluronic acid.
Vitamin complex
Vitamins are an important supplement to medications and other treatments. They promote the rapid renewal of cartilage tissue, and also maintain the general condition of the body. When treating osteoarthritis, vitamins B, C, A and E are prescribed alongside medications.
Manual therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis
Comprehensive treatment of osteoarthritis should include manual therapy procedures. The specialist uses his hands on the patient's body to improve blood circulation in the affected joint, normalize its mobility and prevent atrophic processes. Manual exercises, when combined with medications, help in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip joints.
The duration of use of manual therapy procedures depends on the severity of osteoarthritis. Usually the doctor prescribes from 1 to 10 sessions. This method is effective in the initial or intermediate stages of the disease. The degree of damage, treatment methods and duration of use of each method should be prescribed by an orthopedist after a thorough diagnosis.
Physiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis
This method of treating the joint is very effective in combination with medications. Physiotherapy can speed up the recovery process, reduce the doses of medications taken and the risk of side effects.
There are several types of physiotherapy used for osteoarthritis:
- exposure to a magnetic field;
- electrophoresis;
- radiation exposure;
- ultrasonic influence.
The type of physiotherapy, their duration and quantity are prescribed by a physiotherapist after the patient's diagnosis. There are a number of concomitant diseases for which physiotherapy is contraindicated.
Physiotherapy
Special exercises for osteoarthritis are used in the early stages of the disease, when the cartilage tissue is not yet destroyed. Moderate physical activity can stop negative changes in the joints. At a later stage of osteoarthritis, physical education for therapeutic purposes is used during the period of remission, when primary treatment aimed at relieving pain and inflammation has been carried out.
All exercises should be performed smoothly with moderate load on the legs. A correctly selected exercise therapy complex improves blood circulation, increases metabolism and activates the absorption of drugs, strengthens muscles, which ensures effective treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
Physiotherapy exercises are included in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Surgery
Advanced osteoarthritis cannot be treated with medication. The only solution is surgery. It alone can restore knee mobility. Factors for prescribing surgical treatment are the third stage of osteoarthritis, the lack of effect of conservative methods and serious knee injuries against the background of developing osteoarthritis.
Today, there are four types of surgical intervention to treat knee pain:
- joint preservation;
- joint replacement;
- joint resection;
- strengthening of joints.
The type of operation is chosen by the doctor depending on the degree of damage to the joint, concomitant diseases and the response of the patient's body to the use of a particular method of conservative treatment. It should be understood that surgical intervention is accompanied by a long rehabilitation period using a complex of therapies. The need for surgical intervention must therefore be strictly justified by a complete diagnosis.
Diet
Proper nutrition during the development of osteoarthritis can reduce the rate of joint damage and increase the effectiveness of treatment of the disease. It is important to understand which foods should be present in the diet regularly and which should be abandoned forever. Sea fish, vegetables and fresh fruits help improve joint function. Fish oil improves the condition of cartilage. In addition, phosphorus, iron and selenium play an important role in the formation of many tissues, including cartilage. Apple and pomegranate juices have good anti-inflammatory properties. Their presence in the diet not only prevents the development of inflammatory processes, but also fights those that have already started.
People suffering from osteoarthritis should exclude foods containing trans fats from their diet. Additionally, avoid fatty meats, whole milk and corn oil. The fats contained in these products destroy the cartilage tissue of the joints.