Knee arthritis (gonarthrosis) is a degenerative-dystrophic disease, accompanied by progressive destruction of cartilage with progressive involvement of periarticular structures in the process.Untimely treatment leads to limited mobility and even disability of the patient.
Disease description
Gonorrhea is diagnosed in 70-85% of patients over 65 years of age who see a doctor with complaints of knee pain.Elderly people are at risk because with age, joint cartilage becomes thinner, small cracks appear and gradually collapses.New pathological changes appear:
- the composition of the synovial fluid changes, it becomes less, which is why the surfaces of the bones begin to touch and collapse;
- bone growth (osteoporosis) appears;
- The joint capsule becomes denser, causing joint stiffness;
- Spasm of the muscles around the joint appears.
Without treatment, the knee becomes deformed and movements there are significantly limited.May affect one or both joints
According to statistics, 1 in 5 people in the world has gonorrhea.Most often the disease is diagnosed in people over 40 years old, but the age factor is not the only reason for the development of pathology.
Why does gonorrhea happen?
In elderly patients, knee osteoarthritis occurs due to natural wear and tear of cartilage tissue.Other causes of the disease:
- congenital diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- Hormonal changes, including endocrine diseases;
- knee injuries, including frequent microtraumas;
- previous surgical intervention;
- autoimmune disease;
- chronic joint disease;
- Frequent increased load on the knee joint, for example, running or jumping, standing or kneeling continuously;
- genetic tendency.
At risk are women over 40 years old, athletes, overweight patients and people working in construction.
How to recognize knee osteoarthritis?
The disease develops slowly, lasts many years and is chronic.Its changes are irreversible, so it is important to start treatment as soon as possible when symptoms appear.
The first signs of gonorrhea:
- knee stiffness;
- discomfort when straightening or bending the knee joint, going up and down stairs;
- crunching or clicking sound when moving;
- Mild pain in the knee that only occurs after standing for a long time and goes away with rest.
Over time, the discomfort increases.Severe joint stiffness, movement disorders and severe pain appear, making the patient unable to move even when resting.A person has difficulty walking, sitting down or standing up.If left untreated, the knee joint will become deformed, leading to disability.
The severity of the changes as well as the possibility of recovery depend on the stage of the disease.
Levels of gonorrhea
The disease has 4 levels of severity:
- I give degrees.At the beginning of the disease, there are practically no symptoms.There is some discomfort in the knees after exercise, which does not affect normal lifestyle.Pathological changes can only be detected with X-rays.
- level II.A crunching sound and periodic pain appear during physical activity, walking, going up stairs, squatting or standing on the leg for a long time.X-ray images can show narrowing of the joint space and early signs of bone spur formation.
- level III.The pain syndrome becomes permanent and does not leave the person even at rest.Knees hurt especially in the morning and evening;During the day the pain is sharp and tolerable.Since the degenerative process begins at this stage, a person's gait changes, he begins to limp and crunching sounds are heard when moving.There is a rat joint rat - this is a condition in which a piece of destroyed bone or cartilage enters the synovial cavity, causing severe pain.The knee becomes deformed and may become inflamed and swollen.X-rays showed signs of joint deformity, bone spurs, significant narrowing of the joint space, and damage to the meniscus.
- level IV.If left untreated, the disease will become extremely serious.Cartilage, ligaments and meniscus are completely destroyed, making the joint unable to move, the joint surface is deformed and a large number of bone spurs appear.These changes cause severe pain and disability.
Diagnose
Diagnosing knee osteoarthritis is not difficult.An orthopedic-traumatologist performs examination and treatment.He examines the patient's knee, evaluates motor activity, studies clinical manifestations, and palpates to determine areas of swelling and the presence of effusion.
To confirm preliminary conclusions, he prescribed a test using the tool:
- X-ray examination - allows you to determine the narrowing of the joint space, the presence of bone spurs;
- CT arthrography is a diagnostic method with more information than X-rays;it shows the condition of the joint cavity;
- Joint ultrasound - allows you to determine the volume of fluid in the joint cavity, the presence of bone spurs, evaluate the condition of surrounding soft tissues, the thickness of hyaluronic cartilage;
- MRI - suitable for studying not only bone and cartilage tissue, but also ligaments, menisci, synovium and other structures;
- Arthroscopy is an invasive diagnostic method;During the procedure, synovial fluid may be punctured.
Additionally, clinical and biochemical blood tests, immunological studies, and rheumatoid factor testing may be required.
Treatment of arthritis
The orthopedist should treat gonorrhea, taking into account the clinical picture and the degree of joint damage.You cannot self-treat.
Doctors may prescribe medications from the following groups:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- chondroprotective agent, which helps restore cartilage and prevent its further destruction;
- Analgesic blockade effectively eliminates pain;
- glucocorticosteroids, indicated for severe illness;
- Antispasmodics to eliminate muscle spasms.
Drug treatment is supplemented by physiotherapeutic procedures: shock wave therapy, laser therapy, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis and phonophoresis.In addition, physiotherapy and massage are prescribed.
You definitely need to control your weight and try to lose excess weight, which will put extra stress on your knee joints.It is important to adhere to the diet;The diet should contain foods that nourish cartilage tissue.
In severe cases, the cartilage is severely damaged and requires surgery.This may be arthroscopy, osteotomy or arthroscopy.
The most favorable prognosis is that if joint disease is detected in stage 1, the changes can be slowed down or even stopped.Stiff or painful knees are not normal;should be examined to understand the cause of the discomfort.