Osteoarthritis is a fairly common disease caused by metabolic disorders, trauma or non-specific infectious arthritis. The disease causes deforming changes in the tissues of the joints and surrounding bone joints.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a fairly serious disease that affects the joints. With the disease, damaged joints and surrounding bones thicken. Pain occurs during exertion, which gradually subsides at rest.
Arthrosis of the knee joint, the causes of which are quite diverse, does not cause an inflammatory process, so it does not manifest itself in the form of edema and redness, which differs from arthritis or polyarthritis.
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
- Trauma
- Hereditary predisposition
- Obesity
- Flat feet
How to define a disease?
Arthrosis of the knee joint of the 1st degree - the initial stage of the disease, in which the timely initiated treatment is capable of joint performance. In the initial stage, movements become limited and the 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: X-ray examination will show no visible bone growths. The main signs are the sharpening of the joint edges and the narrowing of the interarticular space, which a doctor can detect during the examination. To clarify the diagnosis, an additional examination of ultrasound and MRI of the joints is prescribed.
Typically, patients notice a brief tingling sensation in the joint and a creak during movement. Painful sensations arise after rest and when walking quickly pass. These "initial" pains occur as a consequence of the friction of the joints, on which cartilage and bone destruction (debris) is deposited.
In the initial stage, osteoarthritis does not cause significant discomfort, therefore patients do not pay attention to the symptoms that have arisen. Therefore, if there is the slightest suspicion of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, treatment should be carried out immediately.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
Before starting to fight a disease, try to find a good doctor and, after a thorough examination, prepare a common treatment plan. Don't diagnose yourself on your own, it can only make the situation worse. There are many similar diseases, therefore, without examination, you can be wrong in the definition of 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 repeat the course of treatment again. The duration of the treatment ranges from 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 improve blood circulation.
Patients 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 the joints. This can negatively affect your health. After recovery, try to gradually increase the load and avoid pain.