Regular pain in the knee when moving and limited mobility indicate a serious problem with the joint. With a high degree of probability, arthrosis will be diagnosed - the breakdown of the cartilage tissue of the joint. To avoid disability, it will be necessary to treat arthrosis of the knee joint.
What medications are prescribed to treat joint arthrosis?
The choice of treatment system and appropriate medications depends on the degree of joint damage and the presence of concomitant diseases. If arthrosis is in the 1st or 2nd stage, then drug treatment is possible. In the case of the 3rd stage of the disease, complicated by other ailments, the only treatment is surgery. Therefore, it is important to recognize the problem in time and begin to solve it using conservative methods.
Arthrosis can develop in childhood due to improper formation of ligaments or articular surfaces.
The disease can also appear after injury or the formation of other pathologies of the body, including:
- fractures, muscle strains, bruises and dislocations of the knee;
- consequences of professional sports;
- meniscus surgery;
- arthritis;
- obesity;
- salt deposits in the joint;
- pathologies that are accompanied by muscle spasms.
If treatment for arthrosis of the knee joint is started immediately after the first signs of the disease are identified, then a complete recovery is possible. At a later stage, when the disease becomes chronic, long-term remission can be achieved.
Classic treatments include:
- use of medicines;
- manual therapy, exercise therapy, physiotherapy and massage;
- use of traditional medicine (ointments, rubs).
Today, doctors are offering new methods of treating arthrosis of the knee joint: the use of drugs containing hormones, drugs to relieve spasms and restore cartilage tissue of the joint. These are non-steroidal drugs that relieve inflammation, chondroprotectors, various types of ointments, compresses, intra-articular injections.
Complex treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is also possible, in which the use of traditional medicine, medications and massage at the same time is allowed. They complement each other's actions, relieve pain, and promote joint renewal.
Let's look at how each type of medication works in the treatment of arthrosis.
general information
In the process of restoring the joint, you should limit the load on the knee and adhere to the orthopedic regimen. During an exacerbation, the patient’s nutrition plays an important role.
All efforts at the treatment stage should be aimed at:
- pain relief;
- elimination of inflammation and swelling;
- improving the condition of joint cartilage;
- activation of blood supply to the sore knee;
- restoration of joint muscles.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The treatment regimen for knee arthrosis usually includes therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They reduce pain and eliminate inflammation. Prescribing drugs in the form of injections is most effective. Medicines quickly act on the affected area and do not affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes NSAIDs are used in the form of ointments. They are less effective and usually serve as an addition to the main treatment.
The attending physician usually prescribes non-steroidal drugs in the lowest effective doses, increasing them if necessary.
Chondroprotectors
In addition to NSAIDs, to improve the condition of a sore knee, chondroprotectors are prescribed, restoring cartilage tissue and improving the composition of synovial fluid. A special feature of this group of drugs is the long recovery period during medication administration. The course of treatment for arthrosis of the knee joint with chondroprotectors lasts six months or more. If no visible changes occur during this period, then other recovery methods are selected.
It is advisable to simultaneously use chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid. Preparations based on hyaluronic acid are injected into the joint. They promote the restoration of connective tissues, as they participate in the formation of chondrocytes - articular cartilage cells.
Ointments for knee treatment
For arthrosis, the use of local medications, for example, ointments, is also recommended. They cannot completely cope with the disease, so they are used together with other drugs. Using ointments can speed up healing.
The main effects of ointments for arthrosis:
- relieve inflammation;
- eliminate pain;
- relieve muscle spasms;
- improve blood circulation;
- warm;
- improve nutrition of joint tissues;
- protect against the development of infection.
Compresses for the knee with arthrosis
This type of manipulation is the most common in the treatment of gonarthrosis and arthrosis. This is due to the fairly rapid relief of symptoms of the disease. Compresses are most often used in alternative medicine, where decoctions and tinctures of herbs are used for treatment. It should be understood that a compress will not cure the disease on its own, so you need to combine its use with taking traditional medications.
The use of compresses is associated with quickly obtaining positive effects:
- blood circulation improves;
- nutrients and components of the drug quickly reach the affected area of the joint;
- muscle tone increases;
- inflammation is relieved;
- pain intensity decreases;
- the functionality of the synovial fluid is restored.
Intra-articular injections
Intra-articular injection is one of the most advanced forms of treatment. This therapy is highly effective, but also quite expensive. The condition of the sore knee improves due to the fact that the medicine reaches the affected area directly. The drug stops the development of the inflammatory process and provides nutrition to the articular cartilage. Intra-articular injections of chondroprotectors treat the joint, and do not just relieve symptoms.
If the medicine is injected directly into the area of the joint capsule, it immediately begins to act. With intramuscular, intravenous injections and taking tablets, the onset of action is significantly prolonged. In addition, there are negative side effects on other organs.
There are two groups of medications that are prescribed for injections into the joint. These include glucocorticoids and hyaluronic acid.
Vitamin complex
Vitamins are an important addition to medications and other treatments. They promote the rapid renewal of cartilage tissue, and also maintain the general condition of the body. When treating arthrosis, vitamins B, C, A and E are prescribed in parallel with medications.
Manual therapy in the treatment of gonarthrosis
Comprehensive therapy for arthrosis should include manual therapy procedures. The specialist uses his hands on the patient’s body to improve blood circulation in the affected joint, normalize its mobility, and prevent atrophic processes. Manual exercises, when combined with medications, help in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee and hip joints.
The duration of use of manual therapy procedures depends on the severity of arthrosis. Usually the doctor prescribes from 1 to 10 sessions. This method is effective in the initial or middle stages of the disease. The degree of damage, treatment methods and duration of use of each method should be prescribed by an orthopedist after a thorough diagnosis.
Physiotherapy for gonarthrosis
This method of treating the joint is very effective in combination with medications. Physiotherapy can speed up the recovery process, reduce the doses of medications taken and the likelihood of side effects.
There are several types of physiotherapy used for arthrosis:
- exposure to a magnetic field;
- electrophoresis;
- radiation exposure;
- ultrasonic influence.
The type of physiotherapy, their duration and quantity are prescribed by a physiotherapist after diagnosing the patient. There are a number of concomitant diseases for which physiotherapy is contraindicated.
Physiotherapy
Special exercises for arthrosis are used in the early stages of the disease, when the cartilage tissue has not yet been destroyed. Moderate physical activity can stop negative changes in joint joints. At a later stage of arthrosis, physical education for therapeutic purposes is used during the period of remission, when primary therapy to relieve pain and inflammation has been carried out.
All exercises should be done smoothly with moderate load on the legs. A properly selected exercise therapy complex improves blood circulation, increases metabolism and activates the absorption of medications, strengthens muscles, which ensures effective treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint.
Physical therapy exercises are included in the treatment of rheumatoid arthrosis.
Surgery
Late stage arthrosis cannot be treated with medication. The only solution is surgery. Only she can restore the mobility of the knee. Factors for prescribing surgical treatment are the third stage of arthrosis, the lack of effect of conservative methods, and serious knee injuries against the background of developing arthrosis.
Today, there are four types of surgical intervention in the treatment of a sore knee:
- joint-preserving;
- joint replacement;
- joint resection;
- joint-strengthening.
The type of operation is selected by the doctor based on the degree of damage to the joint, concomitant diseases, and the patient’s body’s response to the use of a particular method of conservative treatment. It should be understood that surgical intervention is accompanied by a long period of rehabilitation using a complex of therapy. Therefore, the need for surgery must be strictly justified by a comprehensive diagnosis.
Diet
Proper nutrition during developing arthrosis can reduce the rate of joint damage and increase the effectiveness of treatment of the disease. It is important to understand which foods should be present in the diet regularly, and which should be abandoned forever. Sea fish, fresh vegetables and fruits help improve joint function. Fish oil improves the condition of cartilage. In addition, phosphorus, iron and selenium are important in the formation of many tissues, including cartilage. Apple and pomegranate juice have good anti-inflammatory properties. Their presence in the diet not only prevents the development of inflammatory processes, but also fights those that have already begun.
People suffering from arthrosis need to exclude foods containing trans fats from their diet. In addition, you should avoid fatty meats, whole milk and corn oil. The fats contained in these products destroy the cartilage tissue of the joints.