Osteoarthritis of the knee joint occurs in one in five Europeans.Experts estimate that only 40 percent of cases of degenerative osteoarthritis are the result of aging.In the remaining 60 percent, it is due to overwork, injury and lack of physical activity.Therefore, knee disease is the price we pay for our lifestyle.
Degenerative changes in the knee joints (arthrosis and arthritis) develop slowly and gradually progress, destroying the cartilage.At the same time, there are several forms of this disease.Thus, post-traumatic osteoarthritis occurs after any knee injuries, such as ligament sprains, knee injuries, meniscus injuries, etc.In many cases, the disease is caused by changes in the skeletal system of the muscles of the lower limbs or the spine, which leads to an incorrect distribution of the load in the knee joint.A common cause of arthrosis is overweight and obesity.In the elderly, the destruction of the knee joint is explained by the natural aging of the body and endocrine disorders: hypothyroidism, acromegaly, systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and chronic inflammatory arthritis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatoid arthritis and gout).
Symptoms
Initially, the symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint are very weak, so the patient does not pay attention to them.You should be careful if you notice phenomena such as:
- limited joint mobility after getting out of bed;
- pain when trying to squat;
- difficulty standing up;
- swelling and heat in the knee joints after exercise;
- crunch in the joints.
As arthrosis progresses, arthritis interferes with normal walking.A person feels pain when trying to sit, stand or simply move.However, if you start the treatment in time, you can restore the functionality of the knee joint.
Joint exercises
Special exercises that must be done regularly help to overcome arthrosis of the knee joints.They stimulate blood flow to the knees, due to which the cartilage tissue begins to recover.attention!If you have post-traumatic osteoarthritis, you should consult a traumatologist before performing exercises.
- After waking up, without getting out of bed, slowly perform the "bicycle" exercise.The range of motion of the legs should be maximal.
- The next exercise against arthrosis is also performed in a lying position.Bend one leg at the knee and extend the other, pulling the toes towards you as much as possible.Switch legs.Repeat the movements several times.
- Throughout the day, it is good for the health of the knees to do this simple exercise: sit on the floor, put support under your heels, keeping your legs horizontal.Then, without bending your knees, you need to pull your toes towards you.Repeat several times.
- While sitting in a chair at the office or at home, stretch your legs forward so that your knees are as straight as possible.Pull your toes toward you.This exercise should be done as often as possible and you will forget what arthrosis is.
Experts note: with regular physical activity, the symptoms of knee joint disease significantly decrease or disappear completely.On the Internet you can find many videos with useful exercises.
Treatment
In the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, all kinds of home methods are used - cold and warm compresses, wraps, ointments.A proper diet plays an important role.If you add a few simple foods to your diet, you can quickly cure knee osteoarthritis without spending huge amounts of money.How to do this - read below.
Cold compresses
Ice packs are recommended when the pain is accompanied by swelling of the knee joint and overheating.Squeeze your feet tightly, apply ice packs to them, and place your feet on an elevated surface.You should not move your lower limbs for half an hour.Ice has an anti-inflammatory effect and brings relief quickly.However, it only helps in the early stages of arthrosis.
Warm compresses
In the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, warm compresses are used only when there is no swelling.Before physical training, it reduces pain.But you have to be careful not to burn or irritate your skin.
Essential oils
Essential oils have properties that can help relieve knee pain when used on the skin.Many essential oils have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Essential oils contain not only aromatic compounds, but also chemical components that are very beneficial for the joints.Among the latter are terpenoids and terpenes, hydrocarbons and aldehydes, organic acids, amines.All of them have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and regenerating effects.Getting through the skin through friction, they moisturize the joint, which is especially important in conditions of synovial fluid deficiency.
If you suffer from arthrosis, seek help from the healing power of essential oils.To do this, it is recommended to make a simple homemade ointment: add a few drops of the selected oil to ordinary petroleum jelly and mix the product.
How to choose an essential oil against arthrosis of the joints?Focus on your symptoms.
So, peppermint oil will relieve pain and cool your knees a little, rosemary oil will improve blood circulation (ie, it should be used in cases where arthrosis is caused by a sedentary lifestyle), and lavender oil helps to relieve inflammation.
It is also important not to make mistakes when purchasing essential oils.How to distinguish a quality product from a fake - look for videos on this topic on the Internet.
Hirudotherapy
Treatment with leeches (hirudotherapy) gives incredible results in diseases of the knee joints (arthrosis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.).The thing is that leeches thin the blood, improve circulation and remove all congestion.They will help in any case, regardless of the type of arthrosis you have: post-traumatic, senile, etc.Leeches should be placed in close proximity to the knee, avoiding large arteries.There is a break of 4-7 days between procedures.In total, your treatment will take 3-5 hirudotherapy sessions.There are many videos on the Internet about the proper handling of leeches.
Wraps with honey
Honey wraps help reduce knee pain and treat osteoarthritis in the early stages.Simply rub the affected areas with natural honey and apply a honey bandage on top.It is recommended that this procedure be done at night.Continue the treatment until the arthrosis of the joints disappears completely.
Wormwood wraps
For the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, wormwood is often used, as this plant strengthens the cartilage tissue and helps to build it in case of degenerative changes in the joints.Melt 200 g of lard (bacon) in a water bath, add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.After cooling, pour the resulting medicine into a glass container and store in the refrigerator.To get rid of arthrosis, rub your knees with black comfrey at night and apply a bandage on top.
Slippery elm wraps
Slippery elm is an excellent folk remedy for arthrosis of the knee joint.From it you can prepare ointments according to the recipe we gave above (200 g lard + 2 tablespoons crushed slippery elm bark).Do the wraps every night until the arthrosis or arthritis is completely gone.
Harpagophytum
The plant harpagophytum is popularly called "devil's claw".It is successfully used in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints, as well as other degenerative diseases (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.).Recipe: 2 tablespoons of dried harpagophytum root are poured into a thermos, poured with 1 liter of boiling water and left for at least 2 hours.For successful treatment of arthrosis, you need to drink 3-4 cups of the resulting medicine in warm form a day.
Bishophyte salt
Bichophytic salt is a unique natural product, formed millions of years ago as a result of climate change - the evaporation of sea water and the enrichment of salt with deposits of uncontaminated trace elements.It helps to treat any arthrosis and arthritis, even post-traumatic (there are many videos on the Internet about the healing properties of this drug).Just take warm baths every two days in which 1 cup of Bischoffite salt is dissolved.Continue the treatment until the arthrosis and arthritis disappear completely.
Massage for sore knees
During the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints, do not forget to do regular massage.It is recommended to lubricate the skin with a mixture of olive oil and lavender oil.Try to relax your legs, grab the kneecap with your hands and move it slightly left-right and back-and-forth.Pain relief occurs almost immediately.
ginger
Ginger has long been used to treat stomach ailments.Recently, scientists have discovered that this product also relieves knee pain, reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the joints.In a study of 261 patients with moderate to severe knee pain, ginger was shown to reduce pain when walking and standing.Therefore, include this spice in your daily diet and you will forget what arthrosis or arthritis of the joints is.
We will also tell you how to make ginger compresses.Grind the root of the plant on a grater so that you get about 2 tablespoons of raw material.Add the juice of a small onion, mix well and apply a thick layer on the area of the painful joints.Cover on top with a film and secure with a bandage.This arthrosis compress should be worn for at least 3 hours, but it is better to do it all night.Repeat the treatment every 2-3 days until the unpleasant symptoms completely disappear.
Turmeric
You will be surprised, but turmeric is the most popular folk remedy for knee arthrosis in India.Adding this spice to your food can do wonders because turmeric contains the enzyme curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties.Canadian scientists conducted animal studies and found that curcumin reduces joint inflammation by inhibiting the enzyme that causes this condition.The conclusion is only one: if you want to treat arthrosis and arthritis, add turmeric to your daily menu.
Turpentine
Turpentine has long been used to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint.It also helps fight sciatica and arthritis.How to apply it?Rub the joint with turpentine at night, apply a warm bandage and go to bed.The next morning, you will find that the arthritis is no longer bothering you.
Warming compress
Here is another recipe for a warm compress for arthrosis.Mix 100 ml of pure alcohol with 50 g of mustard powder, 50 g of gasoline and 50 g of camphor.Separately, beat the whites of two or three eggs and mix all the ingredients.The resulting ointment should be smeared on places where there is arthrosis or arthritis of the joints at night.Continue the treatment until the disease is completely cured.
Pine baths
Arthritis and arthritis of the joints are also treated with pine baths.How are they made?Boil 1 liter of chopped young coniferous branches on low heat for 5-7 minutes, pour the broth into the bath and dilute with warm water.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.After the bath, do not rub with a towel - just pat your body dry.
Dandelion flowers
And now we will tell you how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint with the help of dandelions.Everything is simple here: in the spring, when dandelions bloom, you need to take 3-4 flowers a day, rinse them under running water and then chew well.The taste is not very pleasant, but what can't you do to treat osteoarthritis?
But for the winter, prepare an alcoholic tincture of dandelion flowers: to do this, you need to fill them whole with pure alcohol and store them in a cool and dark place for 1 month, then strain.As soon as the arthritis starts to get the better of you, rub your knees with this alcohol tincture.