Relieve pain in the knee joint arthrosis. What Reduces Osteoarthritis Pain: Test Your Knowledge. The most modern drugs

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint, or gonarthrosis, affects mainly women, usually over the age of forty. In more early age such a pathology can develop as a result of an injury or professional sports. especially severe course the disease occurs in people with excess weight or suffering from varicose veins of the lower extremities.

The onset of the disease is characterized by the appearance of moderate pain that occurs in the knee during movement, especially when walking on stairs. Also, pain can occur if a person stands for a very long time or gets to his feet after a long stay in a sitting position. At rest, the pain usually subsides. Sharp and intense pain in arthrosis of the knee joint does not occur spontaneously, usually it is preceded by prolonged discomfort when walking, physical activity. It is the gradually increasing pain are one of the main signs of gonarthrosis.

Stages of development of the disease

First stage

At the initial stage of development of gonarthrosis, the bones in the knee do not change their shape, only swelling of the joint may occur, usually associated with the fact that fluid accumulates in the knee. If its quantity exceeds allowable level, edema develops, affecting the back of the leg. In this case, swelling can be removed with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Second stage

The next stage of arthrosis of the knee joint is characterized by a significant increase in the intensity of pain. The pain makes itself felt even after a slight load, a crunch appears in the knee joint, which intensifies if the disease progresses. The patient can hardly bend the leg, there is severe pain, up to the complete impossibility of bending it at the knee. Also, at the second stage of the disease, the joint begins to change its shape, which becomes quite noticeable on palpation - the expansion and engorgement of the articular bones are felt. Synovitis is also much stronger at this stage - the occurrence of edema as a result of fluid accumulation.

Third stage

The third stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of intense pain that occurs even at rest. The patient is looking for a suitable position for a long time, in which the pain will be weaker. With impaired blood circulation, pain can disturb a person even during sleep, causing a feeling of aching in the joint. Motor ability joint is reduced to a minimum, a person is often unable to keep the leg in a straight position and is forced to bend it when walking. With a significant deformation of the bones, the gait becomes waddling, a change in the shape of the lower extremities becomes noticeable.

How to recognize osteoarthritis of the knee joint?

The patient is initially referred for a blood test, then an x-ray, magnetic resonance or computed tomography is performed. In some cases, ultrasound or arthroscopy (examination of the joint with a special device through a small incision) may be prescribed. In the process x-ray examination the stage of development of the disease is determined, the picture shows changes in the joint and bones, as well as the distance between the bones. On the early stage changes in cartilage tissue are not visible on an x-ray. Ultrasound examination, as well as CT scan, allows you to identify violations in the soft articular tissues and determine the amount of accumulated fluid during the development of synovitis.

How is osteoarthritis of the knee treated?

The treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is carried out by specialists such as a rheumatologist or orthopedist. At an early stage, the disease in most cases can be cured without surgery, but the treatment must be comprehensive and qualified. In the second and third stages, return to the joint former form without surgery is impossible, you can only improve the condition of the periarticular tissues.

To reduce inflammation and pain in arthrosis of the knee joint, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used, including diclofenac, ibuprofen, piroxicam, ketaprofen, indomethacin, movalis. After the decline pain syndrome the patient may be prescribed a massage, physiotherapy, physiotherapy procedures.

For the treatment of gonarthrosis, drugs that are part of the group of chondroprotectors and ensure the restoration of cartilage tissue (chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine) are also used. Such drugs also help maintain the elasticity of the cartilage, saturate its tissue with moisture. At the first and second stages, chondroprotectors have a gradual effect, the treatment is quite long and can even last a year or a year and a half. The combined use of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate has a greater effect. In the third stage, such drugs are no longer able to have a positive effect. Required daily dose glucosamine is 1000-1500 mg, chondroitin sulfate - 1000 mg.

Good effect in the treatment of arthrosis have drugs that serve to dilate blood vessels (for example, trental, teonikol). They are able to improve blood circulation in the joint and relieve spasm in small vessels which contributes to the restoration of the affected joint. The intake of such drugs is recommended to be combined with the use of chondroprotectors. In order to relieve painful spasm in the muscles, muscle relaxants (mydocalm, sirdalud) can be prescribed to the patient. Such drugs are used only in combination with chondroprotectors and joint traction. Positive effect in the treatment of arthrosis, it also has a dimexide compress, which reduces inflammation and relieves pain, especially when fluid accumulates. To prepare such a compress, mix one tablespoon of boiled water with a tablespoon of dimexide. Then soak in the resulting solution medical bandage, then put on the affected joint and cover with a plastic bag and a diaper on top. The duration of the procedure is from twenty to sixty minutes, once a day, no more, for two to three weeks.

All medications are used in the absence of contraindications strictly according to the doctor's prescription. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint requires medical treatment and physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises.

Today, more and more often you can hear people complaining about pain in the knees. And everyone is talking about it, both athletes and people suffering overweight, elderly patients, and, just those who have daily excessive loads. Pain in the knee joint can indicate the onset of various diseases.

The most common disease affecting mainly the knee joints is arthrosis. In the people, this disease is simply called the deposition of salts, and doctors - gonarthrosis. If the disease is not treated, it threatens the patient with complete destruction of the cartilage and exposure of the underlying bone, the occurrence of osteophytes and complete deformity of the joint.

How to recognize osteoarthritis of the knee

The most important symptom indicating the occurrence of gonarthrosis is pain in the knee joint area. In this case, the disease does not occur abruptly, the pain will increase for many months and even years. At first, they will disturb the patient only with increased loads on the legs, and then even at rest. Arthrosis can be distinguished from other diseases by the fact that the pain syndrome has an increasing character, therefore, if acute and sharp pain occurs, another disease should be suspected.

Gonarthrosis can occur in three stages, each stage will have its own distinctive features. The first stage is accompanied by such symptoms as: a slight limitation of joint mobility and a slight crunch; slight fatigue; moderate pain in the affected area. The pains will not be strong at all, more aching and dull, they occur periodically.

Usually a person feels them after waking up in the morning at the first steps and when walking up the stairs. AT calm state limb pain is absent. At this stage, the bones have their original shape and do not deform. Only a slight narrowing of the joint space can be seen on the x-ray.

During the second stage, complex treatment is no longer enough. The patient will be tormented by pain even with the slightest movement, and even more intensified even with minor loads and while walking. The pain syndrome can release a little only after a very long rest. This stage is already characterized by a more distinct crunch in the knee joint.

Radiography will show: the narrowing of the joint space is two or even three times higher than normal; osteophytes are clearly visible and in most cases there is an accumulation of fluid in the joint.

The third stage of gonarthrosis is characterized by severe pain, which is present even at rest. At this stage, it is very difficult for the patient to find a comfortable position, to attach the leg in such a way as to at least slightly reduce the feeling of pain that does not leave. An x-ray image shows the absence of the joint space, deformation of the joint surface, tophi are very pronounced.

Types of gonarthrosis

There is primary and secondary arthrosis of the knee joint.

The primary type often appears after a violation metabolic processes in the tissue area of the joint. This type usually affects older people, overweight women, and often those who have a disturbed metabolism. venous bleeding in limbs and endocrine disorders.

Secondary gonarthrosis occurs as a result of an illness or injury of the knee joint.

Treatment of osteoarthritis in the knee

Of course, the most important and basic question of patients is the question: "How to treat arthrosis of the knee joint?". First of all, in the treatment this disease doctors direct all their actions to eliminate the pain syndrome and the inflammatory process. And only after the patient feels relief, they proceed directly to the impact on the causes of unbearable pain, that is, arthrosis.

The volume of complex treatment will depend on the severity of the lesion and the stage of arthrosis. Due to the fact that the disease is chronic, the maximum that doctors can achieve is a long remission. But if the patient asked for help at a very early stage and, together with the attending physician, it is possible to eliminate the cause of gonarthrosis (for example, weight loss), then the patient's complete recovery is quite possible.

The main methods used by doctors in the treatment of arthrosis in the knee are:

the use of medicines;
surgical intervention;
massage;
manual therapy;
restorative therapy.

In no case do not self-medicate, correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe rational treatment Only a doctor can, based on the examination.

Therapeutic treatment includes taking NSAIDs and chondroprotectors. NSAIDs are indispensable in the treatment of knee arthrosis, but due to the fact that they negatively affect the stomach and intestines, they are used in short courses. This group includes such drugs: indomethacin; voltaren; butadione; nimesulide; meloxicam and others.

No less important and very effective in the treatment of knee arthrosis are chondroprotectors, such as: arcoxia; teraflex; chondrosamine; structum and others. Chondroprotectors play very important role in treatment, as they not only help to reduce pain, but also restore cartilage tissue and normalize the production of joint fluid. This group of drugs is very effective at stages 1 and 2, when there are still residues in the joint. cartilage tissue. At the third stage, it is already pointless to take them, because there is nothing to restore there, the cartilage is completely destroyed.

Great importance in the treatment of gonarthrosis is given to local treatment with the use of ointments, gels, creams. The most widely distributed: voltaren-gel; nicoflexin; menovazine; espol; gevkamen; fastum and many others. Often, compresses based on dimexide, bischofite, and medical bile give a positive effect.

Physiotherapy treatment is carried out at the stage of subsiding of the pain syndrome and only after it has passed acute period diseases. Usually patients are prescribed:

electrophoresis;
laser therapy;
ozokerite treatment;
massage, manual therapy;
physiotherapy;
reflexology.

Surgical treatment of arthrosis of the knee

Surgical intervention is resorted to in case of ineffectiveness therapeutic treatment, or when the disease has reached the third stage and irreversible changes have occurred in the knee joint.

There are several options for surgical treatment: artodesis and prosthetics. Arthrodesis is a kind of immobilization of the joint, which helps to eliminate pain. Prosthetics is more modern method, with the help of special prostheses, complete and partial replacement of the damaged joint is carried out.

Treatment of gonarthrosis with folk remedies

The greatest effect from the treatment of arthrosis in the knee joint can be achieved by combining traditional methods treatment with folk remedies. One can cite a few very effective compresses based on natural products and herbs.

Very well contributes to the removal of pain syndrome tincture of wood lice. To prepare it, you will need: fill a 3-liter bottle with wood lice and pour 0.5 liters of vodka. Then pour the herb with boiled cooled water until it is completely covered and cover it with a lid, put it in a dark place for ten days. Take three teaspoons per day.

Still very effective tincture on the leaves of the golden mustache. It is necessary to pour fifteen leaves of a golden mustache (without stems) with half a liter of boiling water, close the lid and cover with a blanket. Wait until the infusion has cooled, then drain and take after meals 25 milliliters three times a day.

You can also quickly relieve inflammation in the knee joint by applying leaves to the sore knee. white cabbage, pre-lubricated with honey. Wrap and leave overnight. You can also use an ordinary burdock leaf, attach it to the affected area, wrap it with cellophane and a warm scarf on top, leave it overnight.

Prevention

In order to avoid such a disease as arthrosis of the knee joint, several very important rules should be followed. First, it is correct and balanced to eat. Second, lead healthy lifestyle life and weight control. Third, engage in adequate physical activity.

Video - How to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint

Pain in the knee joint - what to do? How to relieve pain in the knee joint? Methods of treatment of the knee joint with severe pain. The role of diet in restoring the joints of the legs. – Restoration of joints and spine

You have pain in your knee. What to do? To endure severe pain further or to recover and forget about the pain? But there are means for this.

Severe pain in the knee joint caused by arthritis causes a lot of trouble not only when walking, but also at rest. The patient is irritated, agitated, complains of insomnia, weakness, weakness.

How to relieve suffering? There are ways to reduce pain.

Depending on the disease - arthritis, arthrosis or cartilage injury, apply different methods knee joint treatment.

How to "relieve" pain in the knee joint?

How to move from acute stage disease into remission and full recovery?

You can “relieve” the pain caused by arthritis or arthrosis, or reduce the level of pain syndrome with one movement of a magic wand, if Magic wand there is. If it is not there, they stock up on patience and use a complex consisting of only two exercises.

Exercise one - the pendulum method

The pendulum method is used, in particular, in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis. The essence of the method is to improve blood flow around the knee joint due to light oscillatory movements. This will improve its nutrition and drainage of toxins and toxins.

Description of the exercise. top point the pendulum is immovable. This will be your knee. The other point is the opposite, this case- foot, makes small (!!!) oscillatory movements.

"Pendulum" - your leg from the knee joint to the foot - you need to "hang out" to remove the load from the knee joint. To do this, it is enough to sit on a table top or on another flat object, the height of which would be greater than the distance from your knee to your foot.

The movements of the "pendulum" should be minimal in amplitude (3 - 5 centimeters). The duration is 10 minutes. The frequency is every hour. That is, every hour for 10 minutes you pay attention to your sore knee.

You will feel a little relief from the first day of classes. In the future, you need to develop success. Everything will depend on you.

The duration of the “pendulum” exercise is several weeks if you have the initial stage of the disease, and several months if your disease is of the second or greater degree. You need to focus on your well-being and the results of the examination.

Exercise two - circular movements of the knee joints

Schematically, the actions of the student are shown in the figure. Most of the joints of both legs are included in the work. By stretching and contracting the muscles and ligaments, as well as in the previous exercise, an improvement in the tone of the vessels of both limbs is achieved.

As a result, the food coming through the arteries is gradually restored in them, and the outflow through the veins. The tension in the tissues is relieved, the pain syndrome is reduced. Detailed description can be found in an article called "Exercise for the joints of the legs."

In parallel with the implementation of these two exercises, you need to follow a specially established diet. This is a conscious way of filtering what enters the body and, in particular, into your sore joint.

When following a diet, you cannot deplete the body by refusing certain products. It is necessary to actively replace animal proteins with vegetable ones.

Give the joint what it needs to function properly. You will find dietary recommendations in the article "Diet for Arthritis and Arthrosis".

If you are periodically haunted by arthritic pains, then healing of the whole organism is required. Best of all, the doctor’s method recognized in the West will help you cope with this task. medical sciences Professor Bubnovsky Sergey Mikhailovich. You can find out more about it by following the link above.

For getting effective assistance in such an important matter for you as the restoration of your health, no matter how unusual it is for someone, you need to start treatment with an appeal to God, with prayer.

Severe pain in the knee joint. What to do?

For arthritis, arthrosis, gout to quickly relieve severe pain in the knee joint in home first aid kit it is enough to keep again - after all (by analogy with exercises) only two medicines - dimexide and ketonal. They act quickly and efficiently. How to apply them is described in the article "Removal acute pain».

For the same purpose, an effective drug Harpago gel (manufactured by Arkopharma, France) is used for arthrosis. Read more in the article "How to relieve joint pain?"

Apparently, the following advice will be useful for those involved in sports. If a piece of cartilage has come off in the knee joint, the person may also experience very severe pain. What to do in this case? Chiropractor Gitt Vitaly Demyanovich advises, first of all, to calm down and in no case be heroic, overcoming pain.

Then, if possible, unload the knee joint. To do this, sit on a chair, but do not squat. To stop the pain, leaning on the toe and slightly shaking the leg, very carefully bend the leg up and down, thereby expanding the joint space.

After a few minutes, the pain goes away on its own. You can learn more about this and other exercises of Dr. Gitt to restore joints by clicking on the link.

For severe pain associated with inflammation of the joint, it is recommended to use herbal treatment that has anti-inflammatory (lingonberry, wheatgrass, horsetail, wild rose), diuretic (black elderberry, chamomile, wild rose), sedative (chamomile, marsh cinquefoil) and analgesic (nettle, peppermint, capsicum) action.

In the future, it will be advisable to use infusions and decoctions of herbs that normalize metabolism. For example, I'll give you a thistle.

You can read about the methods of using the above herbs by clicking on the links, as well as in the Arthritis - Herbal Treatment category.

How to relieve severe pain in arthrosis of the knee joints

It is easy to relieve severe pain in arthrosis of the knee joints, and the author of a good technique will demonstrate this to you.

Arthrosis of the knee joint does not begin to manifest itself overnight, and sometimes a person does not pay attention to aching knee, considering this a sign of fatigue or an impending change in the weather. Meanwhile healthy joint should not react so to the load, and even more so be a weather barometer. If you previously had an injury, then such consequences may well be, but if not, it’s time to think about whether gonarthrosis is starting. How to determine if it is arthrosis by pain in the knee joint?

Let's remember how arthrosis begins.

First stage knee arthrosis

At the first stage of knee arthrosis, the hyaline cartilage is almost unchanged outwardly, the subchondronal bone also has its usual shape and size. However, due to impaired metabolism, there is a deficiency in the cartilage important components, giving it, along with wear resistance, elasticity - glucosamine and chondroitin.

Glucosamine is a component of synovial fluid. Its deficiency leads to a decrease in its qualities and a deterioration in the lubrication of the joint. This explains the beginning of the pain

Swelling of the knee, and it can also occur on the back of the knee, in the popliteal fossa
Pain when climbing stairs, after a long walk, when bending the knee to the stop
After removing the load and resting, the pain calms down quite quickly
The swelling is explained by synovitis - the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity with flow into the popliteal fossa
In the picture, gonarthrosis of the joint is determined by a decrease in the interarticular gap and by mild sclerosis of the subchondronal bone.

To relieve pain in the knee joint with arthrosis of the first degree, you must:

Rest for a few days
Unload the knee by imposing knee orthosis or tight bandage
Give painkillers:
injections are suitable, ketoprofen, piroxicam, etc.
Rub the sore knee with Fastum-gel, indomethacin ointment and other external agents containing NSAIDs

Note: Kapsikam, menovazin and other ointments irritant will have only a superficial effect and are useless for synovitis.

In general, in its action, any ointment, both irritating and therapeutic effect significantly inferior to injections and tablets in their effect

Importance rehabilitation treatment arthrosis

After pain relief, it is extremely important to continue treatment:

It is in the first stage that arthrosis can be treated with drugs that help restore cartilage tissue.

Chondroprotectors are best taken in the form of injections or tablets, after completing courses as recommended. An interrupted course of treatment or a chaotic medication is unacceptable here. Ointments with chondroprotectors can be used in between courses.

Joint mobility support necessary condition prevent further progression of the disease. This is achievable daily.

The second stage of gonarthrosis

The treatment of pain in gonarthrosis of the second stage is carried out in the same way as in the first, but it is already more difficult to relieve pain and swelling, therefore, during the period of exacerbation, corticosteroids in the form of intra-articular injections can be added.

Since the movement of the knee joint is difficult, then physiotherapy exercises desirable to be combined with manual therapy. Penetrating compresses from dimexide, bischofite or natural bile help to reduce contracture of muscles and ligaments.

AT recovery period chondroprotectors are being taken (Alflutop, Structum, Chondroitin, Dona, etc.).

Knee arthrosis of the third degree

With gonarthrosis of the third degree, cartilage is practically absent, many osteophytes form on the surface of the joint
The subchondronal bone is compacted and significantly deformed; chondromas may appear in the joint cavity
The interarticular gap is narrowed to the limit
The alignment of the bones is broken, due to which the legs acquire an ugly shape in the form of the letters X or O
Pain in the knee becomes unbearably strong and does not go away at rest and in any position
Movements are sharply limited due to contractures that have arisen, and with ankylosis (complete fusion) they are made impossible
Atrophy of the femoral and calf muscles appears

Treatment of late knee arthrosis is aimed at reducing the suffering of the patient and maintaining his motor function.

Therefore, the purpose of intra-articular injections is not only to relieve pain (for these purposes, injections with NSAIDs or corticosteroids are given), but also to lubricate the joint (injections with hyaluronic acid are used for this)

Late deforming gonarthrosis of the third degree is already irreversible, so treatment with chondroprotectors is ineffective here.

Note. Corticosteroids should be used sparingly due to side effects and only when there are signs of synovitis.

Additional methods for relieving pain in gonarthrosis

Physiotherapy can relieve pain and improve joint mobility, the condition of muscles and ligaments:

laser therapy
electromyostimulation
heat and cold treatment and other methods

Help to remove chronic pain treatment of knee arthrosis, which can be combined with traditional.

With ankylosis of the joint, the only way out is surgery(osteotomy, arthroscopy or arthroplasty).

Don't self-diagnose.

Pain in the knee can be the result of not only knee arthrosis, but also other causes.:

injury
infectious and autoimmune diseases
blood diseases

to install real reason, you need to undergo a diagnosis, because it is not the pain itself that should be treated, but the disease.

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint does not begin to manifest itself overnight, and sometimes a person does not pay attention to the aching knee, considering it a sign of fatigue or an impending change in the weather. Meanwhile, a healthy joint should not react so much to the load, and even more so be a barometer of the weather. If you previously had an injury, then such consequences may well be, but if not, it’s time to think about whether gonarthrosis is starting. How to determine if it is arthrosis by pain in the knee joint?

In the early stages of knee osteoarthritis, pain occurs after a long movement or exercise and is relieved at rest.

Pain in gonarthrosis and its treatment

Let's remember how arthrosis begins.

First stage of knee arthritis

At the first stage of knee arthrosis, the hyaline cartilage is almost unchanged outwardly, the subchondronal bone also has its usual shape and size. However, due to impaired metabolism, cartilage is deficient in important components that give it, along with wear resistance, elasticity - glucosamine and chondroitin.

Pain in the joint occurs due to dystrophic phenomena in the cartilage

Glucosamine is a component of synovial fluid. Its deficiency leads to a decrease in its qualities and a deterioration in the lubrication of the joint. This explains the beginning pains. In addition, there are such symptoms characteristic of the initial stage of knee arthrosis:

Swelling of the knee, and it can also occur on the back of the knee, in the popliteal fossa
Pain when climbing stairs, after a long walk, when bending the knee to the stop
After removing the load and resting, the pain calms down quite quickly
Swelling is explained by synovitis - the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity with flow into the popliteal fossa
In the picture, gonarthrosis of the joint is determined by a decrease in the interarticular gap and by mild sclerosis of the subchondronal bone.

To relieve pain in the knee joint with arthrosis of the first degree, you must:

Rest for a few days
Unload the knee by applying a knee brace or tight bandage
Give painkillers:
injections of diclofenac, ketoprofen, piroxicam, etc. are suitable.
Rub the sore knee with Fastum-gel, indomethacin ointment and other external agents containing NSAIDs

Note: Kapsikam, menovazin and other irritating ointments will only have a superficial effect and are useless for synovitis.

In general, in its action, any ointment, both irritating and therapeutic, is significantly inferior to injections and tablets in its effect. The importance of restorative treatment of arthrosis

After pain relief, it is extremely important to continue treatment:

It is in the first stage that arthrosis can be treated with chondroprotectors - drugs that help restore cartilage tissue

Maintaining joint mobility is a necessary condition for preventing further progression of the disease. This is achievable with daily therapeutic exercises.

The second stage of gonarthrosis

Since the movement of the knee joint is difficult, it is desirable to combine physiotherapy exercises with manual therapy. Penetrating compresses from dimexide, bischofite or natural bile help to reduce contracture of muscles and ligaments.

During the recovery period, chondroprotectors are being taken (Alflutop, Structum, Chondroitin, Dona, etc.).

Knee arthrosis of the third degree

With gonarthrosis of the third degree, cartilage is practically absent, many osteophytes form on the surface of the joint
The subchondronal bone is compacted and significantly deformed; chondromas may appear in the joint cavity
The interarticular gap is narrowed to the limit
The alignment of the bones is broken, due to which the legs acquire an ugly shape in the form of the letters X or O
Pain in the knee becomes unbearably strong and does not go away at rest and in any position
Movements are sharply limited due to contractures that have arisen, and with ankylosis (complete fusion) they are made impossible
Atrophy of the femoral and calf muscles appears

Treatment of late knee arthrosis is aimed at reducing the suffering of the patient and maintaining his motor function.

With late gonarthrosis, anesthetic injections and injections with hyaluronic acid are made

Late deforming gonarthrosis of the third degree is already irreversible, so treatment with chondroprotectors is ineffective here.

Note. Corticosteroids should be used sparingly due to side effects and only when there are signs of synovitis.

Additional methods for relieving pain in gonarthrosis

Physiotherapy can relieve pain and improve joint mobility, the condition of muscles and ligaments:

laser therapy
electromyostimulation
heat and cold treatment and other methods

Help relieve chronic pain folk remedies for the treatment of knee arthrosis, which can be combined with traditional.

With ankylosis of the joint, the only way out is surgical treatment (osteotomy, arthroscopy or arthroplasty).

Don't self-diagnose.

Pain in the knee can be the result of not only knee arthrosis, but also other causes.:

injury
infectious and autoimmune diseases
blood diseases

To establish the real cause, you need to undergo a diagnosis, because it is not the pain itself that should be treated, but the disease. Video: Pain in the knee joint

How to relieve severe pain in acute inflammation of the knee joint - arthritis

Arthritis is a complex name for a number of diseases associated with inflammatory processes in the joints.. Now doctors have established more than 100 causes of this inflammation. Among them are infectious diseases (tuberculosis, brucellosis, influenza), metabolic disorders in the body (gout), injuries, malfunctions in immune system(rheumatoid arthritis). For all the different reasons, disease-causing, it is characterized by common symptoms: redness, swelling, fever and pain in the joints. Inflammation of the knee joint and joints of the hands is especially common. The pains are different, sharp and aching, not passing with a decrease in the load on the joint, often occurring suddenly, at night, leading to the inability to move, engage in any activity.

How to treat arthritis

If arthritis is left untreated, then acute inflammation leads to deformity and destruction of the joints, and if the spine and knee joint are affected, to loss of mobility and disability. Moreover, arthritis, unlike arthrosis associated with age-related degradation of the joints, affects a person in any, even very young age. Inflammation is treated for a long time and is difficult. This is due to the need to first identify the cause and eliminate it, for example, to suppress the infection in the body with antibiotics. In any case, the doctor determines the reason why the joints hurt, and the doctor prescribes treatment based on the tests performed.

Arthritis is a widespread disease, every year all over the world new drugs and methods of treatment of its various forms are being developed. These are serious drugs, some of them contain hormones, they have wide range contraindications, and it is unacceptable to take them on your own, you can remove inflammation, but cause irreparable harm to other organs.

How to relieve knee pain

If only a doctor should treat arthritis, every patient can relieve or reduce pain in the knees or hands during an acute attack. Quick Help this will be provided by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers that can be freely bought in pharmacies: ketalgin, diclofenac, piroxicam and about 40 other medicines produced in ampoules for intramuscular injections, pills and candles. They relieve swelling, fever and pain in the damaged joint, restore mobility to the knee joint.

At intramuscular injection of these medicines, the analgesic effect occurs as quickly as possible, after 10-20 minutes, the effect of tablets or capsules reaches its maximum effect after 1-2 hours. The most acceptable is the administration of drugs rectally, with the help of suppositories, the effect is observed after 20-30 minutes, the negative effect of the drug on gastrointestinal tract. The fact is that all these drugs with prolonged use have side effects: they irritate the digestive organs, cause a violation of blood clotting and renal blood flow.

Safer for the body are ointments and rubbing containing the above substances, as well as natural ingredients (bee or snake venom, essential oils), but they are less effective. To obtain the desired effect, they should be applied regularly to the knees, joints of the hands or the spine. certain time. For some patients, cold or warm compresses help relieve pain. If your knees hurt, then to improve the condition of the knee joint, you can try to make a warm foot bath by adding sea salt or a few drops of pine, fir, eucalyptus essential oil.

Phytotherapy in the treatment of arthritis

Joint pain, swelling, and impaired mobility of the spine, knees, and hands have haunted mankind since its inception. Moreover, these painful manifestations known in animals, both living and extinct. Paleontologists studying the skeletons of giant dinosaurs have discovered pathological changes articular bones. In folk medicine, for the treatment of diseased joints, many plants have long been used that have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, as well as tonic, anti-allergic and diuretic effects, because inflammation of the joints is often caused by a violation water-salt metabolism and deposition in the articular bag of salt crystals.

Each herbalist has several herbal recipes of his own. Some of them can be bought ready-made in pharmacies. For example: calamus (rhizomes), hawthorn (fruits), oregano (flowers), St. John's wort (grass), lemon balm (grass), black nightshade (fruits), pine (buds), violet (flowers), thyme (herb), eucalyptus (leaves). Or the following composition: wild rosemary (grass), elecampane (rhizomes), sweet clover (grass), St. (grass). The complexity and multicomponent nature of them is determined by the variety of causes that cause arthritis, and the individual characteristics of the human body.

Herbal preparations are used in the form of infusions. During the period of exacerbation, they are taken in shock doses: 5-6 tablespoons of herbs are brewed in a 0.5 liter thermos, insisted and consumed orally in several doses during the day before meals. A month later, when feeling better, reduce the dose to 2-3 tablespoons per 0.5 liter thermos. Take such infusions long time, from 8 months to a year, changing fees every 2 months and taking a break for 10 days. Treatment, as follows from the above, is long and laborious, but does not have such side effects as medication, and with sufficient patience gives a lasting effect.

Some patients use rubbing of the knee joint and joints of the hands alcohol tincture wild rosemary, wolf's bast, cinquefoil and some other plants. You can apply pounded horseradish root, bitter pepper fruits to sore knees, wrap them overnight with burdock leaves, white cabbage. If you have the patience to do such procedures for months, then they relieve pain and inflammation in the joints for a long time.

Nutrition and exercise for knee pain and stiffness

Arthritis of the knee joint often occurs with injuries, long-term severe physical labor and even from overweight patient, because the load on the knees increases. To prevent recurrence pain attacks and inflammation, you should change your lifestyle. Adhere to a salt-free diet, limit the intake of fatty and sweet food, try to reduce weight, which will immediately alleviate the condition of the knee joint, with heavy physical exertion during work, take regular breaks to give rest to the legs. But it is impossible to completely abandon physical activity, even with acute pain during attacks. Otherwise, the joints will stiffen and working them out will cause even more pain.

During remission, physical education is mandatory, only from running and strength exercises it is better to refuse, replacing them with swimming or cycling. This will prevent both dystrophy of the knee joint and strengthen the muscles of the legs. According to medicine, arthritis currently affects up to 2% of people. Whether this disease will lead to disability depends both on the success of drug treatment and the correct behavior, perseverance and desire to maintain the mobility of the patient himself.

The use of painkillers in the treatment of arthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis

Arthrosis is a chronic disease characterized by the slow destruction of cartilage in the joints or between the vertebrae. In the presence of an ailment, the joint makes a crunch, it hurts. If the disease is advanced, it is possible to limit the mobility of the joint up to its complete absence. As soon as the symptoms of arthrosis appear, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment, because over time, all manifestations will progress, which can lead to disability.

Symptoms and causes of arthrosis

Arthrosis is one of the most common diseases. It mainly affects the knee and hip joints. Arthrosis of the legs is very common. Often this disease affects athletes, people experiencing great physical exertion. Prolonged standing or sitting position can also negatively affect the connective tissues of the bones.

Causes of arthritis.

Too much load on the body that does not correspond to age provokes the disease in 5-8% of cases. For example, training designed for 20-year-olds can harm the health of an elderly person.
Injuries. Damage to the menisci, fractures of the knee, dislocations of the knee joint lead to the disease. Injuries are the cause of malaise in 30-40% of cases.
Excessive body weight is the cause of the disease in 10% of patients. At fat people there is a lot of stress on the legs and knees.
Joint inflammation.
Failure in the metabolic system.

Symptoms and manifestations of the disease.

Aching pain in a damaged joint, which appears when exposed to a sore spot.
Crunch and ache in the joint. The crunch intensifies over time, and the aches occur during hypothermia.
Swelling of the affected area during exacerbations, accompanied by aching pain.
Stiffness in the morning.

At the initial stage, the disease practically does not manifest itself. First of all, with arthrosis, mild pain occurs after physical activity, which quickly passes at rest. As the disease progresses, the ailments intensify, disturb at night, and often rest does not help.

The use of painkillers

The treatment of osteoarthritis should be taken very seriously. When the disease is just beginning, you can limit yourself to home therapies. However, self-treatment for arthrosis of the knee joint, legs, and hip region is unacceptable. Before applying any procedures, be sure to consult with specialists.

Treatment for osteoarthritis includes several stages:

anesthesia;
removal of inflammation;
cartilage restoration.

For arthrosis of the legs or hip joint it is impossible to completely restore the functionality of the damaged area. In this case, surgical intervention will give the greatest effect. To relieve pain, painkillers and injections are prescribed. It is strictly forbidden to take them on your own, without consulting a doctor.

The most famous painkillers.

Aspirin. Acetylsalicylic acid is an anti-inflammatory agent, relieves pain. Helps to restrain the destruction of cartilage tissues.
Indomethacin. It is a strong pain reliever. Reduces fever, relieves swelling and inflammation.
Ibuprofen. Pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent. Widely used in rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis of the knee joint and legs, neuralgia and spinal pain.
Phenylbutazone. It is the strongest pain reliever. Applicable for acute arthrosis knee joint or legs to relieve pain in the shortest possible time.

Sometimes hormonal drugs are used to combat pain in arthrosis. These include corticosteroids. However, relieving pain, these drugs destroy cartilage tissue. In osteoarthritis of the knee, corticosteroids are rarely used unless other pain medications help.

There is another group of drugs used for arthrosis of the legs, hip and knee joints. These are the latest medical innovations: droxaril, nifluril, ponstan, harlef and others. However, it should be remembered that the use of painkillers is not enough for a complete recovery.

Etiology and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Another disease of the connective tissues of bones is rheumatoid arthritis. With this disease, the symmetrical joints of the hands and feet are affected. The disease wears inflammatory character, is extremely rare, in about 1-2% of the world's population. Doctors do not have a definite answer to the question of what provokes the onset of this disease. It is believed that rheumatoid arthritis appears as a result of disorders in the immune system.

Causes of the disease:

genetic predisposition;
transferred infections;
adverse effects of the external and internal environment.

In rheumatoid arthritis, a number of characteristic symptoms are observed:

pain in muscles and joints;
fever;
stiffness in the joints in the morning;
weight loss.

With rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms gradually progress, connective tissues lose their functionality and become deformed. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment should begin immediately. Therapy includes the use of anti-inflammatory, basic and hormonal drugs.

Joint disease can cause body parts to become immobile and lead to disability. You should pay attention to even minor pain in the joints and start treatment as soon as possible. At the initial stages, arthrosis of the legs, hip and knee joints can be treated at home.

It should be remembered that painkillers only relieve pain. With arthrosis of the legs, knee joint, rheumatoid arthritis, it is necessary to undergo a full course of treatment under the supervision of doctors.

Arthrosis of the knee joints. How to relieve severe pain

Arthrosis of the knee joints. A set of exercises for the knee joints. The author of the exercises is Jamaldinov Muslim Rimievich.

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Treatment of arthrosis is carried out in a complex manner. The impact is aimed at local inflammation, degenerative processes and general metabolic disorders. It includes: orthopedic and drug treatment; physiotherapy effect. The load on the joint can be reduced by means of orthopedic correction - these are knee pads or elastic bandages (they eliminate the additional load on the cartilage when walking, fix the knee joint from lateral movements); arch support insoles, which are prescribed for flat feet; orthopedic shoes worn with shortening of the limb.

To relieve pain and reduce inflammation, one of the drugs is injected into the joint: Celeston, Diprospan, Depo-Medrol, Kenalog. They allow you to stop inflammation, and to eliminate inflammation in the joint and periarticular soft tissues anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed: ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomethacin, Tinoctil, Movalis, Airtal, nimesulide, Nise, Voltaren, cortisol, hydrocortisone, etc. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for up to 3 weeks.

Reception of anti-inflammatory drugs must be combined with local treatment. Such ointments have anti-inflammatory properties: butadionic, indomethacin and others. Revma-Gel, Erazon, Dolgit Cream, Fastum Gel have proven themselves well. The ointment is applied 3 times a day clean skin. Dimexide compresses also have a good anti-inflammatory effect.

Some clinics do cryoblockade, promising excellent results. lasting results. It should be noted that this procedure has practically no contraindications, since it is based on blocking pain receptors with ultra-low temperatures. “Grandmother’s recipes” can also be effective for relieving pain, for example, camphor rubbing or compresses with fir oil or garlic juice.

An effective method in the complex treatment of arthrosis is manual therapy. When using massage, you can achieve normalization of movements in the joint, eliminate articular contracture.

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Diagnostics

Diagnosis of arthrosis is the passage of a comprehensive examination.

Reasons to go to the hospital are the following symptoms:

pain in the knees;
stiffness of movements;
clicking in the joint during flexion-extension;
puffiness;
discomfort during prolonged stay without movement;
increase in pain during the load on the legs.

The doctor is obliged to examine the patient's legs and interrogate him for sensations and their intensity. Laboratory tests are required to identify pathological processes by changes in blood composition.

A more detailed picture can be obtained through an ultrasound examination, as well as an x-ray photo. Often such diagnostic methods are sufficient, but in some cases MRI or arthroscopy may be required.

Finding out the cause of the disease

In order for the treatment to be as effective as possible and the disease does not return after the end of therapy, it is necessary to find out what reasons provoked its development. The main problem with arthrosis is a violation of metabolic processes. However, this pathology can be provoked various factors, the influence of which should be excluded.

These include:

trauma;
sedentary lifestyle;
obesity;
heavy loads;
stress;
hormonal imbalance;
unhealthy diet and bad habits;
operations on the knee joint;
age-related changes;
problems of the endocrine system;
violation of blood flow in the lower extremities;
influence of other diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
heredity.

Previously, the doctor must collect a complete history and analyze the patient's lifestyle. This is especially true for patients under 40 years of age, since arthrosis mainly affects only the older generation.

Features of the stages and their treatment

The treatment strategy directly depends on the degree of development of gonarthrosis. It is easiest to cope with the disease at the very beginning, until irreversible changes have occurred in the joint. If the cartilage lining has already been damaged, it will not be possible to completely restore it, but degenerative processes can be slowed down.

Features of the treatment of gonarthrosis, depending on the stage of pathology, can be presented in the form of a table:

Methods of treatment

Until the disease has passed to the stage of irreversible processes, it is necessary to start fighting it as soon as possible. Let us consider in more detail how to cure arthrosis of the knee joint.

In modern medical practice, they are actively used as pharmaceutical products, and home methods, various procedures and exercises. AT advanced cases the help of a surgeon is required.

Medicines

All kinds of medicines are used to eliminate the symptoms of the disease and slow down the degenerative-dystrophic processes. Their selection and combination depends on the specific situation, therefore, it is carried out exclusively by a doctor after all the necessary diagnostic measures have been taken.

For the treatment of knees, the following groups of drugs are used:

NSAIDs. They relieve inflammation and focus on the relief of symptoms of gonarthrosis.
Chondoprotectors. Protect cartilage from destruction, stimulate regenerative processes, improve tissue nutrition.
Hormonal remedies. They relieve inflammation and pain, act faster than NSAIDs, but are not suitable for long courses.
Muscle relaxants. They allow you to relax muscles and relieve tension, spasms, lower tone.
Immunosuppressors. Necessary in the event that arthrosis is accompanied by autoimmune processes, which is extremely rare.

For complex therapy for arthrosis of the knee, tablet preparations are used, as well as local agents: injections, ointments and gels with a warming effect.

Folk remedies

If the price of pharmaceutical preparations does not suit you, they can be partially replaced or supplemented with folk remedies. Most of the components from such recipes are available to everyone. You can buy them at a pharmacy, assemble them yourself, or find them at home in the kitchen.

Examples of the most popular folk remedies from gonarthrosis:

Sunflower oil. Every day you need to rub unrefined sunflower oil into your knees.
Burdock leaves. Lay a few leaves of burdock on top of each other with the velvety side down. Place a hot pot on top. Attach the leaves to the leg and warm the compress.
Mokritsa. Grass in a three-liter jar, pour 0.5 liters of vodka and leave for 1-2 weeks. Top up with water and take 1 scoop before meals.
Lemon. It is necessary to eat a few slices of lemon daily along with the zest. You can mix it with honey and walnuts.
Cabbage. The cabbage leaf is rolled with a rolling pin, smeared with honey and applied to the knee under cellophane. From above, warm the leg with a woolen scarf.

Gymnastics

An essential component of therapy for initial stages gonarthrosis is motor activity.

Exercise helps to achieve the following results:

start the processes of regeneration and production of hyaline lubricant;
improve limb mobility;
strengthen muscles and ligaments;
relieve pain and tension;
increase blood circulation and improve tissue nutrition.

During the execution of each exercise, the instructions must be followed so that more damage does not occur. You can not overload the joint and perform movements through force and pain.

The following exercises are used in the exercise therapy program:

Bicycle - lying on your back, perform rotational movements with your legs bent at the knees, as if pedaling a bicycle.
Leg raises - sit on a chair, alternately raise your legs up, straightening them at the knees.
Retracting legs back - lie on your stomach, lift straight legs above the floor.
Knee raises - stand straight, use the support for balance. Alternately raise your legs, pulling your knees up. The leg should be bent at a right angle.
Squats - use a support to reduce the load. The heels do not come off the floor, the knees do not go beyond the socks. Do half squats or squats as far as you feel comfortable.

Physiotherapy and procedures

To speed up action medicines and more intense impact on the pathological process, doctors recommend using various procedures.

The treatment program for gonarthrosis includes the following activities:

Physiotherapy. It implies the use of various hardware techniques to influence the problem area. Physiotherapeutic procedures stimulate the restoration of damaged tissues, improve their nutrition and the penetration of drugs. For joints, such areas as electrophoresis, laser therapy, dry heat, ozokeritotherapy, ozonotherapy.
Manual therapy. Massage can only be performed by a certified specialist with medical education. Otherwise, you can only increase the damage and provoke even greater deformation.
Reflexology. The impact on the biological active points. Special needles, heat, pressure, etc. are used.
Balneological procedures. They are carried out in special medical centers and medical sanatoriums. This includes mineral baths, mud therapy, etc.

Surgical intervention

If a conservative therapy did not give significant positive changes, or in the case when arthrosis has already switched to last stage, treatment involves the use of more radial methods. Tablets and ointments are no longer able to restore cartilage, they only temporarily relieve joint pain. An operation is required to fix the problem.

To restore the work of the knee, arthroplasty is performed. Its essence lies in the partial or complete replacement of the elements of the articular joint with artificial prostheses. Thanks to this procedure, it is possible to improve the patient's quality of life for at least 10 years.

If endoprosthetics cannot be performed, arthrodesis is performed. This manipulation immobilizes the knee in one of the directions, which reduces pain and slows down the destruction of cartilage.

You can find out what else you can treat arthrosis of the knees by watching the video in this article. Do not start the problem, otherwise the pathological processes will become irreversible and get rid of arthrosis and its painful symptoms will be impossible.

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Basic methods, drugs for pain relief

To overcome diseases, it is required to carry out a complex of methods, techniques, it is important to pay attention to pain in the knee joint. Actions are directed to the complete elimination of the inflammatory process, degenerative, general metabolic processes are used to help the body recover. Used orthopedic, drug treatment, physiotherapy.

To relieve pain in arthrosis, it is required to unload the leg, an orthopedic remedy is used - knee pads, elastic bandages. Use it correctly special insoles prescribed by a doctor for flat feet. If the problems are so strong that the leg is shortened, it is worth considering special orthopedic shoes.

To reduce inflammation, it is worth injecting into trouble spot drug preparation, do only as prescribed by a doctor. Effective drugs - "Kenalog", "Diprospan", "Celeston". Medicines have a general purpose, completely stop destructive process in joints and bones. Additional medications consider ointments - "Movalis", "Diclofenac", "Nise", "Voltaren". Drugs are not prescribed for a long time to relieve inflammation, a month is enough, followed by treatment.

Clinics offer cryoblockade. The procedure, with no contraindications, sometimes has the opposite effect, blocking pain is carried out using low temperatures. We must not forget about folk methods of treating knee joints - compresses from herbs, oils, treatment is sometimes necessary for a long time pick up.

It is better to carry out treatment in combination with manual therapy, massage has the properties of restoring movements.

How to deal with pain?

Therapy at any stage is aimed at reducing discomfort in knee tissues, bones. In medicine, there are ways to help reduce inflammation:

Often prescribed drugs belonging to the NVS group help reduce pain, can reduce swelling in a certain area of the leg, for example, near the kneecaps.
After stopping the inflammatory process, doctors prescribe maintenance drugs containing analgesics and steroids.
If seen severe inflammation, the doctor prescribes vasodilators that remove stagnant blood from the body, improve metabolism.
There are more effective means applied with certain period time - corticosteroids. In diseases of the knee joints, it is sometimes necessary to wear a corset, which can relieve a large load on the knee and help maintain therapy.

All drugs are prescribed by a doctor, the use of the patient is strictly controlled so that there is no deterioration in the state of health, since these drugs require careful selection for each patient individually. Patients are wondering how to relieve pain, they begin to use folk methods, they often turn out to be ineffective.

If you do not seek medical help in time, you can seriously harm your health. Inflammation hinders movement, gradually destroys bones and tissues, and in the future will lead to complete inactivity, complete disability. There are many ways early diagnosis knee joints, which allows you to quickly respond, prescribe competent treatment apply effective methods of combating the disease.

The last stage of damage to the knee joint is cured with surgical intervention when a special prosthesis is implanted instead of cartilage, so the disease is better to prevent than to treat. Thanks to the modern equipment that is available in clinics, it is possible to examine the disease at an early stage. Everyone should listen to their health, this will help pay attention to the symptoms.

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The reasons

Causes of inflammation in the knee can be different. The disease is acute or chronic. It may also be infectious or non-infectious nature, primary or secondary, meet on one side or be symmetrical.

An acute inflammatory process is usually the result of the activity of various microorganisms - bacteria, viruses, fungi. They penetrate into the joint cavity with blood flow or from the external environment in case of an open injury.

The following factors lead to the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the knee joints:

To development chronic form usually lead to such pathologies:

systemic scleroderma;
osteoarthritis;
ankylosing spondylitis;
lupus;
rheumatoid arthritis;
gout;
psoriasis;
rheumatism;
post-traumatic arthritis.

Before treating inflammation of the knee joint, it is necessary to analyze its clinical picture. To the most characteristic manifestations include the following:

General principles of therapy

What to do with inflammation of the knee joint? This question worries many people.

The key components of therapy are the immobilization of the affected area, the implementation therapeutic exercises, maintaining the correct mode of motor activity, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Conservative treatments include the following:

weight loss;
the use of physiotherapy;
compliance with the therapeutic and protective regime - it is important to abandon heavy physical exertion;
performing therapeutic exercises - thanks to this, it is possible to make the joints more flexible and strengthen muscle tissue;
immobilization of the affected limb - bandages, canes, crutches are used for this;
drug therapy - should be comprehensive in order to cope with the inflammatory process and the cause of the disease.

Many people are interested in how to relieve inflammation of the knee joint. First of all, the doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs. Their action is aimed at reducing inflammation and relieving pain.

So what can you do to relieve pain? For this, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. It is best to use selective substances that do not irritate the gastric mucosa. This is especially true when long-term therapy is needed. This category, in particular, includes Movalis.

Diclofenac, Meloxicam, Ibuprofen can also achieve good results.. With the appearance of a pronounced pain syndrome, you can use Celebrex, which is a COX-2 inhibitor.

Before using such drugs, you should definitely consult a doctor. The specialist should tell about the presence of various pathologies - angina pectoris, stroke or heart attack in history.

Non-selective drugs can provoke pain in the stomach, nausea and other dyspeptic disorders. Because after cupping acute inflammation it is worth switching to other methods of therapy - gymnastics, massage, physiotherapy.

Chondroprotectors - Chondroitin sulfate and Glucosamine also help to cope with the pathology.. Through the use of these substances in initial stage disease, it is possible to restore the structure of cartilage tissue and stop its destruction.

To get the desired result, long-term therapy is required - 2-3 courses each. Usually treatment lasts 1-1.5 years.

Of great importance is local treatment. For this, apply various ointments and creams. They cannot completely eliminate the pathology, but they significantly improve the condition during an exacerbation of the disease, since they allow you to cope with inflammation and pain.

The ointment should be selected by the doctor, taking into account clinical picture pathology. In some cases, warming preparations are shown that help improve blood circulation. These include Menovazin, Espol. In other situations, it is better to use anti-inflammatory agents.

Quite often, the treatment of inflammation is carried out using therapeutic compresses. Most often, doctors use Bishofit and Dimexide. These substances effectively cope with inflammation and have a resolving effect. In addition, the funds improve local metabolic processes.

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The most complete answers to questions on the topic: "pain relief in arthrosis of the knee joint."

Osteoarthritis of the knee joint, or gonarthrosis, affects mainly women, usually over the age of forty. At an earlier age, such a pathology may develop as a result of injury or professional sports. A particularly severe course of the disease is observed in people who are overweight or suffering from varicose veins of the lower extremities.

The onset of the disease is characterized by the appearance of moderate pain that occurs in the knee during movement, especially when walking on stairs. Also, pain can occur if a person stands for a very long time or gets to his feet after a long stay in a sitting position. At rest, the pain usually subsides. Sharp and intense pain in arthrosis of the knee joint does not occur spontaneously, usually it is preceded by prolonged discomfort when walking, physical activity. It is gradually increasing pain that is one of the main signs of gonarthrosis.

Stages of development of the disease

First stage

At the initial stage of development of gonarthrosis, the bones in the knee do not change their shape, only swelling of the joint may occur, usually associated with the fact that fluid accumulates in the knee. If its amount exceeds the permissible level, edema develops, affecting the back of the leg. In this case, swelling can be removed with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Second stage

Third stage

The third stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of intense pain that occurs even at rest. The patient is looking for a suitable position for a long time, in which the pain will be weaker. With impaired blood circulation, pain can disturb a person even during sleep, causing a feeling of aching in the joint. The motor ability of the joint is reduced to a minimum, a person is often unable to keep the leg in a straight position and is forced to bend it when walking. With a significant deformation of the bones, the gait becomes waddling, a change in the shape of the lower extremities becomes noticeable.

How to recognize osteoarthritis of the knee joint?

The patient is initially referred for a blood test, then an x-ray, magnetic resonance or computed tomography is performed. In some cases, ultrasound or arthroscopy (examination of the joint with a special device through a small incision) may be prescribed. In the process of x-ray examination, the stage of development of the disease is determined, the picture shows changes in the joint and bones, as well as the distance between the bones. At an early stage of the disease, changes in cartilage tissue are not visible on an x-ray. Ultrasound, like computed tomography, can detect abnormalities in the soft articular tissues and determine the amount of accumulated fluid during the development of synovitis.

How is osteoarthritis of the knee treated?

The treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is carried out by specialists such as a rheumatologist or orthopedist. At an early stage, the disease in most cases can be cured without surgery, but the treatment must be comprehensive and qualified. At the second and third stages, it is impossible to return the joint to its previous shape without surgery, it is only possible to improve the condition of the periarticular tissues.

To reduce inflammation and pain in arthrosis of the knee joint, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used, including diclofenac, ibuprofen, piroxicam, ketaprofen, indomethacin, movalis. After reducing the pain syndrome, the patient can be prescribed massage, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy.

For the treatment of gonarthrosis, drugs that are part of the group of chondroprotectors and ensure the restoration of cartilage tissue (chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine) are also used. Such drugs also help maintain the elasticity of the cartilage, saturate its tissue with moisture. At the first and second stages, chondroprotectors have a gradual effect, the treatment is quite long and can even last a year or a year and a half. The combined use of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate has a greater effect. In the third stage, such drugs are no longer able to have a positive effect. The required daily dose of glucosamine is 1000-1500 mg, chondroitin sulfate - 1000 mg.

Good effect in the treatment of arthrosis have drugs that serve to dilate blood vessels (for example, trental, teonikol). They are able to improve blood circulation in the joint and relieve spasm in small vessels, which helps to restore the affected joint. The intake of such drugs is recommended to be combined with the use of chondroprotectors. In order to relieve painful spasm in the muscles, muscle relaxants (mydocalm, sirdalud) can be prescribed to the patient. Such drugs are used only in combination with chondroprotectors and joint traction. A positive effect in the treatment of arthrosis also has a Dimexide compress, which reduces inflammation and relieves pain, especially when fluid accumulates. To prepare such a compress, mix one tablespoon of boiled water with a tablespoon of dimexide. Then moisten a medical bandage in the resulting solution, then put it on the affected joint and cover with a plastic bag and a diaper on top. The duration of the procedure is from twenty to sixty minutes, once a day, no more, for two to three weeks.

Osteoarthritis is a very common disease that affects the joints. Previously, it was believed that this pathology occurs only in old age, since it is characterized by degenerative-dystrophic processes in the cartilaginous layer of the joints. Most often this happens due to the natural slowdown of metabolic processes that occurs with age. But the disease can occur in young people due to a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition or increased loads on the joints. If arthrosis is not treated in time, the process of destruction of the cartilage layer can go far. Often this leads to complete immobility of the joint. Treatment of pathology should be comprehensive. The most commonly used pain reliever for arthritis. Such drugs only eliminate the symptoms, but do not treat the disease itself. But despite this, they are the main part of complex therapy.

Why painkillers are needed

Arthrosis develops slowly. At first, a person may not even understand that something is wrong with his joints. small aching pain under load, then there may be a crunch and clicking during movement. In contrast to the consequences of trauma and inflammatory phenomena, pain in arthrosis most often develops at the beginning of movement after prolonged immobility. And in the morning there is stiffness in the joint.

Over time, the pain becomes strong, prolonged. Therefore, painkillers for arthrosis are very necessary. This is the first mandatory stage of treatment. It is desirable that the drugs are chosen by a doctor who will take into account individual characteristics and the degree of cartilage destruction. Most of these drugs are sold by prescription only.

It is possible to relieve pain in arthrosis only when the degenerative processes stop. Analgesics alone cannot be dispensed with, because the disease will still progress.

How to relieve arthritis pain

In the initial stages of the disease, pain is usually mild. They can occur in the morning or after rest and go away on their own after a while. But in the process of destruction of the cartilaginous layer of the joint, deformation of the articular surfaces occurs, the destruction of the heads of the bones. Nerve roots or blood vessels may be pinched. All this causes severe pain, which does not disappear by itself.

Especially often painkillers are used for arthrosis of the knee joint, hip and spondylarthrosis. After all, these joints are subjected to the greatest load, and often the pains are so strong that they do not allow a person to move.

Can relieve pain different ways. The most commonly used for osteoarthritis are:

Analgesics and antispasmodics

"Analgin" refers to non-narcotic painkillers. This is the most famous and widespread drug. But due to the large number side effects it has been used less and less in recent years. Moreover, with arthrosis, it can only relieve mild and moderate pain.

Sometimes pain in arthrosis occurs due to muscle spasm due to inflammation or irritation by destroyed articular surfaces. In this case, antispasmodics will help, which relieve pain by relaxing the muscles. These are Baclofen, Mydocalm, Sirdalud. They are usually well tolerated and have almost no contraindications.

NSAIDs: application features

Most often, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain in arthrosis. They have the ability to relieve pain, swelling, hyperemia, reduce inflammation. There are many types of NSAIDs. Most of them are made on the basis of organic acids. Therefore, they can damage the surface of the digestive tract. In addition, such drugs affect the composition of the blood, reducing its coagulability, and disrupt the functioning of the kidneys. Therefore, they are taken only as prescribed by a doctor and in a strictly limited dosage.

In addition, a feature of NSAIDs is that different drugs have different effects. For example, "Diclofenac" or "Indomethacin" act locally, relieving pain at the level of the affected tissues. And "Paracetamol" affects the central nervous system suppressing pain impulses. Therefore, a combination of two drugs or complex agents is often used.

The best drugs of the NSAID group

In total there are about 40 different types drugs from this group. But not all of them are equally effective. Most often, several painkillers for arthrosis containing NSAIDs are used:

Hormonal remedies

Corticosteroid hormones for arthrosis are used less frequently. Only if it is impossible to relieve severe pain by other means. They are mainly used for short-term therapy, as they lead to even more severe destruction of cartilage tissue. Such treatment should be chosen only by a doctor, since hormonal agents have many contraindications. The most commonly used drugs are:

The most modern drugs

Recently, new painkillers for arthrosis have been used. They appeared recently, but have already established themselves as effective means. What drugs can be used for arthrosis:

Painkillers for arthritis

This disease, especially in the later stages, can be accompanied by severe pain. With an attack of arthrosis of the knee or hip joint, injections are often a common method of treatment. Moreover, intra-articular blockades are the most effective.

One of the most common drugs for this is Novocain. Exactly novocaine blockade used in hospitals for admission of patients with an acute attack of arthrosis. A 1% solution is injected in an amount of 20 ml into the joint itself or periarticular tissues. The injection is done every 4 days several times.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often administered intramuscularly or intravenously. In this case, they act faster, relieving pain within a few minutes. For example, with a one-time administration of Tenoxicam, the analgesic effect lasts up to 3 days. Its peculiarity is that it acts on the central nervous system, suppressing pain, and also penetrates into the affected tissues, relieving inflammation and pain.

With the ineffectiveness of other means, injections of hormonal drugs, such as Diprospan or Dexamethasone, are used. They should be done only as directed by a doctor. It is permissible to carry out no more than 5 injections, and between them there should be a break of 5 days.

External means

In some cases, the use of painkillers for arthrosis, as well as injections, may not be possible due to contraindications. Sometimes this is impractical due to the weak intensity of pain. In this case, external anesthetics are used. Most often these are compresses with Dimexide. They relieve swelling well, reduce inflammation and pain. Such a solution has a good analgesic effect: mix water, Dimexide and Ketonal for injection in equal amounts.

Such external painkillers for arthrosis as "Bishofite", medical bile, iodine, turpentine, vinegar, extracts from plants can also be used. folk medicine considerable experience has been gained in the use of decoctions of herbs and other substances for pain relief.

Pain relievers for arthritis

Preparations in the form of an ointment or cream for joint pain are most applicable. They are convenient to use, they have few side effects and effectively relieve pain. Now there are a large number of different drugs that can be divided into several groups:

Auxiliaries

A mandatory method of treating arthrosis is the use of chondroprotectors. These drugs alone do not relieve pain. Their action is aimed at restoring cartilage tissue. Therefore, they can also have an analgesic effect, but much more slowly. All chondroprotectors are used as part of complex therapy for a long time.

The most effective are those products that contain several substances. It can be chondroitin, glucosamine. The most common are such drugs:

Teraflex.
"Artra".
Don.
"Moveks".
"Alflutop".

It is worth remembering that only painkillers for arthrosis of the joints will not lead to a cure. This is just one of the methods of complex therapy. After the pain has subsided, treatment must be continued, otherwise the symptoms will return again.