Osteoarthritis of the knee joint occurs in one in five Europeans.Experts estimate that only 40 percent of cases of degenerative osteoarthritis are a consequence of aging.In the remaining 60 percent, this is due to overload, injuries and physical inactivity.So, knee disease is the price we pay for our lifestyle.
Degenerative changes in the knee joints (osteoarthritis and arthritis) develop slowly and gradually progress, destroying the cartilage.At the same time, there are several forms of this disease.So, post-traumatic osteoarthritis appears after all kinds of 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 extremities or the spine, which leads to improper load distribution in the knee joint.Overweight and obesity are a common cause of osteoarthritis.In older people, 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, as well as other conditions of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatoid arthritis and gout).
Symptoms
Initially, the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint appear very weak, so the patient does not pay attention to them.You should be wary if you notice phenomena such as:
- limited joint mobility after getting out of bed;
- pain when trying to squat;
- difficulty straightening the leg;
- swelling and warmth of the knee joints after exercise;
- cracking in the joints.
As osteoarthritis progresses, the arthritis interferes with normal walking.A person feels pain when trying to sit, stand up, or simply move around.However, if you start treatment on time, you can restore the functionality of the knee joint.
Joint exercises
Special exercises that must be performed regularly help to overcome osteoarthritis of the knee joints.They stimulate blood flow to the knees, due to which the cartilage tissue begins to recover.Attention!If you suffer from post-traumatic osteoarthritis, you should consult a traumatologist before performing exercises.
- When you wake up, without getting out of bed, slowly perform the “cycling” exercise.The range of leg movements should be maximum.
- The next exercise for osteoarthritis is also performed while lying down.Bend one leg at the knee and straighten the other, pulling your toes toward you as much as possible.Change legs.Repeat the movements several times.
- Throughout the day, it is useful for knee health to do this simple exercise: sit on the floor, place support under your heels, keeping your legs horizontal.Then, without bending your knees, you should pull your toes 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 toward you.This exercise should be done as often as possible and you will forget what osteoarthritis is.
Experts' note: with regular physical activity, the symptoms of knee joint disease are significantly reduced or even completely disappear.On the Internet you can find many videos with useful exercises.
Treatment
When treating osteoarthritis of the knee joint, all kinds of household methods are used - cold and hot compresses, wraps, ointments.A good diet plays an important role.If you add a few simple foods to your diet, you can cure knee osteoarthritis quickly without spending huge amounts of money.How to do this - read below.
Cold compresses
Ice packs are recommended when pain is accompanied by swelling of the knee joint and overheating.Squeeze your legs tightly, apply ice packs to them, and place your legs on an elevated surface.For half an hour you should not move your lower limbs.Ice has an anti-inflammatory effect and quickly provides relief.However, this only helps in the early stages of osteoarthritis.
Hot compresses
When treating osteoarthritis of the knee joint, warm compresses are used only when there is no swelling.Before physical training, it reduces pain.But you need to be careful to avoid burning or irritating 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.Penetrating through the skin by friction, they hydrate the joint, which is particularly important in cases of synovial fluid deficiency.
If osteoarthritis bothers you, call on the healing power of essential oils to help you.To do this, it is recommended to make a simple homemade ointment: add a few drops of the chosen oil to regular petroleum jelly and mix the product.
How to choose the essential oil for joint osteoarthritis?Focus on 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 osteoarthritis is caused by a sedentary lifestyle), and lavender oil helps relieve inflammation.
It is also important not to make any mistakes when purchasing essential oils.How to distinguish a quality product from a fake - search for videos on this topic on the Internet.
Hirudotherapy
Leech treatment (hirudotherapy) gives amazing results for knee joint diseases (osteoarthritis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.).The fact is that leeches thin the blood, improve blood circulation and eliminate any congestion.They will help you in all cases, regardless of the type of osteoarthritis you suffer from: post-traumatic, senile, etc.Leeches should be applied in the immediate vicinity of the knee, avoiding large arteries.There is a break of 4-7 days between procedures.In total, your treatment will take 3 to 5 hirudotherapy sessions.There are many videos on the Internet explaining how to properly deal with leeches.
Honey wraps
Honey wraps help reduce knee pain and treat osteoarthritis in the early stages.Simply lubricate the affected areas with natural honey and apply a loose honey bandage on top.It is recommended to perform this procedure at night.Continue treatment until the osteoarthritis of the joints completely disappears.
Comfrey Wraps
To treat osteoarthritis of the knee with folk remedies, comfrey is often used, since this plant strengthens cartilage tissue and helps its formation in cases of degenerative changes in the joints.Melt 200 g of pork fat (lard) in a bain-marie, add 2 tablespoons of chopped comfrey and simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.After cooling, pour the resulting medicine into a glass container and store it in the refrigerator.To get rid of osteoarthritis, lubricate your knees with comfrey in the evening and apply a bandage on top.
Slippery Elm Wraps
Slippery elm is an excellent folk remedy for osteoarthritis of the knee joint.You can prepare ointments from it according to the recipe we gave above (200 g of lard + 2 tablespoons of crushed slippery elm bark).Do the wraps every evening until the osteoarthritis or arthritis completely disappears.
Harpagophytum
The harpagophytum plant is commonly called “devil’s claw”.It is successfully used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joints, as well as other degenerative diseases (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.).Recipe: 2 tablespoons of dried harpagophytum root should be poured into a thermos, pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for at least 2 hours.To successfully treat osteoarthritis, you need to drink 3-4 glasses of the medicine obtained in warm form per day.
Bishofite salt
Bichofite salt is a unique natural product that was 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 microelements.It helps to cure any osteoarthritis 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 other day, in which 1 glass of bischofite salt is dissolved.Continue treatment until the osteoarthritis and arthritis completely disappear.
Massage for sore knees
When treating osteoarthritis of the knee joints, do not forget to massage regularly.It is advisable to lubricate the skin with a mixture of olive and lavender oils.Try to relax your legs, grab your kneecap with your hands and move it slightly from left to right and back and forth.Pain relief occurs almost immediately.
Ginger
Ginger has long been used to treat stomach diseases.Scientists recently discovered that this product also relieves knee pain, thereby reducing the symptoms of joint osteoarthritis.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 osteoarthritis or arthritis of the joints is.
We will also explain how to make ginger compresses.Grind the root of the plant on a grater to obtain about 2 tablespoons of raw material.Add the juice of a small onion, mix well and apply a thick layer to the painful joint area.Cover the top with a film and secure with a bandage.This compress for osteoarthritis should be worn for at least 3 hours, but it is better to do it overnight.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 osteoarthritis in India.Adding this spice to your diet can work 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 disease.There is only one conclusion: if you want to treat osteoarthritis and arthritis, add turmeric to your daily menu.
Turpentine
Turpentine has long been used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint.It also helps with sciatica and arthritis.How to apply it?Rub the joint area with turpentine in the evening, apply a warm bandage and go to bed.The next morning you will find that osteoarthritis no longer bothers you.
Heating compress
Here is another hot compress recipe for osteoarthritis.Mix 100 ml of pure alcohol with 50 g of mustard powder, 50 g of essence and 50 g of camphor.Separately beat the whites of two or three eggs and mix all the ingredients.The resulting ointment should be lubricated at night in places where there is arthrosis or arthritis of the joints.Continue treatment until complete relief of the disease.
Pine baths
Osteoarthritis and arthritis of the joints can also be treated with pine baths.How are they made?Boil 1 liter of chopped young coniferous branches over 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 bathing, do not rub yourself with a towel, just dry your body.
Dandelion flowers
And now we will tell you how to treat osteoarthritis of the knee using dandelions.Here everything is simple: in spring, when dandelions bloom, you need to pick 3-4 flowers per day, rinse them under running water, then chew them well.The taste is not very pleasant, but what can't be done to treat osteoarthritis?
But for the winter, prepare an alcoholic tincture from dandelion flowers: for this, you need to fill them whole with pure alcohol, store them in a cool, dark place for 1 month, then filter.As soon as arthritis begins to invade you, lubricate your knees with this alcohol tincture.