If a cracking sound is heard in the knee joint during movement, this is the first sign of gonarthrosis. Conservative methods of traditional and alternative medicine will help prevent the destruction of cartilage and maintain normal motor function. Treatment should begin immediately - only in this case rheumatologists give a favorable prognosis.
What is gonarthrosis?
A non-inflammatory dystrophic degenerative disease that affects the largest joint, the knee, is called gonarthrosis. A rather unusual medical definition, has a simpler "popular" concept - "salt deposition". Although the clinical picture of gonarthrosis of the joints has little to do with an excess of calcified salts in the knee joint. They have no effect on pathology and are a side effect of impaired metabolism.
The development of gonarthrosis of the knee joint is facilitated by negative processes in the hyaline cartilage, primarily poor blood circulation in small bone vessels. The lack of nutrients and oxygen carried by the lymphatic flow leads to the destruction of the outer cartilage layer of the knee.
At first, the disease is extremely difficult to recognize. The joint deformity occurs slowly, until the vitreous hyaline cartilage is sucked out in the process. The anatomical structure of the ligament is changed. Turbidity occurs, the tissue thickens, becomes thin, cracks in all directions. The result of the pathology can be the complete disappearance of the cartilage, which leads to neoplasms on the bone tissue and irreversible curvature of the knee.
Disease classification
The International Classification of Diseases divides knee osteoarthritis into seven clarifying subheadings:
- Bilateral primary knee osteoarthritis. The diagnosis is most often made in women between the ages of 70 and 74 and men between the ages of 60 and 64. This puts the disease in the category of "old people".
- Another primary gonarthrosis. Pathology of a knee joint, due to natural wear or against the background of other diseases.
- Bilateral post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis. People of different age categories with severe leg injuries are affected.
- Other post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis. Unilateral, against the background of injuries and bruises of the limb.
- The other secondary gonarthroses are bilateral. They are the result of bruises, broken bones or chronic dislocations that have not completely healed. It is most often diagnosed in athletes who have heavy loads on both legs - football players, athletes, figure skaters.
- Other secondary gonarthroses. Unilateral development of pathology associated with the profession. For example, miners, metallurgists, fishermen.
- Gonarthrosis, unspecified. He is diagnosed with an unexplained etiology of the disease, after excluding age, occupational and genetic predisposition.
According to medical statistics, more than 10 million people of different age groups suffer from gonarthrosis of one type or another. Every year, about 3, 000 people with an established diagnosis die.
causes
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint develops due to impaired metabolism in the knee joint, which leads to loss of smoothness and elasticity of the cartilage.
Destructive processes are caused by various reasons:
- Diseases of the thyroid gland, which violate the hormonal background;
- Decreased permeability of blood vessels in the knee joint;
- genetic conditioning;
- natural aging;
- Past or present knee injuries of various origins;
- Obesity (more than 20% of the norm), which puts great pressure on the knee joint;
- Inflammatory joint diseases (polyarthritis, purulent arthrosis);
- Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis);
- Specific infectious pathologies (syphilis, tuberculosis, encephalitis);
- Living in ecologically unfavorable areas, poor quality of food and water.
In addition, rheumatologists identify several additional reasons leading to the development of gonarthrosis. Dysplasia in newborns. With this diagnosis, the joint wears out faster. Changes in the structure of collagen lead to violations of the protein located in the connective tissue.
Symptoms according to the degree of gonarthrosis
It is difficult to diagnose the initial stage of knee osteoarthritis. Only a description of the symptoms by the patients themselves and external examinations by rheumatologists make it possible to draw up a different clinical picture for each degree of evolution of gonarthrosis:
- I degree gonarthrosis.Drawing pains in the knee, feeling of some stiffness, partial loss of feeling, difficulty in bending the leg, especially after prolonged immobility, inability to walk or run for a long time, appearance of slight swelling. As a rule, the symptoms disappear after rest or simple anesthesia.
- Grade II knee osteoarthritis.At this stage, it is already possible to determine the pathology on an x-ray examination. The pain becomes stronger and occurs after each physical activity. The discomfort can still be relieved by rest. In the morning, it becomes more difficult to straighten the legs, it takes some time to restore motor function. The discomfort is complemented by frequent calf cramps, especially at night. During the movement, a cracking sound is heard. The swelling in the knee joint is pronounced. There are visible signs of limb deformity.
- III degree of gonarthrosis.There are irreversible changes in the knee joint. Cartilage abnormalities can be unequivocally determined on an X-ray. Knee pain becomes constant, sharp. The leg stops bending at the knee. The patient cannot walk without a cane or crutches. The swelling is significant. The anatomical shape of the knee is smoothed and takes on a solid appearance. There is a primary curvature of the spine.
Diagnostic
To make a correct diagnosis, a combination of clinical manifestations of arthrosis of the knee joint and complaints of the patient is used. To clarify or exclude the causes of the disease, studies are conducted in various ways.
The standard diagnosis proceeds as follows:
- Take a history of the disease. History of concurrent diseases, genetic predisposition, past traumas and surgeries, professional activities, etc.
- External evaluation of the deformation of the musculoskeletal system. Gait, posture, condition of the knee joint, curvature of the legs.
- General inspection. Palpation of the lower leg, thigh, damaged joint, determination of localization of the disease.
- Laboratory tests. A general blood test gives data on the absence of an inflammatory process. If the process is present against the background of other diseases, an increased sedimentation rate of erythrocytes will be found in the blood. The level of protein, globulin and fibrinogen will differ from the normative indicators. The biochemical composition will remain within standard limits. If the progression of the pathology is in the final stage, a biopsy of the synovial fluid from the knee joint is performed.
- Instrumental research. X-ray is the main and most common method for diagnosing suspected knee osteoarthritis. As a rule, a rheumatologist can easily determine changes in the structure of bone tissue from an image already at the beginning of stage 2 of the disease. The presence of secondary diseases and the causes of their occurrence are diagnosed using more modern and accurate equipment - MRI, CT, ultrasound, osteostincigraphy, thermography.
Treatment of gonarthrosis
Like all joint diseases, knee osteoarthritis requires systemic treatment, which should be started as soon as the first symptoms appear. In this case, the prognosis for therapy becomes favorable and guarantees a return to a normal way of life in a fairly short time.
Comprehensive treatment is aimed at eliminating the main signs of the disease:
- Discomfort, pain syndrome and muscle tone;
- Improve the motor function of the knee joint;
- Stopping the process of cartilage destruction;
- Strengthen connective muscles;
- Restoration of normal blood circulation in the knee joint.
Medications
Anti-inflammatory drugs
They help to cope with pain, relieve swelling caused by inflammation of muscle tissue.
Chondroprotectors
Regeneration and restoration of cartilage tissue is impossible without chondroprotectors. They are the main component of conservative treatment.
Vasodilators
They are used to improve the permeability of intra-articular blood vessels.
Hormonal drugs
Reduce the production of the hormone cortisone, to prevent the development of inflammatory processes.
Injections of hyaluronic acid
Used to restore intra-articular synovial fluid. Due to this, the friction between the articular parts is reduced, the motor function is normalized, and the elasticity of the cartilage tissue is restored.
Anti-enzyme agents
They inhibit the activity of trypsin, thereby preventing further destruction of the joint. Named in the complex.
Physiotherapy
Physiological treatments have been used successfully for decades to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. It can be a separate type of therapy, either as a preventive measure or during the rehabilitation period. The same goes for an integrated approach to the disease.
Most often, the following types of procedures are prescribed by a rheumatologist:
- Electrophoresis with painkillers;
- Ultrasound treatment;
- Magnetotherapy;
- laser exposure;
- paraffin applications;
- Mud treatment;
- Therapeutic exercise (exercise therapy);
- Manual therapy, massage with medicinal ointments.
Surgery and prostheses
If gonarthrosis is at an advanced stage, the tissues of the knee joint and cartilage are destroyed, it is impossible to do without surgery. Otherwise, the person will remain disabled for life.
Modern medicine offers several ways to solve the problem:
- Arthrodesis. Complete removal of affected tissues and knee joint. The body is freed from the focus of the disease, but the motor function of the limb is completely lost. It is used extremely rarely, if the patient has additional joint diseases.
- Arthroscopy. The destroyed hyaline cartilage is removed. The operation is minimally traumatic, has a short rehabilitation period. It is indicated for patients whose progress has not affected the knee joint itself.
- Periarticular osteomy. A complex operation, the essence of which is to file deformed bones and growths, with subsequent connection in the necessary anatomical structure.
- Stents. The completely destroyed knee joint is removed and a titanium prosthesis is placed in its place. An effective method that allows you to forget knee osteoarthritis forever. Requires careful preparation and long rehabilitation.
traditional medicine
The use of folk recipes in combination with conservative treatment can alleviate external symptoms (pain, swelling). Recipes with bay leaf, burdock root, St. John's wort, malt and hay have proven themselves. Ointments, creams, tinctures and decoctions are made from it.
These plants have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Requires regular, long-term use to achieve visible results.
Ointments and compresses made from honey, with the addition of alcohol or apple cider vinegar, relieve swelling well and have a calming effect on the affected tissues.
A nutritional blend is made of lemon and garlic, which is taken orally, one teaspoon each, after breakfast and dinner. Such a recipe has a general strengthening effect on the body, increases the permeability of blood vessels and nourishes the joints with useful trace elements.
It should be remembered that home treatments do not eliminate the main problem - the pathological destruction of the knee joint.
Diet
Compliance with the diet is an integral part of complex treatment. Adjusting your diet will not only help you control your weight, but also provide your bones and joints with essential vitamins.
For a patient with a diagnosis of gonarthrosis, it is contraindicated:
- Fried, spicy, salted, marinated food;
- fatty broths;
- sweet pastries;
- Fruits, high in acid enzymes;
- Alcoholic beverages.
The menu should be replenished with raw vegetables, fruits and herbs, low-fat sour-milk products, bone broths and dishes containing gelatin (jelly, jelly).
Additional methods
For the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, it is necessary to undergo regular spa treatment, at least once a year, if possible more often. Hydrotherapy, mud therapy and manual therapy procedures are able to preserve the disease for a long time and prevent the destruction of the joint.
It will take you the rest of your life to keep a painful knee stable. But it can become very useful for the body as a whole. Reviewing nutrition, getting rid of bad habits, playing sports, visiting resorts - the quality of life can improve significantly.
It should be remembered that self-medication, ignoring the main symptoms and unbearable stress on the sore knee joint can very quickly turn a healthy person into a helpless disabled person.