Osteoarthritis is a fairly common disease caused by metabolic disorders, trauma, or non-specific infectious arthritis. The disease causes deforming changes in the joint tissues 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. There is pain on exertion, which gradually disappears at rest.
Arthrosis 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 or polyarthritis.
It should be noted that among the patients there are many women who suffer 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?
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint of the first degree: the initial stage of the disease, in which the treatment started on time is able to achieve the performance of the joint. In the initial stage, movements are limited and joint areas 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 growths. The main signs are the sharpness of the edges of the joint and the narrowing of the joint space, which a doctor can detect during the examination. To clarify the diagnosis, an additional ultrasound and MRI examination of the joints is prescribed.
Typically, patients notice a brief tingling sensation in the joint and a cracking noise during movement. Painful sensations arise after rest and when walking quickly pass. These "initial" pains appear as a result of friction of the joints, on which cartilaginous and bone destruction (detritus) is based.
In the initial stage, osteoarthritis does not cause major inconvenience, therefore, patients do not pay attention to the symptoms that have arisen. Therefore, if there is even the slightest suspicion of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, treatment should be carried out immediately.
Osteoarthritis treatment
Before starting to fight a disease, try to find a good doctor and after a thorough examination, develop a joint treatment plan. Don't diagnose yourself, you can only make the situation worse. There are many similar diseases, so without a test, you can be wrong in defining the disease.
When confirming the diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, treatment is prescribed according to the stage of the disease. At the initial stage, when the joint is still more or less preserved, it is proposed to conduct 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 treatment is 3 to 5 years.
It should be noted that creams and ointments cannot relieve the patient with osteoarthritis, but they can relieve pain. Warming medications are recommended 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 follow an elaborate diet. Try not to overload your joints. Doing so can negatively affect your health. After your recovery, try to gradually increase the load and avoid pain.