Treatment of knee joint – not a quick process, and get rid of the pain of time. Most often they arise because of the destruction and deformation of the cartilage tissue, but there may be other reasons. To delay therapy is impossible, because joint disease develops rapidly and can lead to serious consequences and even disability.
Causes of pain in the knee
The knee is the body in which the knee is combined with two bones. A Cup located at the front of the knee, is connected by the tendons of the quadriceps muscles, which proceed in bundles. Bone covered with cartilage tissue, and between them there is a Crescent-shaped cartilage menisci. Also the knee has several hundreds of bags for liquid, performs the function of lubrication of the knee.
All this complex mechanism is designed for flexion, extension, and shock absorption during movement. Any violation in the work lead to discomfort and pain. How to treat knees, to be determined by the surgeon after the diagnosis.
Causes of pain can be very diverse, from fatigue and overexertion to serious diseases, and they are divided thus:
- Knee injury – one of the reasons may include all mechanical damage. Bruises, torn ligaments, rupture of blood into the cavity of the joint with intra-articular fractures, bruising and tearing of the menisci, patellar dislocation. Such reasons tend to have a sharp local pain, severe swallowed, the bruising and complication or failure of movement of the joint.
- Inflammatory and degenerative joint disease is the most common cause of pain in the knees of people older and older. Arthritis, arthrosis, the chondropathy, bursitis, disease Shlyattera and other diseases. Characterized by increasing pain or discomfort during movement, clicking during flexion/extension of the knee, abnormal flexibility of the joint and chronic instability of the knee.
- Various system infectious and viral diseases also lead to inflammation and pain. These include osteoporosis, bone tuberculosis, syphilis, osteomyelitis, and many others. Such pain can be experienced differently depending on the inflammation lesion of the body of viruses and infections.
- Diseases in which pain irradiiruet in the knees. The sciatic nerve lesions, osteoarthritis of the hip joints, fibromyalgia. Such pain is a side effect, so are periodic aching or shooting character. Treatment of the knee joint in such cases will not bring relief.
Diagnosis and finding the cause of pain will determine how to treat the knee joint. If you have symptoms of unknown origin it is better not to self-medicate.
Treatment knees
Treatment of pain in the knee joint can be conservative and surgical. Surgical methods are the operation for eliminating the cause of pain. Conservative therapy is the complex of techniques aimed at the elimination of symptoms and pathologies. So how to treat pain in the knee joint?
Surgical methods
Such methods can be prescribed for people with severe injuries and inflammatory–degenerative diseases. Acute joint pain can indicate severe injuries or complete deterioration of cartilage. So there are several types of operations.
Arthroscopy
This operation can be performed for diagnosis and treatment of severe damage to the joints. Arthroscopy are introduced into the knee through incisions, one equipped with a camera and displays the image on the screen, the other designed to manipulate the inside of the joint, primarily for the treatment.
This surgery significantly reduces the postoperative and rehabilitation period; in addition, almost no scarring. Using arthroscopy surgery for a torn ligaments and menisci. Sometimes it is used for the treatment of osteoarthritis, but its efficiency in this case is still questionable.
Osteotomy
The most radical method. When such an operation is fully opened the knee joint, through the incision removed the patella, which allows manipulation directly in the cavity. Another such method called open. Usually bones are superimposed brackets, which greatly help to reduce stress on the joints.
A big disadvantage of such an operation is a lengthy rehabilitation period. Walking the patient will be able after 1-2 months, and to lead an active lifestyle after a year. However, the holding of such surgical intervention usually ensures a long remission.
You should know that the osteotomy is used in severe cases or deformation of connective tissues when required partial removal of the patient element.
Arthroplasty
Carried out when all other treatment methods have been exhausted and the joint continues to deteriorate and completely stops to perform its functions. After complete removal of the affected element by osteotomy knee prosthetic implant. It can be transplanted from a donor, and possible replacement with an artificial prosthesis. They are made of plastic, ceramic or metal alloys.
Thus, the disease disappears and the patient reaches remission forever. It is worth to note that the prosthesis can be cut off, and possible other side effects. The leader of the endoprosthesis remains Israel.
Conservative methods of treatment
Such methods is a set of methods aimed at regeneration, healing and rehabilitation of the joints. It includes medication, physiotherapy and gymnastics, physiotherapy. In some cases, may include traditional methods. The first manifestations of knee pain should choose a knee orthosis or brace that will slow down tissue destruction before the start of primary treatment and reduce the symptoms of the disease.
Medication
What is the first thing to do for pain in the knees? Of course, use the painkillers and analgesics. Such tools can be in different pharmacological forms. Ointments, pills recommended for dull and aching pains. Acute shooting and it is better to resort to injections, which will instantly relieve the pain.
After the diagnosis can be prescribed non-steroidal medicines. Injuries, arthrosis and other degenerative diseases of the knee often swells. To do this, and need these medications. They improve circulation, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
The final stage of medical treatment will be accepting chondroprotectors. Prescribe them when absolutely any damage and changes in cartilage tissue. This is the basis of conservative treatment.
But should prepare for the fact that treatment with chondroprotectors will be very long. The course takes from three months to a year. Pharmacological form may be tablets, ointments and injections. Such substances are, by the way, you can find in food, so when the pain in the knees, doctors recommend to consume food in aspic, meat broth, avocado and jelly.
In some cases, you can assign intramuscular injections of hyaluronic acid. This substance is synovial fluid that fills the joint cavity. It will help the regeneration of connective tissue, and recovery will happen much faster.
Physical therapy and exercises
This is a crucial stage as after surgical treatment and after medical. Physical therapy to do and to prevent pain. It should be under the supervision of a physiotherapist in a special centre or sanatorium for the correct execution of exercises. Usually takes 2-3 months.
With its help, the knee joint gradually returns to active life by increasing range of motion. The most important element will be swimming. It will not only gradually begin to move the joint, but will also improve blood circulation and metabolism, which has a positive effect on tissue repair.
Physical therapy
Such procedures are aimed at safe recovery and treatment. These methods reach the best result with the smallest load. These include the following methods:
- ultrasound therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- therapy infrared rays;
- various warm up.
How else can you treat your feet, if hurts the knee? Good physical therapy is also a massage, which enhances blood flow and speeds up the recovery process. Massage relieves pain and has a tonic effect. Drugs for external use can be used without prescription, such treatment is valid when the sore knees. But most likely, it will only remove the symptoms, but the reason will remain, and sooner or later, will again cause discomfort.
Traditional methods of treatment
How to treat knee pain with traditional methods, probably, knows each patient at least once faced with this disease:
- The first method will be warming up the joint. This can be done using a special poultice of vodka and honey at home.
- You can visit the bath or sauna, which is good for the whole body. A very modern method of warming will be warming the brace on the battery. It is convenient, comfortable and does not require much effort. One session is able to get rid of pain literally for 20-30 minutes.
- As well affect the joints mud and seaweed wraps. They are able to restore cartilage elasticity, improve blood circulation, which contributes to better nutrition of tissues.
It is important to remember that in severe injuries and in the last stages of the disease traditional methods will be ineffective. Therefore, any treatment at home need to discuss with your doctor.
Popular recipes
Traditional medicine is rich tested recipes that you can use to treat knee joints.
Soda-saline compress. Prepare a mixture of teaspoons of salt and soda, add 5-7 drops of iodine. Hot on the knee to apply a compress of this mixture. The procedure is repeated at least 5 times.
Alcohol tinctures can be taken internally or used for rastirok. Rubbing from the Golden mustache. The infusion can cook yourself or buy in the pharmacy. Rubbing sore knees at night. Tincture of birch buds. 20 g of birch buds three weeks to insist in 100 g of 70% alcohol. Take 15-20 drops three times a day. A tincture can be prepared from 20 grams of fruit chestnut and 500 ml of alcohol, to insist two weeks, rubbing your knees at night.
Therapeutic wraps
Wrap washed leaves mother and stepmother, burdock, horseradish, cabbage reduce pain, restore joint. To enhance the effect of cabbage leaf can be lubricated with honey. To achieve complete cure, wraps need to be applied for a long time.
Herbal teas
Delicious and healthy for arthritis of the knees teas get brewed incomplete tablespoon of the mixture, leaves of bilberry, black currant, wild rose.
Turpentine ointment. Ingredients: teaspoon turpentine, yolk, tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar. The resulting ointment is rubbed into the knees until absorbed.
Nettle ointment. Mix equal portions of honey and nettle, to use for rubbing into the skin of his knees. You must not use this ointment with increased blood clotting.
The ointment prepared from equal portions (150 ml) of alcohol and oil of turpentine, 3 grams of camphor. Designed for grinding of patients knees.
Ointment of propolis. Melt in a water bath equal portions of propolis and vegetable oil. Lubricate the knees several times a day.
Decoctions and infusions
Potato broth. Boil the potatoes in their skins without draining the water, mash it, to give mass to soak (an hour and a half), drain the upper part of the liquid. Drink three times a day for the third part of the glass.
Onion decoction in osteoarthritis. Cook two unpeeled, sliced onions, until full of cooking. Drink before meals for 1 glass.
Physiotherapy
In case of arthrosis of the knee joints to restore their mobility is an important therapeutic exercises. Pick up a set of special exercises can help doctor, doctor-instructor of the physical therapy office. The first classes it is desirable to perform with an instructor that will show you how to treat knee joint in the home.
Before performing complex need to do a warm-up to warm up the joints, then follow the basic exercises (avoiding pain). To finish the exercises walking in place and breathing exercises. Therapeutic exercises should be performed daily for 10-15 minutes.
Therapeutic baths
A warm salt bath (600 g of sea salt per bucket of water) improve blood circulation, accelerate metabolism, tissue regeneration, relieve swelling. Penetrating into the joint fluid, salt improves the quality of synovial fluid, reduces inflammation.
A detox bath can be prepared from 200 g of rhizomes cinquefoil. The grass need to pour four cups of boiling water, warm on water bath for 15 minutes. Take a bath with the resulting solution. Soothes the pain a bath with a decoction of the leaves and juniper.
In the summer you can take sand "baths". To do this, wrap the feet in hot sand for 20-30 minutes. Definitely need to wear a hat, not to get sunstroke.
Food for pain in the knees
For pain in the knees it is impossible to be skeptical of the food. Diet is essential for weight loss, reduce inflammation. Need to give up eating foods that provoke inflammation in the joints (pickles, smoked products, pickles, alcohol).
Especially diet have gout, malnutrition almost immediately causes aggravation of the disease: redness in the knees, swelling and severe pain.
Conclusion
Diseases of the knees easier to prevent than to treat. Quality food, sufficient drinking mode, adjusting the weight, motor activity, special exercises, swimming strengthens the knee joint, protecting them from injury or pathological damage.
If you still failed to protect the knees, you need time to go to the orthopedist, a rheumatologist with recommendations on how to treat knee joints at home. Timely, quality completion of assignments and recommendations will help to avoid complications of disability and the need for surgery. Save your knees and be healthy.