Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint at home

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a disorder of the hyaline cartilage that surrounds the oval prominence of the tibia and femur.This chronic disease develops slowly and constantly develops, which causes the hyaline cartilage to be gradually destroyed.In the final stage of the disease, the damage affects the joints and is transferred to the bones located in the nearby area.

If you have arthrosis of the knee joint, you can treat it at home, but before doing so, you should familiarize yourself with the basic principles.First of all, it is important to understand that therapy is a complex process.Treatment includes medication, diet, massage, exercise therapy and physical therapy.

Arthrosis of the knee joint is called gonarthrosis, osteoarthrosis, defarthrosis.These are all different names for the same disease.

What is knee arthrosis?

Gonarthrosis is a progressive disease of intra-articular cartilage in which the nutrition of the tissue around the joint is affected.Osteoarthritis mainly affects older people.Less commonly, professional athletes or people involved in heavy physical labor are affected by this disease.

symptoms

The main question that interests people with signs of arthrosis is the symptoms and treatment of the disease at home.Before calling a doctor, don't ignore the signals your body is giving you.The following symptoms indicate that you have gonarthrosis:

• pain that appears during running, vigorous walking or walking up stairs;
• swelling, which is expressed by a slight swelling of the kneecap;
• accumulation of fluid in the joint, which leads to an increase in its volume (the joint swells and becomes ball-like);
• feeling of stiffness or tightness in the knees;
• pain that occurs when rising from a sitting position and the first step taken after rising from a sitting position;
• heaviness in the knees;
• limited mobility;
• sharp pain with any attempt to bend the leg.

The severity of symptoms depends on the degree of gonarthrosis.In the early stages, the pain rarely appears and disappears when the patient walks a certain distance.In the next stage, the signs of the disease appear continuously and do not subside even at night.

The degree of arthrosis

Doctors distinguish 2 types of gonarthrosis: primary and secondary.Primary osteoarthritis occurs in elderly patients and is associated with age-related changes in their body.Secondary gonarthrosis is the result of injuries, pathologies and developmental disorders.This type of gonarthrosis can appear at any age.

There are 3 degrees (stages) of disease progression:

1. Manifestations of gonarthrosis in the first stage are mild.Dull pain occurs irregularly.Often this happens in cases where the joint is subjected to prolonged and heavy loads.There is no deformation of the joint in the first stage of the disease, only a small swelling is possible.
2. In the second stage, symptoms of gonarthrosis appear periodically.The nature of the pain changes: the discomfort becomes acute, intense and prolonged.Additional signs: crispy appearance, stiffness and slight deformation of the joints.
3. The third stage of gonarthrosis: clinical manifestations increase to the maximum.Pain becomes constant, gait is disturbed, swelling increases, and the temperature in the joint area increases.

In severe cases, broken fragments of osteophytes—growths on the surface of bone tissue—appear.This leads to joint blockage, which is indicated by acute pain.Therefore, the patient cannot move freely.

Often, patients wonder how to treat grade 2 arthrosis. At this stage, most patients consult a doctor.However, you should not delay a visit to a medical facility.The sooner you start treating gonarthrosis, the greater the chance that the treatment will give a good result.

The reasons for the development of the disease

The occurrence of gonarthrosis is explained by a complex of factors.Doctors identify several causes of the disease:

1. Injuries: meniscus damage, tibia fracture, ligament damage.Pathology develops 3-5 years after the injury, but in some cases it occurs earlier - after 3-4 months.
2. Increased load on the joints.Gonarthrosis often affects professional athletes and people involved in heavy physical labor.The risk group includes people who start playing sports after the age of 40.They do not take into account age-related changes, which is why they put an abnormal load on the joints.
3. Excess body weight.Excess body weight causes increased axial load on the joints.The latter leads to microtraumas, meniscus damage and ligament rupture.The greater the patient's body weight, the higher the risk of getting this disease.
4. Past illness.Pathologies that can lead to gonarthrosis over time include psoriatic, rheumatoid or reactive arthritis, gout and ankylosing spondylitis.
5. Hereditary factors.This disease is caused by the weakness of the ligament apparatus, which is determined genetically.

Doctors identified several other reasons: metabolic disorders, congenital anomalies, capillary fragility, circulatory pathology, hormonal and endocrine system disorders, old untreated injuries.

Prevention

Prevention of arthrosis of the knee joint includes the following set of measures:

• maintain an optimal body weight through proper nutrition and dosed physical activity;
• drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water every day;
• be careful when playing sports;
• See a doctor immediately if you experience discomfort in the knee area.

Experts recommend making a diet taking into account the individual needs of bones and cartilage tissue.It is strictly forbidden to follow a diet based on the rejection of certain foods (for example, grains).This can lead to metabolic disorders and subsequent pathology of the musculoskeletal system.

How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint at home?

To get rid of gonarthrosis at home, you need to approach the treatment comprehensively.Therapy includes taking medication, following a diet, and physiotherapeutic procedures.Carrying out massage for arthrosis is an equally important matter that should be entrusted to medical specialists.Self-medication can lead to deterioration of the disease.

Drug treatment

Before treating knee osteoarthritis, you should understand how to relieve knee pain.Medication is the main part of the treatment, aimed at eliminating pain and restoring cartilage tissue.

Drugs for arthrosis

To eliminate inflammation and associated discomfort, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed.This is a group of drugs that have a complex effect: relieves pain, relieves inflammation and reduces temperature.When treating gonarthrosis, they are prescribed intravenously or intramuscularly.

Another group of pain relievers are COX-2 NSAIDs.This drug category has the same therapeutic effect, but the side effects of this drug are milder.Medicines in this group can be used to relieve pain for several months.

Painkillers help relieve pain, but do not affect the cause of the disease.To cure gonarthrosis, you need to take chondroprotectors, hyaluronic acid, ointments and other drugs prescribed by a specialist.

Chondroprotectors

Chondroprotectors are a group of drugs aimed at the restoration of cartilage tissue and the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms.Preparations in this group are made from animal or plant raw materials, hyaluronic acid, collagen and chondroitin sulfate.The latest generation of drugs is a combination of the listed ingredients.They are also supplemented with unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins.

Chondroprotectors are available in the form of gels, ointments, tablets and injection solutions.

Ointment

Ointments, creams and gels are suitable products for scrubbing.They have several effects:

• heat the affected area;
• calm inflammation;
• activates local blood circulation and distracts from pain.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is part of epithelial, nerve and connective tissue.Preparations based on these components act on the joints in the same way as natural joint lubrication, which is why they are given the second name - "liquid prostheses".

It forms a film on the surface of damaged tissue that performs a protective function.This helps prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue and improves the sliding surfaces that come into contact with each other during movement.

Compress with medicines

To increase effectiveness, ointments and solutions can be used in the form of compresses.Ointment, cream or gel is applied to the affected area using a napkin and tied with a bandage.Plastic film is placed on top, and cotton cloth is placed on top.You can keep this compressor for no more than an hour.

People's recovery

Traditional medicine combined with traditional medicine gives excellent results.

Scrub and shower

A rub is a mixture of medicated solutions that are rubbed into the skin of the affected area.Its purpose is to improve blood flow, help warm the sore spot and distract the patient from the pain.It is recommended to use this method in combination with a sauna or a hot shower.First you need to warm up with hot water or a steam room in the bathhouse, and then apply the medicinal solution mixture to the sore area.

Infusions and decoctions

Infusions and decoctions will help relieve pain and improve the patient's condition in the early stages of gonarthrosis.To relieve symptoms, the following folk remedies are used: black bean herbal tea, infusion of lemon, garlic and nettle, and decoction of cow's hoof.

Compress

You can make a compress based on natural ingredients yourself.They are done in the same way as wrapping with ointments and solutions.You can use natural honey, clay, camphor oil, and young dandelion leaves as a base.This compress can be left overnight.

Exercise therapy and procedures

Therapeutic gymnastics

Doing exercises for knee arthrosis at home is one of the most effective ways to self-treat this disease.Physiotherapy exercises are not prescribed for patients with severe gonarthrosis.You can do exercises only during the period when there is almost no pain and movement is not restricted.

Therapeutic massage

For gonarthrosis, experts allow self-massage of the knee joint.In order for the massage technique to give the expected results, it is important to do it correctly.Knee joint massage techniques are as follows:

1. Sitting on a chair, bend your knees at a right angle.To make it more comfortable, place a stool or small chair under your feet.
2. During the process, one hand should be behind the knee and the other in front.
3. There are several ways to massage the knee: rubbing with the edge of the palm, hands bent into fists, or gentle circular strokes with finger pads are allowed.

Experts recommend knee massage for arthrosis at home up to 5 times a day.The total duration of the procedure is up to 15 minutes.Contraindications for massage: acute stage of the disease, bleeding, vascular thrombosis, high temperature, fever.

Thermal treatment

This is an effective treatment method used in conjunction with other methods.This procedure is performed after the acute stage of gonarthrosis has subsided.This treatment option aims to widen blood vessels, activate metabolic processes, accelerate regeneration and increase joint mobility.Pain relief is another bonus provided by thermal procedures.

Magnetic therapy device

There are devices that emit a magnetic field that comes into contact with charged particles in the body and accelerates metabolic processes.Thanks to this, cartilage tissue recovery is stimulated, natural lubrication production increases, and metabolic processes improve.

This device is often used in medical institutions and sanatoriums.Therapy with the device can also be carried out at home.The kit includes detailed operating instructions.

Food

Patients with gonarthrosis need to lose excess weight and also eliminate harmful foods from their diet.Below are two tables that will help you lose weight and eat healthy foods for your joints.

Useful and prohibited foods

When treating arthrosis, doctors recommend maintaining a normal body weight and adhering to the following diet:

Healthy Products	Prohibited Products
lean meat; mineral water without gas; beans; cereals; chicken and fish; fermented milk products; jellied meat made from bone broth; chicken eggs	tomatoes; refined oil; mayonnaise; fast food; alcohol; coffee; flour and sweet products; fruits with high acid content; sausage; sausage; fatty meat; bell pepper; white cabbage.

You need to eat often and in small portions (up to 300 g).The last meal should be no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Diet example

Sample menu:

breakfast	Have lunch	Afternoon snack	dinner	Late dinner
buckwheat porridge with mushrooms - 150 g; a piece of rye bread - 20 g.	jellied meat cooked on pig's feet - 250 g.	a glass of kefir - 250 ml.	mashed potatoes - 100 g; baked pollock - 80 g.	chicken breast - 80 g.

You can add any allowed product to the menu.The main rule is not to burden the body with heavy food and eat according to the schedule.