Osteoarthritis of the knee, or knee osteoarthritis, mainly affects women, usually after the age of forty. At an earlier age, such a pathology can develop as a result of injury or professional sports. Particularly severe course of the disease is observed in people who are overweight or suffer from varicose veins of the lower extremities.
The onset of the disease is characterized by the appearance of moderate pain in the knee when moving, especially when walking on the stairs. In addition, pain can occur if a person stands for a very long time or gets up after a long stay in a sitting position. At rest, the pain usually goes away. Sharp and intense pain in osteoarthritis of the knee joint does not occur spontaneously, it is usually preceded by long-term discomfort when walking, physical activity. One of the main signs of knee osteoarthritis is the gradually increasing pain.
Stages of the disease
First step
At the initial stage of development of knee osteoarthritis, the bones of the knee do not change shape, only swelling of the joint may occur, usually associated with the accumulation of fluid in the knee. If its amount exceeds the allowable level, edema develops, affecting the back of the leg. In this case, you can relieve the puffiness with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Second step
The next stage of osteoarthritis of the knee is characterized by a significant increase in the intensity of pain. Pain is felt even after a light load, a squealing appears in the knee joint, which intensifies if the disease progresses. The patient bends the leg with difficulty, there is severe pain, until it is completely impossible to bend it at the knee. Also in the second stage of the disease, the joint begins to change its shape, which becomes quite noticeable on palpation - the expansion and engorgement of the joint bones is felt. Synovitis manifests itself much more strongly at this stage - the appearance of puffiness as a result of the accumulation of fluid.
Third step
The third stage of the disease is characterized by the onset of severe pain, which occurs even at rest. The patient searches for a suitable position for a long time, in which the pain will be lower. With impaired blood circulation, pain can bother a person even while sleeping, causing pain to feel in the joint. Mobility of the joint is minimized, the person is often unable to keep the leg in an upright position and is forced to bend it when walking. With a significant deformation of the bones, the gait waddles, a change in the shape of the lower limbs becomes noticeable.
How to recognize osteoarthritis of the knee joint?
The patient is initially referred for a blood test, followed by an x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, or CT scan.
In some cases, ultrasound or arthroscopy (examination of the joint with a special device through a small incision) may be prescribed.
During the x-ray examination, the stage of development of the disease is determined, the image shows changes in the joint and bones, as well as the distance between the bones. At an early stage of the disease, changes in cartilage tissue are not visible on an x-ray.
Ultrasound examination, as well as computed tomography, can reveal abnormalities in soft joint tissue and determine the amount of fluid that has accumulated during the development of synovitis.
How is osteoarthritis of the knee treated?
Osteoarthritis of the knee is treated by specialists such as a rheumatologist or an orthopedist. At an early stage, the disease is in most cases curable without surgery, but the treatment must necessarily be comprehensive and qualified. In the second and third stages, it is impossible to return the joint to its previous shape without surgery, it is only possible to improve the condition of the periarticular tissues.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used to reduce inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis of the knee joint. After reducing the pain syndrome, the patient can be prescribed massage, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy procedures.
For the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, drugs that belong to the group of chondroprotectors and provide restoration of cartilage tissue are also used. Such preparations also help to maintain the elasticity of cartilage, the saturation of its tissue with moisture. In the first and second stages, chondroprotectors have a gradual effect, the treatment is quite long and can even last a year or a year and a half. The simultaneous intake of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate has a greater effect. At the third stage, these drugs are no longer able to have a positive effect.
A good effect in the treatment of osteoarthritis is drugs which are used to dilate the blood vessels. They are able to improve blood circulation in the joint and relieve spasms in small vessels, which helps restore the affected joint. It is recommended to combine the intake of such drugs with the use of chondroprotectors. In order to relieve painful muscle spasms, muscle relaxants may be prescribed to the patient. These drugs are only used in combination with chondroprotectors and joint traction. A Dimexide compress also has a positive effect in the treatment of osteoarthritis, reducing inflammation and relieving pain, especially when fluid builds up. To prepare such a compress, you need to mix a tablespoon of boiled water with a tablespoon of Dimexide. Then moisten a medical plaster in the resulting solution, then place the affected joint and cover it with a plastic bag and a layer on top. The duration of the procedure is twenty to sixty minutes, once a day, not more, for two to three weeks.
All drugs are used in the absence of contraindications, strictly as prescribed by the doctor. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint requires medication, physiotherapy, and therapeutic exercises.