Osteoarthritis of the knee joint occurs in every fifth European.Experts believe that only 40 percent of degenerative osteoarthritis cases are the result of aging.In the remaining 60 percent, it is due to overuse, injury and physical inactivity.So 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 arthrosis arthritis appears after all types of knee injuries, for example, 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 spine, which leads to improper distribution of the load on the joints.A common cause of arthrosis is overweight and obesity.The destruction of the knee joint in elderly people is explained by the natural aging of the body and endocrine disorders: systemic diseases such as hypothyroidism, acromegaly, diabetes and chronic inflammatory arthritis, and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatoid arthritis and gout).
Symptoms
At the beginning, 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 see the following phenomena:
- limited joint mobility after getting out of bed;
- pain when trying to squat;
- difficulty straightening the leg;
- swelling and heat in the knee joints after exercise;
- creaking in the joints.
As arthritis progresses, arthritis interferes with normal walking.A person experiences pain when trying to sit, stand up or simply move.But if you start the treatment in time, you can restore the functionality of the knee joint.
Exercises for joints
Special exercises that should be done regularly help to eliminate arthrosis of the knee joints.They stimulate blood flow to the knees, thanks to which cartilage tissue begins to regenerate.Attention!If you have post-traumatic arthrosis, you should consult a traumatologist before performing the exercises.
- After waking up, slowly perform the "bicycle" exercise without getting out of bed.The range of leg movements should be maximum.
- The next exercise against arthrosis is also performed in a lying position.Bend one leg at the knee and straighten the other, pull your toes as far as possible.Switch legs.Repeat the movements several times.
- Performing this simple exercise throughout the day is beneficial for knee health: sit on the floor, keep your feet horizontal, and place a support under your heels.Then, without bending your knees, you need to pull your fingers towards you.Repeat several times.
- When 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 towards 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 are significantly reduced or completely disappear.You can find many videos with useful exercises on the Internet.
Treatment
When treating arthrosis of the knee joint, all kinds of home methods are used - cold and hot compresses, bandages, ointments.Proper nutrition plays an important role.If you add a few simple foods to your diet, you can quickly treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint without spending a lot of money.How to do this - read below.
Cold compresses
Ice packs are recommended when pain is accompanied by knee joint swelling 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 provides quick relief.However, it helps only in the early stages of arthrosis.
Warm compresses
When treating arthrosis of the knee joint, warm compresses are used only if there is no swelling.Reduces pain before physical exercise.But you should be careful not to burn or irritate your skin.
Essential oils
Essential oils have properties that 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 joints.The latter include terpenoids and terpenes, hydrocarbons and aldehydes, organic acids, amines.All have anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic and restorative effects.By rubbing into the skin, they moisturize the joint, which is especially important in conditions of synovial fluid deficiency.
If arthritis is bothering you, call on the healing power of essential oils to help.To do this, it is recommended to prepare a simple home 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?Pay attention to your symptoms.
So, peppermint oil will relieve pain and cool your knees a little, rosemary oil will improve blood circulation (that is, it should be used in cases where arthrosis is caused by a sedentary lifestyle), and lavender oil helps to eliminate inflammation.
It is also important not to make mistakes when buying essential oils.How to distinguish a quality product from a fake - search for videos on this topic on the Internet.
Hirudotherapy
Treatment with leeches (hirudotherapy) for diseases of the knee joints (arthrosis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.) gives amazing results.The fact is that leeches thin the blood, improve blood circulation and remove all congestion.They will help in any case, regardless of the type of arthrosis: post-traumatic, old age, etc.Leeches should be applied close to the knee, avoiding large veins.There is a break of 4-7 days between the procedures.In total, your treatment will take 3-5 sessions of hirudotherapy.There are many videos on the Internet on how to properly handle leeches.
Honey wraps
Honey bandages help to reduce knee pain and treat arthrosis in the early stages.Lubricate the affected areas with natural honey and apply a loose honey bandage on top.It is recommended to carry out this procedure at night.Continue the treatment until the arthrosis of the joints is completely gone.
Comfrey dressings
Comfrey is often used to treat arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, because this plant strengthens the cartilage tissue and helps to build it during degenerative changes in the joints.Melt 200 g of pork fat (lard) in a water bath, add 2 tablespoons of chopped butter and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.After cooling, pour the resulting medicine into a glass container and store in the refrigerator.To get rid of arthrosis, lubricate your knees with comfrey at night and put a bandage on it.
Slippery elm wraps
Slippery elm is an excellent folk remedy for arthrosis of the knee joint.From it, you can prepare an ointment according to the recipe we gave above (200 g lard + 2 tablespoons of crushed slippery elm bark).Do the bandages every evening until the arthrosis or arthritis is completely gone.
Harpagophyte
Harpagophytum plant 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 (for example, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.).Recipe: 2 tablespoons of dried harpagophyte root should be poured into a thermos, pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for at least 2 hours.To successfully treat arthrosis, it is necessary to drink 3-4 glasses of the resulting medicine in warm form a day.
bischofite salt
Bixophyte salt is a unique natural product formed millions of years ago as a result of climate change - evaporation of sea water and enrichment of salt with deposits of uncontaminated trace elements.It helps in the treatment of any arthrosis and arthritis, even post-traumatic (there are many videos on the Internet about the healing properties of this drug).Just give yourself warm baths every two days with 1 cup of bischofite salt dissolved in it.Continue treatment until arthrosis and arthritis completely disappear.
Massage for knee pain
Do not forget to massage regularly during the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints.It is recommended to lubricate the skin with a mixture of olive and lavender oils.Try to relax your legs, hold the knee cap with your hands and move it a little left, right, back and forth.Pain relief is almost immediate.
Ginger
Ginger has long been used to treat stomach ailments.Scientists have recently discovered that this product also relieves knee pain and reduces the symptoms of joint arthrosis.In a study of 261 patients with moderate to severe knee pain, ginger was shown to reduce pain while 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 tell you how to make compresses from ginger.Grate the root of the plant to 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 painful joints.Cover the top with a film and close with a bandage.For arthrosis, this 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 disappear completely.
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 the condition.There is only one conclusion: if you want to treat arthrosis and arthritis, add turmeric to your daily menu.
Turpentine
Turpentine has long been used in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint.It also helps fight sciatica and arthritis.How to apply it?At night, rub the joint area with turpentine, apply a warm bandage and sleep.The next morning, you will notice that arthrosis 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.Beat the whites of two or three eggs separately and combine all the ingredients.As a result, the ointment should be lubricated at night in places with arthrosis or arthritis of the joints.Continue the treatment until you are completely cured of the disease.
Pine baths
Arthritis and arthritis of the joints can also be 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 it with hot water.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.After the bath, do not rub yourself with a towel - just dry your body.
Dandelion flowers
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 under running water and then chew well.It doesn't taste very good, but what can you do to treat arthritis?
But for the winter, make an alcohol tincture of dandelion flowers: for this, you need to fill them with pure alcohol and keep them in a cool, dark place for 1 month, then strain.Anoint your knees with this alcohol tincture as soon as the arthritis starts to get the better of you.