Treatment of the knee joint is not a quick process, and it is not always possible to get rid of pain immediately. Most often, they occur due to destruction and deformation of the cartilage tissue, but there may be other reasons. It is impossible to delay therapy, because joint diseases develop rapidly and can lead to serious consequences, and even disability.
Causes of knee pain
The knee is an organ in which the kneecap is aligned with two bones. The cup, located in front of the knee, is connected by the tendons of the quadriceps muscle, which continue with ligaments. The bones are covered with cartilage, and between them are lunar cartilage - menisci. Also, the knee has several synovial bags for fluid, which acts as a lubricant for the knee.
This whole complex mechanism is designed for flexion, extension and shock absorption during movement. Any violation in his work leads to discomfort and pain. How to treat knees should be determined by a traumatologist after diagnosis.
The causes of pain can be very diverse, from fatigue and overexertion to serious diseases, and they are divided in this way:
- Knee injuries - all mechanical damage can be attributed to such reasons. Bruises, ruptures of ligaments, outflow of blood into the joint cavity with intra-articular fractures, injuries and ruptures of the menisci, 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 older and older people. Arthritis, arthrosis, chondropathy, bursitis, Schlatter's disease and other diseases. They are characterized by increasing pain or simply discomfort when moving, clicking 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 pain can be of a different nature, depending on the inflammation of the body damaged by viruses and infections.
- Diseases in which pain radiates to the knees. Sciatic nerve injury, arthrosis of the hip joints, fibromyalgia. Such pains are a side effect, therefore they are periodic aching or shooting character. Treatment of the knee joint in such cases will not bring relief.
Diagnosis and finding out 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 for knee pain can be conservative or surgical. Surgical methods are an operation to eliminate 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 pain in the joints may indicate severe injuries or complete wear of the cartilage. Therefore, several types of operations are used.
Arthroscopy
Such an 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 a "picture" on the screen, the other is intended for manipulations inside the joint, mainly for treatment.
Such an operation significantly reduces the postoperative and rehabilitation period, moreover, it practically does not leave scars. With the help of an arthroscope, torn ligaments and menisci are operated on. Sometimes it is used to treat arthrosis, but its effectiveness in this case is still questionable.
osteotomy
The most radical methodDuring such an operation, the knee joint is completely opened, the patella is removed with the help of incisions, which allows manipulations directly in the cavity. This method is also called open. Usually, braces are applied to the bones, which greatly help to reduce the load on the joints.
A big disadvantage of such an operation is a long rehabilitation period. The patient will be able to walk after 1-2 months, and lead an active lifestyle only after a year. But such surgery usually guarantees a long remission.
You should know 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 carried out 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, an implant is placed in the knee. It can be transplanted from a donor, or it can be replaced with an artificial prosthesis. They are made of plastic, ceramic or metal alloys.
In this way, the disease completely disappears and the patient achieves permanent remission. Still, it is worth considering that the prosthesis can be rejected, and other side effects are also possible. Israel remains the leader in arthroplasty.
For reference! In most cases, knee pain is treated in more gentle ways. 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 regeneration, healing and rehabilitation of joints. It includes drug treatment, physiotherapy exercises and gymnastics, physiotherapy. In some cases, it may include folk methods. At the first manifestations of pain in the knee, it is worth choosing a knee orthosis or a brace that will slow down the destruction of the tissue before the start of the main treatment and reduce the symptoms of the disease.
Medical treatment
What is the first thing to do with knee pain? Of course, use painkillers and analgesics. Such funds can be in different pharmacological forms. Ointments, tablets are recommended for dull and aching pains. For acute and shooting, it is better to resort to injections that will instantly relieve pain.
Once the diagnosis is made, non-steroidal medications may be prescribed. With injuries, severe arthrosis and other degenerative diseases, the knee often swells. That's what these drugs are for. They improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
The final stage of drug treatment will be the intake of chondroprotectors. They are prescribed for absolutely any damage and changes in cartilage tissue. This is the basis of conservative treatment.
Fact! Chondroprotectors, like bricks, restore cartilage. They have properties to regenerate them and restore elasticity.
But it is worth preparing for the fact that treatment with chondroprotectors will be very long. The course takes 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 for pain in the knees, doctors recommend eating jelly, meat broths, avocados and jelly.
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 the regeneration of connective tissue, and recovery will happen much faster.
Exercise therapy and gymnastics
This is the most important stage both after surgical treatment and after medication. Physical therapy should also be done to prevent pain. It should take place under the supervision of a rehabilitation specialist in a special center or sanatorium for the correct implementation of a set of exercises. It usually takes 2-3 months.
With its help, the knee joint gradually returns to active life by increasing the range of motion. Swimming will be the most important element. It will not only allow the joint to move smoothly, but 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. These include the following methods:
- ultrasound therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- therapy with infrared rays;
- various warm-ups.
How else can you cure your legs if your knee hurts a lot? A good physiotherapy procedure is also massage, which increases blood circulation and speeds up the recovery process. Massage well relieves pain, and also has a general strengthening effect.
Topical preparations can be used without a doctor's prescription, such treatment is acceptable when the knees hurt. But most likely, this will only remove the symptoms, and the cause will remain, and sooner or later, it will again cause discomfort.
Traditional methods of treatment
How to treat knee pain with folk methods, probably every patient who has ever encountered this ailment knows:
- The first way will be warming up the joint. This can be done with the help of special compresses of vodka and honey at home.
- You can visit a bath or sauna, which has a good effect on the whole body as a whole.
- A very modern method of warming up will be a warming orthosis on a battery. It is convenient, comfortable and does not require much effort. One session can relieve pain in just 20-30 minutes.
- Mud and algae wraps also have a good effect on the joints. They are able to restore elasticity to 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 last stages of diseases, 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 required, and patient feedback confirms this.
- Woman, 55 years old: "My knee has been hurting for a long time. I couldn’t understand the reason, then I still went to the doctor, and it turned out that I had arthrosis. They prescribed chondroprotectors, which allowed me to forget about the pain. with the help of exercise therapy. "
- Man, 35 years old: "He suffered a severe knee injury - a meniscus rupture. The attending physician prescribed arthroscopy, after a short rehabilitation he returned to big sport. "
- Man, 48 years old: "Unfortunately, arthrosis completely destroyed my joint, I did not pay attention to aching pain for a long time. I had endoprosthetics and a ceramic joint. I returned to an active life again and even started running in the morning. "
- Guy, 20 years old: "I had a pinched sciatic nerve, it gave me dull pains in my knee. I couldn’t understand the reason and smeared the joint with non-steroidal ointments. Then I went to the doctor and found out that these pains were secondary, and my knees are healthy. "