Knee osteoarthritis is a disease of the knee associated with pain, abnormal function of the moving parts, and a process of deformation of the bone and cartilage tissue of the joint.Most often, this disease affects people of a certain age.In most cases, women suffering from excess weight problem are affected.There are many causes of knee arthritis.The disease is often divided into several stages, each of which differs in the severity of painful symptoms and treatment possibilities.
Arthritis of the knee is a pathology that requires appropriate treatment and selected medications.> As for the stages of the disease, the first stage is characterized by the fact that the disease does not manifest itself in daily life and is difficult for ordinary people to recognize.Pain syndromes occur periodically and the joint deformation process does not occur.The first phase is usually the longest and can last from a few months to a few years.The pain usually occurs after prolonged physical activity and then goes away before a new strain occurs.
The first stage of knee osteoarthritis may be accompanied by abnormal accumulation of synovial fluid in the back of the knee joint.This fluid will subside if treated with anti-inflammatory medications prescribed by a highly qualified physician.
The second stage is more difficult.Walking is accompanied by pain, a crunching sound occurs during the process, and the leg becomes difficult to bend at the knee.In addition, people at this stage cannot stand on their own, it becomes difficult to perform various physical exercises, and the pain worsens.Intra-articular effusion is observed in almost all cases.Deformation begins in bone and cartilage tissue.The third stage is characterized by arthrosis of the knee and is the most difficult stage for the patient.The painful feeling does not leave the person and persists even during rest.In this condition, the knee cannot bend and the leg cannot fully extend.In addition, the bones and cartilage are significantly deformed and physical activity is simply impossible due to disability.Walking poses many problems, and treatment of the disease at this stage is extremely difficult and lengthy, and disability can be observed.
Disease causes and symptoms
Knee osteoarthritis is divided into two main types - primary and secondary arthritis.The first type is less common.It is characterized by the fact that it is an independent disease whose etiology develops independently without the involvement of any damage.It is worth mentioning that the main cause of disease progression has not yet been determined, but it is generally believed that the main reason is the disorder of metabolic processes in the body.
Additionally, there is a belief that knee arthritis may occur due to any damage to the cartilage tissue of the joint, such as improper metabolism, circulatory disorders, and other conditions.When doctors treat such conditions, all physical activity is contraindicated and running must be replaced with forms of physical activity such as moderate walking.
The second type of knee joint disease is secondary.The main cause of its occurrence is improper treatment of various minor joint injuries. The most common causes are:
- Meniscus disease - damage to the small menisci that develops after incorrect and sudden movements;
- Genetic predisposition, which is based on a lack of collagen in the body;
- Places severe physical stress on joints that can be prolonged without changing position;
- The problem of being overweight puts more stress on the affected joints;
- Loads on joint systems, e.g. skiing, jumping, games.
Treatment of knee joint disease
To avoid the progression of the disease leading to disability, doctors, especially good specialists, prescribe non-steroidal drugs to combat inflammation.Their use depends on the fact that it is necessary to relieve pain and suppress inflammation in the lesion, since pain is constant.Knee osteoarthritis is often treated with non-hormonal medications before massage, therapeutic exercises, or special physical exercises.This is because various loads and gymnastic tasks can cause increased pain, so pain must be suppressed prematurely.It's worth noting, and every doctor who treats the disease knows this, that this nonsteroidal drug does not treat the affected joint itself, nor does it eliminate the cause of the disease.They are designed to anesthetize only the lesion.
Taking chondroprotectants is a perfect way to treat arthritis of the knee and prevent disability.
These medications not only relieve pain but also influence the recovery process of cartilage tissue and improve fluid production in the joints.Treatment and prevention of knee arthritis with the help of chondroprotectants is the only possible and correct treatment.Only these drugs are designed to restore damaged joint tissue.
Another way to treat this disease is joint injections.Their advantage is that they relieve pain immediately.It is this property that is why doctors often prescribe this particular drug to relieve pain.However, many experts believe that the frequent use of such injections is unreasonable because the drug only works to relieve pain.A very important aspect is that this treatment must be used with extreme caution and observing all the rules.
Arthropathy is a serious pathology that requires careful attention to oneself.