Osteoarthritis of the knee (gonarthrosis) is a chronic disease caused by degenerative changes in the cartilage tissue. The disease seriously disrupts the normal rhythm of life, causing severe pain and limiting mobility. Medical treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint helps to stop pain and stop degenerative processes in the early stages of the disease. At a later time, the problem is solved with the help of an operation.
Treatment of arthrosis with conservative methods
Therapy of gonarthrosis is carried out comprehensively and includes taking medications, physiotherapy, massage, physical therapy. Medicines relieve pain, improve blood circulation and promote tissue regeneration.
In the course of treatment, they use:
- pills;
- creams;
- gel;
- injections.
Modern medicine is developing new ways to treat gonarthrosis. Stem cell therapy and platelet rich plasma therapy are effective methods. Doctors emphasize the high efficiency of treatment and rapid tissue regeneration.
Pain relievers and anti-inflammatories
The choice of drugs for osteoarthritis depends on the degree of the disease, the characteristics of the organism and associated pathologies. At the 1st degree of the disease, a person feels some discomfort after prolonged exertion, dystrophic processes are just starting in the cartilage tissue. The treatment is carried out using topical ointments. For minor discomfort and pain, it is recommended:
- do gymnastics;
- reduce stress on the joint;
- take vitamin complexes;
- follow a diet.
The main drug therapy is used for the 2nd degree of the disease. A person begins to feel pain, a creak is heard when walking, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner, the range of motion is limited. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, stop the destructive processes in the joint and restore the mobility of the legs.
To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used, which give an analgesic effect and relieve inflammatory processes in the tissues.
In a note.Long-term use of these drugs adversely affects the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
Today, doctors are prescribing more and more "new generation" NSAIDs that can be used for a long time and have minimal side effects.
If an infectious disease joins osteoarthritis, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. To choose the right drug, the causative agent of the infection is identified. To do this, take the fluid from the joint cavity and put it in a nutrient medium. Based on the results of the analysis, the doctor prescribes a drug.
Chondroprotector
The main group of drugs in the treatment of arthrosis are chondroprotectors. They are applied in a long course and are well accepted by the body. Thanks to active substances, they block the destructive processes in the cartilage tissue, improve the production of synovial fluid and promote tissue regeneration.
In a note.The drugs are effective in the first two degrees of gonarthrosis. In the third, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and cannot recover on its own.
The most suitable drug will be selected by a specialist.
In a note.Medicines are available in the form of tablets and solutions for injection. The second form is the most effective. The therapeutic effect begins within minutes, bypassing the absorption process through the gastrointestinal tract.
Complementary therapy
Along with chondroprotectors, drugs are prescribed that help improve metabolic processes, blood supply and enrich the body with vitamins. For complex therapy, the following drugs are used:
- Muscle relaxants: eliminate smooth muscle spasms, reduce pain;
- Venotonics and vasodilators improve blood flow and tissue trophism around the joint;
- Vitamin complexes saturate the body with the necessary substances, have a positive effect on metabolic processes and improve general well-being.
- Local remedies in the form of cream, ointment and gel improve blood circulation in the knee joint, have a warming and decongestant effect and eliminate pain.
- Tablets with drugs are more effective than creams.
Intra-articular injections
Therapy for gonarthrosis is carried out by another method - injections into the joint. In medicine, this method of drug delivery is called blockade. Depending on the drugs used, the injection helps to effectively stop the pain syndrome when other means do not help, quickly eliminates inflammation and creates a protective layer that protects the cartilage tissue from further destruction.
In a note.The sequence of treatment is determined by the doctor. Hyaluronic acid preparations are given only after the inflammatory process is removed, otherwise the course of the disease can be aggravated.
Stem cells and plasma therapy
Modern methods of treatment of gonarthrosis are based on low invasiveness and shortening the recovery period. Such procedures include stem cell therapy, which, after injection, are able to transform into cartilage tissue cells, contributing to its regeneration. The material for the procedure is obtained from embryos and adipose tissues, bone marrow of an adult.
The procedure helps:
- eliminate pain;
- relieve swelling;
- restore motor functions;
- improve joint nutrition;
- accelerate metabolic processes.
The stem cells taken are grown under laboratory conditions, injected into the patient's joint. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
In a note.Therapy is performed only when cartilage tissue is still present and synovial fluid is produced. At grade 3 of the disease, treatment will not bring positive results.
A new method of treating osteoarthritis is the administration of platelet-rich plasma. The procedure is simple:
- blood sampling from the patient;
- the blood is placed in a test tube and centrifuged, where it is divided into erythrocytes, plasma with platelets;
- only platelet concerns are produced;
- the drug is injected into the knee.
With an increase in the number of platelets, increased regeneration of cartilage tissue begins. For treatment, it is necessary to carry out from 2 to 5 procedures, between which there is a 7-day break.
Other treatments
In the fight against gonarthrosis, people use various traditional and non-traditional methods, one of which is hirudotherapy (leech therapy). The saliva of worms contains many enzymes that are beneficial to humans. It allows you to:
- reduce blood viscosity, thereby improving blood circulation;
- relieve pain syndrome;
- improve metabolic processes.
In a note.Doctors compare the effect of leech saliva with chondroprotectors. Speeds up the cartilage repair process. In the early stages, the patient is completely cured.
Hirudotherapy is prescribed with caution to the elderly and children. The procedures are contraindicated for pregnant women, patients with poor blood clotting and heart failure.
For osteoarthritis of the knee, applications with ozokerite (black wax), a waxy mass made up of paraffin and resins, are no less effective. It is used for inflammatory and degenerative processes in cartilage structures. It has a thermal, analgesic, regenerating effect on the diseased joint.
Ozocerite is used as tablets and applications. The course of treatment should consist of at least 15 daily sessions.
Electrophoresis with drugs is no less effective. During the session, the drug penetrates deep into the diseased areas, bypassing the stomach and liver. This reduces the intake of drugs, and the effect of the procedure is more pronounced.
At home, you can use a special device. The device, when used locally, is exposed to UV radiation, heat. As a result, blood circulation, tissue trophism improves, biochemical reactions in the skin are activated. Positive patient feedback confirms the effectiveness of the procedures.
Operating modes
Surgical intervention is usually used at grade 3 and 4 of the disease, when the heads of the bones are practically bare and conservative therapy cannot give positive results.
With gonarthrosis, several types of operations are performed:
- Arthrodesis: Remove the remaining cartilage along with the joint. It is rarely used, as it does not allow to maintain the mobility of the limb.
- Arthroscopic debridement: the release of the joint from the cartilage tissue using an arthroscope. The procedure is used to relieve pain and is a temporary solution to the problem.
- Endoprosthesis is the most common and effective method of surgery for gonarthrosis. It allows you to maintain the mobility of the joint. Modern prostheses are made based on the individual characteristics of the patient. This allows the implant to take root quickly in the body without causing discomfort to the patient.
Joint replacement surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Surgeon:
- Make a longitudinal incision in the middle of the knee, push the tissue away.
- Process the damaged fragments of the bone surface (grinding), install a prosthesis (artificial cartilage), test.
- Fixation by cementation or tight fit.
- Suture the wound, apply a bandage and splint.
The whole operation takes 2-3 hours. The recovery period lasts about 4 months. The patient first learns to walk, gradually loading and strengthening the muscles. Physiotherapy, massage, swimming are recommended. The healing effect lasts up to 20 years, so a new replacement of the prosthesis is necessary, because over time it wears out.
Gonarthrosis is a chronic disease that can be successfully treated at an early stage. Even small symptoms cannot be ignored - it is necessary to immediately begin complex therapy in consultation with your doctor. In severe cases, only joint replacement can help avoid disability. Preventive measures include diet, vitamins, exercise, and moderate knee stress.