Osteoarthritis is a fairly common disease caused by metabolic disturbances, trauma, or non-specific infectious arthritis. The disease causes deforming changes in the tissues of the joints and surrounding bony joints.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a fairly serious disease that affects the joints. With the disease, damaged joints and surrounding bones thicken. There is pain on exertion, which gradually disappears with rest.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the causes of which are quite different, does not cause an inflammatory process, therefore it does not manifest itself in the form of edema and redness, which differs from arthritis orpolyarthritis.
It should be noted that among the patients there are many women suffering from diseases - varicose veins and obesity.
Why does the disease appear?
Osteoarthritis is an unpredictable disease that occurs due to:
- Overloads
- Traumas
- Hereditary predisposition
- Obesity
- Flat feet
How to define a disease?
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the 1st degree - the initial stage of the disease, in which the treatment started in a timely manner is capable of joint performance. At the initial stage, movement becomes limited and areas of the joints begin to ossify. It is almost impossible to detect osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the treatment of which is quite varied, at this stage: the x-ray examination will not show visible bone growth. The main signs are the sharpening of the edges of the joints and the narrowing of the inter-articular space, which a doctor can detect during the examination. To clarify the diagnosis, an additional examination by ultrasound and MRI of the joints is prescribed.
In general, patients will notice a brief tingling sensation in the joint and a cracking sound during movement. Painful sensations occur after rest and when walking pass quickly. Such "starting" pains appear as a result of rubbing the joints, on which the cartilage and bone destruction (detritus) sets in.
At the initial stage, osteoarthritis does not cause significant inconvenience, therefore, patients do not pay attention to the symptoms that have arisen. Therefore, if there is less suspicion of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, treatment should be carried out immediately.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
Before you start fighting any disease, try to find a good doctor, and after a full examination, make a joint treatment plan. Do not diagnose yourself, it can only make the situation worse. There are many similar diseases, so without examining you could be wrong in defining the disease.
When confirming the diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, treatment is prescribed depending on the stage of the disease. At the initial stage, when the joint is still more or less preserved, it is proposed to conduct drug therapy with chondroprotective drugs. Today they are presented in a fairly wide range. Regardless of the choice, the drugs are taken for up to 6 months. After six months, it is recommended to restart the treatment. The duration of treatment is 3 to 5 years.
It should be noted that creams and ointments are not able to relieve the patient of osteoarthritis, but they can relieve pain. It is recommended to use warming drugs to help improve blood circulation.
Sick people with a confirmed diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, treatment can only be prescribed by the attending physician. They are encouraged to perform daily health exercises and adhere to a compiled diet. Try not to overload your joints. It can harm your health. After recovery, try to gradually increase the load and avoid pain.