Osteoarthritis of the knee joint occurs in every fifth European.Experts estimate that only 40 percent of degenerative arthritis cases are the result of aging.In the remaining 60 percent, this is due to overload, injury and physical inactivity.Therefore, knee disease is the price we pay for our lifestyle.
Degenerative changes in the knee joint (arthrosis and arthritis) develop slowly and gradually, destroying the cartilage.At the same time, there are several forms of this disease.Therefore, post-traumatic arthrosis arthritis appears after all types of knee injuries, such as sprained ligaments, knee injuries, meniscus injuries, etc. In many cases, the disease is caused by changes in the skeletal system of the lower leg muscles or spine, which leads to improper load distribution on the knee joint.Common causes of arthrosis are overweight and obesity.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, and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatoid arthritis and gout).
symptoms
At first, the symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint seem very weak, so the patient does not pay attention to them.You should be careful if you see phenomena like:
- limited joint mobility after getting out of bed;
- pain when trying to squat;
- difficulty straightening legs;
- swelling and heat in the knee joint after exercise;
- throbbing in the joints.
When arthrosis develops, arthritis interferes with normal walking.A person experiences pain when trying to sit, stand, or simply move.However, if you start treatment on time, you can restore the function of the knee joint.
Exercise for the joints
Special exercises that need to be done regularly help overcome arthrosis of the knee joint.They stimulate blood flow to the knee, as cartilage tissue begins to heal.Attention!If you have post-traumatic arthrosis, you should consult a traumatologist before exercising.
- After waking up, without getting out of bed, slowly do the "bicycle" exercise.The range of motion of the legs should be maximum.
- The next exercise against arthrosis is also done in a lying position.Bend one leg at the knee and straighten the other, pulling your toes towards you as much as possible.Switch legs.Repeat the movement several times.
- Throughout the day, it is useful for the health of the knees to do this simple exercise: sit on the floor, put a support under your heels, keep your feet horizontal.Then, without bending your knees, you should pull your toes towards you.Repeat several times.
- While sitting on a chair in 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.
Expert note: with regular physical activity, symptoms of knee joint disease decrease or disappear altogether.On the Internet you can find many videos with useful exercises.
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 some simple foods to your diet, you can cure knee osteoarthritis quickly without spending a lot 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 leg tightly, apply an ice pack to it, and place your foot on an elevated surface.For half an hour you cannot move your lower limbs.Ice has an anti-inflammatory effect and quickly brings relief.However, it only helps in the early stages of arthrosis.
Warm compresses
When treating arthrosis of the knee joint, warm compresses are used only when there is no swelling.Before physical exercise, it reduces pain.But you must be careful to avoid burning or irritating your skin.
Essential oil
Essential oils have properties that can help relieve knee pain when applied to 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.Among the latter are terpenoids and terpenes, hydrocarbons and aldehydes, organic acids, amines.All of them have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and regenerative effects.Entering through the skin by rubbing, they moisturize the joints, which is very important in conditions of lack of synovial fluid.
If arthrosis is bothering you, call on the healing power of essential oils to help.To do this, it is recommended to make a simple homemade ointment: add a few drops of the selected oil to regular Vaseline and mix the product.
How to choose essential oils against joint arthrosis?Focus on your symptoms.
So, peppermint oil will relieve pain and slightly cool your knees, 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 relieve inflammation.
It is also important not to make mistakes when buying 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 amazing results for knee joint diseases (arthrosis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.).The problem is that leeches thin the blood, promote blood circulation and remove all congestion.They will help in any situation, regardless of the type of arthrosis you have: after trauma, senility, etc.Leeches should be used close to the knees, avoiding large arteries.There is a 4-7 day break between procedures.In total, your treatment will take 3-5 hirudotherapy sessions.There are many videos on the Internet on how to properly handle leeches.
Wrap the honey
Honey wraps help reduce knee pain and treat arthrosis in the early stages.Simply smear the affected area with natural honey, and apply a loose honey bandage over it.It is recommended to carry out this procedure at night.Continue treatment until joint arthrosis is completely gone.
Comfrey wrap
To treat arthrosis of the knee joint with folk remedies, comfrey is often used, because this plant strengthens cartilage tissue and helps build it in the event of degenerative changes in the joint.Melt 200 g lard (pork fat) in a water bath, add 2 tablespoons of chopped comprese, 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, lubricate your knees with comfrey at night and apply a bandage on top.
Smooth Elm Wrap
Smooth elm is an excellent folk remedy for arthrosis of the knee joint.You can prepare an ointment from it according to the recipe we gave above (200 g lard + 2 tablespoons of crushed smooth elm bark).Do the dressing every evening until the arthrosis or arthritis is completely gone.
Harpagophytum
The harpagophytum plant is known as the "devil's claw."It is successfully used in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, as well as other degenerative diseases (such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.).Recipe: 2 tablespoons of dry harpagophytum roots should be poured into a thermos, pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for at least 2 hours.To successfully treat arthrosis, you must drink 3-4 glasses of the medicine produced in warm form every 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 seawater and the enrichment of salt with uncontaminated microelement deposits.It helps to heal any arthrosis and arthritis, even after trauma (there are many videos on the Internet about the healing properties of this drug).Just give yourself a warm bath every two days, in which 1 glass of bischofite salt is dissolved.Continue treatment until arthrosis and arthritis are completely gone.
Massage for knee pain
During the treatment for arthrosis of the knee joint, do not forget to massage regularly.It is advisable to lubricate the skin with a mixture of olive oil and lavender.Try to relax your legs, hold your kneecaps with your hands, and move them slightly left and right and back and forth.Relief from pain occurs almost immediately.
ginger
Ginger has long been used to treat stomach ailments.Scientists have recently discovered that this product also relieves knee pain, reducing the symptoms of joint arthrosis.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 joint arthritis is.
We will also tell you how to make a compress from ginger.Grind the roots of the plant on a grater so that you get about 2 tablespoons of raw material.Add a little onion juice, mix well and apply a thick layer to the painful joint area.Cover the top with film and secure with a bandage.This compress for arthrosis 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 have amazing effects 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.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?Rub the joint area with turpentine at night, apply a warm compress, and sleep.The next morning you will find that arthrosis no longer bothers you.
Heating compressor
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 petrol and 50 g of camphor.Beat the whites of two or three eggs separately and combine all the ingredients.The resulting ointment should be lubricated in places where there is arthrosis or arthritis of the joints at night.Continue treatment until completely cured of the disease.
Pine shower
Arthritis and arthritis of the joints can also be treated with pine baths.How is it made?Boil 1 liter of chopped young coniferous branches on low heat for 5-7 minutes, pour the broth into a bathtub, and dilute with warm water.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.After showering, don't rub yourself with a towel - just pat your body dry.
Dandelion flower
And now we will tell you how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint with the help of dandelion.Everything is simple here: in the spring, when dandelions bloom, you should pick 3-4 flowers a day, rinse them under running water, and then chew them thoroughly.It doesn't feel very pleasant, but what can you not do to treat arthrosis?
But for the winter, prepare an alcoholic tincture of dandelion flowers: to do this, you need to fill the whole thing with pure alcohol, and keep it in a cool and dark place for 1 month, then strain.Once arthritis starts to get the better of you, lubricate your knees with this alcohol tincture.