Osteoarthritis of the knee joint: treatment at home. Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint folk remedies

Everyone knows the complaints of elderly people for pain in the knees, a crunch, the inability to move freely. In medicine, this condition is referred to simply as arthrosis of the knee joint. It is necessary to know what kind of disease it is, how to treat it at home, what folk remedies to apply, what auxiliary methods and exercises will be needed to improve the quality of life.

Clinical picture

Arthrosis is a series of pathological changes in the body of the joint. It is thinned, deformed, the structure of the cartilaginous tissue changes. Osteoarthritis does not occur unexpectedly, the disease develops over the years.

There are 4 stages of arthrosis:

• Stage 1 - pathological process at the cellular level, thinning of the joint. Asymptomatic.
• 2 stage - the beginning of the destruction of the joint. There is a crunch, pain, swelling of the knee.
• Stage 3 - knee arthrosis progresses , its symptoms become pronounced, the patient experiences severe discomfort.
• Stage 4 - destruction of the knee joint, disability, the need to replace the joint.

As a rule, the first symptoms are manifested in people after forty years (women are 2 times more likely than men). However, today, arthrosis has grown younger, its signs are observed even in 20-year-olds.

Who should think about?

At risk are:

• People with excess weight;
• Leading a sedentary and stressful lifestyle;
• Professional sportsmen and amateurs, who are keen on sports with a heavy load on the knee joints (runners, football players, weightlifters);
• People who have had knee injuries;
• People whose professional activity is associated with a heavy burden on their knees;
• Fans of restrictive diets;
• People with hormonal and autoimmune diseases, the consequence of which is the pathology of bone and cartilaginous tissue;
• Patients with infectious lesions;
• People suffering from long-term parasitic diseases.

All these reasons contribute to the development of arthrosis at an earlier age and severe course of the disease.

Diagnostics

The main insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that in the first stage it does not manifest itself at all, and the patient simply does not know about the problem. The second is characterized by discomfort, to which the future patient does not pay attention. Athletes write off the arising pains and crunching on a big load, office workers - for sedentary work. As a rule, most people seek medical help at the third stage of the disease, when severe pain and limited mobility appear.

Osteoarthritis is diagnosed by:

• X-ray examination;
• Clinical analysis of blood (arthrosis of the knee joint of the third degree can be diagnosed in this way);
• Visual inspection;
• Puncture of the knee fluid.

As a rule, a competent doctor can diagnose arthrosis by a specific clinical picture characteristic of the disease.

General treatment

There is an opinion that arthrosis can not be cured. This is not quite true. In the list of diseases that can be completely cured, the knee arthrosis has recently been listed. Treatment of it is long and requires a systematic approach. In addition, a complete cure is possible when diagnosing the disease at its 1-2 stages.

For arthrosis of the knee joint, the following treatment methods are used:

• Drug therapy;
• Physiotherapy with the use of low-frequency and high-frequency currents, magnets, laser;
• Hydrotherapy (water treatment);
• physiotherapy;
• massage;
• diet;
• Therapeutic ointments;
• Auxiliary products (bandages and knee pads);
• Folk methods;
• Operative intervention (used for 4 stages of the disease, joint replacement).

As for medical and physiotherapeutic treatment, it is used in courses supervised by a doctor. The operation is indicated if the destructive processes in the joint threaten the patient with a disability. Other methods of the patient can apply independently for a long time.

Medication

Let's briefly consider what preparations can eliminate arthrosis of the knee joint. Treatment at home involves the use of:

• Corticosteroids ("Hydrocortisone");
• Chondroprotectors ("Glucosamine");
• Anesthetics;
• Vitamin complexes.

We will not consider therapy in the hospital. It is indicated for severe lesions and is prescribed individually by a doctor. It is important to understand how to treat arthrosis at home effectively and safely.

Home Treatment

Therapy is lengthy and systemic. In any case, you should apply for a doctor and be patient - rehabilitation can take years. Elderly, the treatment of arthrosis is often shown at home, age-related destructive changes in joints, medicine can not stop.

On a full cure there is a chance in people up to 40-50 years. The exception is the elderly people who completely changed their thinking and way of life and got rid of arthrosis (and other age-related diseases) in 70, 80, 90 years. So everyone has a chance to eliminate arthrosis of the knee joint. Treatment at home means:

• Use of folk remedies, medicinal ointments;
• Diet;
• Performing gymnastic exercises;
• Wearing knee pads and other auxiliaries (elastic bandage, for example).

Naturally, a noticeable effect is provided by a combination of all the methods of treatment and rehabilitation. They need to be considered in more detail.

Folk remedies

Even medicine recognizes that the folk remedies have an excellent effect. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint and treated with such proven methods:

• In equal parts, prepare the sheep butter, the leaves of the nettle are burning and the juniper berries are green. Rastolkite the leaves and berries, combine with butter. Stir thoroughly. Ointment should be stored in the refrigerator in a bowl of dark glass. Rub daily in the knee in the mornings and evenings.
• Warm the knee with a warm compress with sea salt for half an hour. Fry the fir oil in the affected joint. Do the procedure with the courses, once a day.
• Take clean sand, heat it, lay it on a natural linen or cotton cloth, warm the joint for about an hour. Do the procedure 1 time in 2-3 days.
• Stretch the joint with a glove, scarf, a belt of dog hair.
• Mix 200 grams of fat-free cottage cheese with 200 grams of kefir. Fold the cheesecloth into 4 layers and put the composition on it, wrap it. Attach to the knee, cover with parchment and warm it with a warm scarf or scarf. The inflamed joint will absorb all the liquid. Repeat 10 times.
• Apply to the knee the leaves of burdock, smeared with honey.
• Rub olive oil with essential oil of lemon (200 grams of butter and 5 drops of lemon oil).

Alternately change the means. Use their courses.

Application of medicinal ointments

Ointments can both be bought at the pharmacy, and cook yourself. Apply them regularly, apply by massage or rub.

Ointments for joint treatment and rehabilitation are divided into:

• Anesthetics;
• Chondroprotectors;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Regenerating.

Ointment for arthrosis of the knee joint is applied depending on the course of the disease. Anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs must be used in acute stages. Chondroprotectors and regenerating - courses, for the restoration of cartilaginous tissue.

In any case, the use of funds must be agreed with the attending physician. Chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee joint are also used in the form of ointments. They directly affect the cartilage tissue and have a restoring effect. Ointment for arthrosis of the knee joint of this kind is not contraindicated, but it is dangerous to engage in self-medication.

Diet

Of great importance is special therapeutic nutrition. Wrong diet is one of the factors that cause arthrosis of the knee joint. Treatment at home involves the daily use of such products:

• Fruits, vegetables, berries;
• dairy;
• Freshly squeezed carrots, beets, parsley, celery, apples (you can make drinks from any combination of fruits and vegetables);
• Whole grains;
• Gelatinous products (jelly, jelly, jelly).

Therapeutic diet should begin with the cleansing of the body for a period of 3 days. You can eat rice, raw fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this purification is to remove the dead tissue, cleanse the body, start the restoration program.

During the days of medical cleansing, hormonal preparations (for example, "Diprospan") and chondroprotectors for arthrosis of the knee joint should not be used.

Such three-day cleaning stations should be held once a month. In the rest of the time, profess the principles of proper nutrition and remember that arthrosis best friends - alcohol, cigarettes, fast food.

Gymnastic Exercises

Most patients think that a fat cross on physical activity puts arthrosis of the knee joint. Treatment at home implies regular and competent physical activity.

It is desirable that the medical complex is picked up by the doctor individually, proceeding from the course of the disease. Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint is not just important, but it is obligatory. In any case, you can see these kinds of loads:

• swimming;
• physiotherapy;
• yoga;
• Minimum aerobic load in the stage of joint repair.

Some physicians recommend lightweight dance gymnastics to their patients with arthrosis of 2-3 degrees, however, in the 3-4 stages with obvious destructive processes such loads are prohibited.

Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint should be combined with massage and applications. Your task is to preserve mobility and restore tissue. According to the experience of patients, regular gymnastic exercises give a wonderful recovery effect.

Knee Wraps

Arthrosis is characterized by destructive processes in the tissues of the joints. Therefore, knee joints are used for arthrosis. How to choose them?

• Materials should let in air, do not cause unpleasant sensations, allergies.
• Choose products of reputable companies.
• The dimensions of the knee should correspond to the individual shape of the knee and the nature of the deformation of the joint.

For proper selection of the knee pads, consult a doctor. But only wearing them will not solve the problem. Combine use with other therapies.

The disease that many people have to face is arthrosis of the knee joint. Treatment in the home can help not only stop the course of the disease, but also contribute to the almost complete restoration of the joint tissue. However, remember that the effectiveness of the methods used depends only on you.