Treating the knee joint is not a quick process and it is not always possible to get rid of the pain immediately. They are most commonly caused by the destruction and deformity of cartilage tissue, but there may be other causes. Delaying therapy is impossible because joint diseases develop rapidly and can have serious consequences and even lead to disability.
Causes of knee pain
The knee is an organ in which the patella aligns with two bones. The cup in front of the knee is connected by the tendons of the quadriceps muscle, which continue with ribbons. The bones are covered with cartilage, and between them is lunar cartilage - meniscus. In addition, the knee has several joint bags for the fluid, which acts as a lubricant for the knee.
This whole complex mechanism is designed for bending, stretching and shock absorption in motion. Any violation in your work will lead to discomfort and pain. The method of treating the knee should be determined by the traumatologist after diagnosis.
The causes of pain can be very diverse, from fatigue and overload to serious illness, and are distributed as follows:
- Knee Injuries - Any mechanical injury can be attributed to such causes. Bruises, ligament tears, blood outflow into the joint cavity with intra-articular fractures, meniscus injuries and tears, dislocation of the patella. Such causes are usually characterized by acute, localized pain, severe swelling, bruising, and difficulty or inability to move the joint.
- Inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases are the most common causes of knee pain in the elderly and elderly. Arthritis, arthrosis, chondropathy, bursitis, Schlatter's disease and other diseases. Increased pain or simply discomfort during movement, click when bending / stretching the knee, abnormal joint elasticity and chronic knee instability.
- Various systemic infectious and viral diseases also lead to inflammation and pain. These include osteoporosis, bone tuberculosis, syphilis, osteomyelitis and many more. Such pain can be different in nature, depending on the inflammation of the body damaged by viruses and infections.
- Diseases in which pain radiates to the knee. Sciatic nerve injury, hip arthrosis, fibromyalgia. Such pains are side effects and are therefore intermittently aching or shooting in nature. Treatment of the knee joint in such cases does not bring relief.
Diagnosis and exploring the cause of pain will determine how to treat the knee joint. If symptoms of unknown origin occur, it is better not to recover.
knee treatment
Treatment of knee pain can be conservative or surgical. Surgical methods are operations to eliminate the cause of pain. Conservative therapy is a set of techniques designed to eliminate symptoms and pathologies. So what is the treatment for knee pain?
Surgical methods
Such methods can be prescribed for severe injuries and inflammatory and degenerative diseases. Acute joint pain can indicate serious injury or complete wear and tear on the cartilage. Therefore, several operations are used.
Arthroscopy
Such surgery can be performed to diagnose and treat severe joint injuries. Arthroscopes are placed in the knee through microsections, one equipped with a camera and displaying an "image" on the screen, the other for intra-articular manipulations, primarily for treatment.
Such surgery significantly reduces the postoperative and rehabilitation period, and leaves virtually no scars. With the help of an arthroscope, the ruptures of the ligaments and meniscus are operated on. It is sometimes used to treat arthrosis, but its effectiveness in this case is still questionable.
Osteotomy
The most radical method With such an operation, the knee joint is completely opened, the patella is removed by incisions, allowing manipulation directly in the cavity. This method is also called open. Orthodontists are usually placed on the bones, which greatly help reduce the load on the joints.
The big disadvantage of such surgery is the long rehabilitation period. The patient can walk after 1-2 months and only starts an active lifestyle after a year. But such surgery usually guarantees long remission.
You should be aware that osteotomy is used in cases of severe damage or deformity of the connective tissue when partial removal of the diseased element is required.
Endoprosthesis
It is performed when all other treatment methods have been exhausted and the joint continues to collapse and ceases to perform its functions completely. After complete removal of the affected element by osteotomy, an implant is placed in the knee. It can be transplanted from a donor or replaced with an artificial prosthesis. They are made of plastic, ceramic or metal alloy.
In this way, the disease disappears completely and the patient achieves lasting remission. However, it is worth noting that the prosthesis may be rejected and other side effects may occur. Israel continues to play a leading role in arthroplasty.
For information! In most cases, knee pain is treated in more gentle ways. And such therapy is very effective and, most importantly, allows you to maintain an active lifestyle during the rehabilitation period.
Conservative treatments
Such methods are a set of techniques for the regeneration, healing, and rehabilitation of joints. This includes medication, physiotherapy exercises and gymnastics, physiotherapy. In some cases, it may include folk methods. For the first manifestations of knee pain, it is advisable to choose a knee or stiffener that slows down tissue destruction and reduces the symptoms of the disease before starting the main treatment.
Drug treatment
What to do with knee pain first? Of course, use painkillers and painkillers. Such bases may exist in various pharmacological forms. Ointments and pills are recommended for dull, aching pains. In the case of acute and shooting, it is better to use injections that immediately relieve the pain.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed after diagnosis. Injuries, severe arthrosis, and other degenerative diseases often cause the knee to swell. This is what these drugs are for. They improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
The last step of medication will be the administration of chondroprotectors. It is prescribed for all damage and changes to the cartilage tissue. This is the basis of conservative treatment.
Fact! Chondroprotectors, like bricks, restore cartilage tissue. They have properties that regenerate them and restore their elasticity.
But be prepared for the fact that chondroprotector treatment will be very long. The course lasts from three months to a year. The dosage form may be a tablet, ointment or injection. By the way, such substances are also found in food, so doctors recommend consuming jelly, broth, avocado and jelly for knee pain.
In some cases, intramuscular injection of hyaluronic acid may be required. This substance is part of the synovial fluid that fills the joint cavity. It helps connective tissue to regenerate and healing is much faster.
Practice therapy and gymnastics
This is the most important stage after both surgery and medication. Physical therapy should also be given to prevent pain. It must take place in a special center or sanatorium under the supervision of a rehabilitation specialist in order to carry out the exercises correctly. It usually takes 2-3 months.
It allows the knee joint to gradually return to active life by increasing the range of motion. Swimming will be the most important element. Not only does it allow the joint to move smoothly, but it also improves blood circulation and metabolism, which has a positive effect on tissue repair.
Physiotherapy
Such procedures are aimed at safe healing and treatment. With these methods, the best results are obtained with the least load. These include the following methods:
- ultrasound therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- infrared therapy;
- various warm-ups.
How can you heal your feet differently if your knee hurts a lot? Massage is also a good physiotherapy procedure, which increases blood circulation and speeds up the healing process. Massage relieves pain well and has a general strengthening effect.
Topical preparations can be used without a prescription, such treatment is acceptable if the knee is painful. But it probably only removes the symptoms and the cause persists and sooner or later causes discomfort again.
Folk treatment methods
The way to treat knee pain in folk ways is probably known to any patient who has ever encountered this disease:
- The first method is to warm the joint. This can be done using special vodka and honey compresses at home.
- Visit the spa or sauna, which has a good effect on the whole body.
- A very modern method of warming up is the warming orthosis on the battery. Convenient, convenient and effortless. A treatment relieves pain in just 20-30 minutes.
- Mud and algae wraps also have a good effect on the joints. They are able to restore cartilage elasticity in a short time, improve blood circulation, which contributes to better nutrition of tissues.
It is important to note that in the case of severe injuries and in the final stages of the disease, alternative methods will be ineffective. Therefore, any treatment at home should be discussed with your doctor.
Patient feedback on treatment methods
It is impossible to answer the question of how to treat the knee joint without determining the cause, because as soon as symptomatic treatment in this case can make the disease chronic at an early stage. An integrated approach is always needed, and patient feedback confirms this.
- The 55-year-old woman: "My knee hurts for a long time. I didn't understand the cause, and then I went to the doctor and it turned out I had arthrosis. They prescribed a pordroprotector to forget the pain.
- Male, 35 years old: "He suffered a serious knee injury - a meniscus rupture. The doctor prescribed arthroscopy, and after a short rehabilitation he returned to major sports. "
- Man, 48 years old: "Unfortunately, arthrosis completely ruined my joints, I didn't pay attention to the aching pains for a long time. I had an endoprosthesis and a ceramic joint. I got back to active life again and started running in the morning. "
- Guy, 20 years old: "My sciatic nerve pinched, my knee was causing dull pain. I didn't understand the cause and I smeared the joint with non-steroidal ointments. Then I went to the doctor and it turned out that these pains were secondary and my knee was healthy. "