Regular knee pain with movement and limited mobility indicate a serious problem with the joint. With a high degree of probability, arthrosis will be diagnosed - the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the joint. To avoid damage, it will be necessary to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
What drugs are prescribed for the treatment of joint arthrosis?
The choice of treatment system and appropriate medications depends on the degree of joint damage and the presence of concomitant diseases. If the 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 diseases, the only treatment is surgery. That is why it is important to recognize the problem in time and start solving it using conservative methods.
Arthritis can develop in childhood due to improper formation of ligaments or joint surfaces.
The disease can also appear after an injury or the formation of other pathologies of the body, including:
- fractures, muscle strains, bruises and sprains of the knee;
- consequences of professional sports;
- meniscus surgery;
- arthritis;
- obesity;
- salt deposits in the joint;
- pathologies that are accompanied by muscle spasms.
If the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint begins immediately after the first signs of the disease are detected, then a full recovery is possible. At a later stage, when the disease becomes chronic, a long-lasting remission can be achieved.
Classic treatments include:
- drug use;
- manual therapy, exercise therapy, physical therapy and massage;
- use of traditional medicine (ointments, rubbing).
Today, doctors offer 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 simultaneous use of traditional medicine, drugs and massage is allowed. They complement each other in their actions, relieve pain and promote joint renewal.
Let's look at how each type of drug works in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Main information
In the process of restoring the joint, you should limit the load on the knee and adhere to the orthopedic regime. During an exacerbation, the patient's nutrition plays an important role.
All efforts at the treatment stage should be aimed at:
- pain relief;
- eliminate inflammation and swelling;
- improving the condition of the articular cartilage;
- activation of blood supply to the diseased knee;
- joint muscle recovery.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The treatment regimen for osteoarthritis of the knee usually includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy. 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 work of the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes NSAIDs are used in the form of ointments. They are less effective and usually serve as an adjunct to the main treatment.
The attending physician usually prescribes nonsteroidal drugs in the lowest effective doses, increasing them if necessary.
Chondroprotectors
In addition to NSAIDs, to improve the condition of an inflamed knee, chondroprotectors are prescribed, which restore cartilage tissue and improve the composition of synovial fluid. A feature of this group of drugs is the long recovery period during drug administration. The course of treatment of 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 chosen.
The simultaneous use of chondroprotectors and hyaluronic acid is recommended. Preparations based on hyaluronic acid are injected into the joint. They promote the restoration of connective tissue, as they participate in the formation of chondrocytes - cells of articular cartilage.
Ointments for knee treatment
In arthrosis, the use of local drugs, 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 healing.
The main effects of ointments for arthrosis:
- relieve inflammation;
- eliminate pain;
- relief of muscle spasms;
- improving blood circulation;
- warm;
- improving nutrition of joint tissues;
- prevent the development of infection.
Compresses for knee with arthrosis
This type of manipulation is the most common in the treatment of gonarthrosis and arthrosis. This is due to the relatively quick relief of the 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 the compress will not cure the disease by itself, so you need to combine its use with taking traditional medicines.
The use of compresses is associated with quickly obtaining positive effects:
- blood circulation improves;
- nutrients and drug components 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 modern forms of treatment. This therapy is highly effective, but also quite expensive. The condition of the painful knee is improved thanks 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 heal the joint, not just relieve symptoms.
If the drug is injected directly into the area of the joint capsule, it immediately begins to work. With intramuscular, intravenous injections and taking tablets, the onset of action is significantly prolonged. It also has negative side effects on other organs.
There are two groups of drugs that are prescribed for injection into the joint. These include glucocorticoids and hyaluronic acid.
Vitamin complex
Vitamins are an important adjunct to medications and other treatments. They promote the rapid renewal of cartilage tissue and also maintain the general condition of the body. In the treatment of arthrosis, vitamins B, C, A and E are prescribed in parallel with drugs.
Manual therapy in the treatment of gonarthrosis
Comprehensive therapy of 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 combined with drugs help in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip joints.
The duration of manual therapy procedures depends on the severity of the arthrosis. Usually, the doctor prescribes from 1 to 10 sessions. This method is effective in the initial or middle stage of the disease. The degree of damage, treatment methods and the duration of application 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 medication. Physiotherapy can speed up the recovery process, reduce the doses of drugs taken and the likelihood of side effects.
There are several types of physical therapy used for osteoarthritis:
- exposure to a magnetic field;
- electrophoresis;
- radiation exposure;
- ultrasonic impact.
The type of physiotherapy, their duration and amount are prescribed by a physiotherapist after diagnosing the patient. There are a number of co-morbidities in 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 the joints. In a later stage of arthrosis, physical education for therapeutic purposes is used in the period of remission, when primary therapy has been carried out to relieve pain and inflammation.
All exercises should be performed smoothly with a moderate load on the legs. A correctly selected set of exercises improves blood circulation, increases metabolism and activates the absorption of drugs, strengthens the muscles, which provides effective treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint.
Physiotherapy exercises are included in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
surgery
Late-stage osteoarthritis cannot be treated with drugs. 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 an inflamed knee:
- protecting the joints;
- joint replacement;
- joint resection;
- joint strengthening.
The type of operation is chosen by the doctor based on the degree of damage to the joint, concomitant diseases and the reaction of the patient's body to the use of a certain method of conservative treatment. It should be understood that surgical intervention is accompanied by a long period of rehabilitation using a complex of therapies. Therefore, the need for surgery must be strictly justified by a comprehensive diagnosis.
Diet
Proper nutrition during the development of arthrosis can reduce the degree of damage to the joints and increase the effectiveness of the treatment of the disease. It is important to understand which foods should be regularly present in the diet 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 for the formation of many tissues, including cartilage. Apple and pomegranate juice has good anti-inflammatory properties. Their presence in the diet not only prevents the development of inflammatory processes, but also fights those that have already started.
People suffering from osteoarthritis should exclude foods containing trans fats from their diet. You should also avoid fatty meats, whole milk and corn oil. The fats contained in these products destroy the cartilage tissue of the joints.