Healing the knee joint is not a quick process and it is not always possible to remove the pain immediately. They are most often caused by destruction and deformation of cartilage tissue, but there may be other reasons. It is impossible to delay therapy, because joint diseases develop quickly and can lead to serious consequences and even disability.
Causes of knee pain
The knee is an organ in which the knee is aligned with two bones. The calyx, located in front of the knee, is connected by tendons of the quadriceps muscles, which continue with ligaments. The bones are covered with cartilage, and between them are the lunar cartilages - menisci. Also, the knee has several synovial fluid sacs, which act as a lubricant for the knee.
This whole complex mechanism is designed for bending, extension and shock absorption during movement. Every violation in his work leads to discomfort and pain. How to treat the knee should be determined by the traumatologist after diagnosis.
The causes of pain can be very diverse, from fatigue and overexertion to serious illness, and are divided as follows:
- Knee injuries - all mechanical damage can be attributed to such reasons. Bruising, rupture of ligaments, bleeding into the joint cavity with intra-articular fractures, injuries and ruptures of the meniscus, 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 cause of knee pain in the elderly and elderly. Arthritis, arthrosis, chondropathy, bursitis, Schlatter's disease and other diseases. Characterized by increased pain or simply discomfort when moving, snapping during knee flexion / extension, pathological joint flexibility 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 others. Such pains can be of different natures, depending on the inflammation of the body damaged by viruses and infections.
- Diseases in which pain radiates to the knees. Sciatic nerve injury, osteoarthritis of the hip joints, fibromyalgia. Such pains are a side effect, so they are periodically painful or shooting. Treating the knee joint in such cases will not bring relief.
Diagnosis and detection of the cause of pain will determine how to treat the knee joint. When symptoms of unknown origin appear, it is better not to self-medicate.
knee treatment
Treatment of knee pain can be conservative or surgical. Surgical methods are surgery to remove the cause of pain. Conservative therapy is a set of techniques aimed at eliminating 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 may indicate severe injuries or complete cartilage wear. Therefore, several types of operations are used.
Arthroscopy
This operation can be performed both for the purpose of diagnosing and treating severe joint injuries. Arthroscopes are inserted into the knee through micro-incisions, one is equipped with a camera and displays the "image" on the screen, the other is intended for manipulations inside the joint, mainly for treatment.
Such surgery significantly reduces the postoperative and rehabilitation period, moreover, practically leaves no scars. With the help of an arthroscope, torn ligaments and menisci are operated on. It is sometimes used to treat osteoarthritis, 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 with the help of incisions, which enables manipulations directly in the cavity. This method is also called open. Dentures are usually placed on the bones, which greatly help reduce the strain on the joints.
The big disadvantage of such an operation is the long period of rehabilitation. The patient will be able to walk after 1-2 months, and an active lifestyle only after a year. But such an operation usually guarantees a long remission.
It should be noted that osteotomy is used in case of severe damage or deformation of the connective tissue, when partial removal of the diseased element is required.
Endoprosthetics
It is performed when all other methods of treatment have been exhausted, and the joint continues to collapse and completely ceases to perform its functions. After complete removal of the affected element by osteotomy, the 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 alloys.
In that way, the disease completely disappears and the patient achieves permanent remission. However, it is worth noting that the prosthesis can be rejected, and other side effects are possible. Israel is still a leader in arthroplasty.
For reference! In most cases, knee pain is treated in a milder way. And such therapy is very effective, and most importantly, it allows you to maintain an active lifestyle during the rehabilitation period.
Conservative treatments
Such methods are a set of techniques aimed at regenerating, healing and rehabilitating joints. Includes drug treatment, physiotherapy exercises and gymnastics, physiotherapy. In some cases, it may involve folk methods. At the first manifestations of knee pain, it is worth choosing a knee orthosis or prosthesis that will slow down the destruction of tissue before starting the main treatment and reduce the symptoms of the disease.
Drug treatment
What is the first thing to do with knee pain? Of course, use painkillers and analgesics. Such agents may be in various pharmacological forms. Ointments and tablets are recommended for dull and painful pain. For acute and seizures, it is better to resort to injections that will immediately relieve the pain.
Once diagnosed, nonsteroidal drugs may be prescribed. In injuries, severe arthrosis and other degenerative diseases, the knee often swells. This is what these drugs are for. They improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
The final phase of drug treatment will be taking chondroprotectors. They are prescribed for absolutely all damage and changes in cartilage tissue. This is the basis of conservative treatment.
Fact! Chondroprotectors, like brick, regenerate cartilage. They have the ability to regenerate them and restore elasticity.
But it is worth preparing for the fact that treatment with chondroprotectors will be very long. The course lasts from three months to a year. The pharmacological form can be in tablets, ointments and injections. By the way, such substances can also be found in food, so due to knee pain, doctors recommend eating jellies, meat soups, avocados and jellies.
In some cases, intramuscular injections of hyaluronic acid may be prescribed. It is this substance that is part of the synovial fluid that fills the joint cavity. It will help regenerate connective tissue, and recovery will happen much faster.
Exercise therapy and gymnastics
This is the most important phase both after surgical treatment and after taking medication. Physical therapy should also be performed to prevent pain. It should take place under the supervision of a rehabilitation specialist in a special center or sanatorium for the proper implementation of a set of exercises. It usually lasts 2-3 months.
With its help, the knee joint gradually returns to active life, increasing the range of motion. Swimming will be the most important element. Not only will it enable unhindered movement of the joint, but it will also improve blood circulation and metabolism, which has a positive effect on tissue repair.
Physiotherapy
Such procedures are aimed at safe recovery and treatment. These methods achieve the best result with the least load. This includes the following methods:
- ultrasound therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- infrared therapy;
- various warm-ups.
How else can you heal your legs if your knee hurts so much? A good physiotherapeutic procedure is massage, which enhances circulation and speeds up the recovery process. Massage relieves pain well, and there is a general strengthening.
Topical preparations can be used without a prescription, such treatment is acceptable when the knees hurt. But it will most likely only eliminate the symptoms, and the cause will remain, and sooner or later, it will cause discomfort again.
Folk methods of treatment
How to treat knee pain folk methods, probably every patient who has ever encountered this disease knows:
- The first way will be to warm up the joint. This can be done with the help of special wraps of vodka and honey at home.
- You can visit the bath or sauna, which works well on the whole body as a whole.
- A very modern way to warm up would be a battery-powered orthosis. It is convenient, comfortable and does not require much effort. One session can relieve pain in just 20-30 minutes.
- Mud and algae compresses also work well on the joints. They are able to restore the elasticity of cartilage in a short period of time, improve blood circulation, which contributes to better tissue nutrition.
It is important to remember that with severe injuries and in the later 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 turn the disease at an early stage into a chronic one. An integrated approach is always needed, and patient feedback confirms this.
- Woman, 55: "My knee has been hurting for a long time. I couldn't understand the reason, then I went to the doctor and it turned out I had osteoarthritis. They prescribed me chondroprotectors, which allowed me to forget about the pain. With exercise therapy. "
- A 35-year-old man: "He suffered a severe knee injury - a ruptured meniscus. The doctor prescribed arthroscopy, and after a short rehabilitation he returned to great sports. "
- A man, 48 years old: "Unfortunately, my arthrosis completely destroyed my wrist, I didn't pay attention to the painful pain for a long time. I had endoprosthetics and a ceramic wrist. I returned to active life and even started running in the morning. "
- Boy, 20 years old: "I had a pinched sciatic nerve, it gave me dull pain in my knee. I couldn't understand the reason and I applied non-steroidal ointment to my wrist. Then I went to the doctor and found out that these pains were secondary and my knees werehealthy. "