Compresses for arthrosis of the knee joint: the most effective remedies

Knee pain - causes

With age, the vast majority of people face the acute question of how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint, with the typical symptoms inherent in this disease at its different stages. This includes the appearance of swelling in the knee area, redness around these swellings, creaking and rustling, clearly audible in silence when the knee moves, especially during squats, and a distinct pain syndrome of varying degrees of intensity. Pain can appear immediately after normal, everyday physical activity or after physical exercise that is inappropriate for age in duration and intensity. When touching on the underlying causes of this pain, we must keep in mind that its appearance can also be the result of:

• Inflammatory process in the knee joint. That is, be a consequence of arthritis. It occurs as an independent pathology or as a complication from other diseases.
• Arthrosis is a degenerative process during which the tissues of the joint are destroyed, it loses mobility, and if the course of arthrosis has been prolonged, it also causes deformation of the joint.
• Injuries. Most often it occurs from a fall, a blow to the knee, or a blow to the knee on a hard surface. The joint may become deformed.
• Ligament damage. Ligaments hold the joint in the correct position, preventing it from moving. But when they are damaged (stretched, displaced, ruptured), the joint also suffers - with severe pain and the appearance of a tumor. In order not to aggravate the injury, in such cases, urgent medical attention and rest for the injured leg are needed.
• Damage to the meniscus of the kneecap. This protruding, round, movable cartilage in the knee can be injured even when squatting or turning sharply. It is not always detected visually due to swelling of the knee joint that often occurs in such cases. Accurate diagnosis is made using ultrasound, x-rays, and palpation by an experienced specialist.
• Popliteal cyst (Becker's cyst). As a result of inflammation, fluid is formed in the joint, which accumulates in the inner side of the popliteal fossa, in the area of ​​the tendons.
• Inflammation of ligaments and tendons (tendinitis). They cause unpleasant, painful sensations localized along the ligaments and are accompanied by swelling. The pain intensifies when the knee is used (flexion and extension), radiates to the area along the muscles along the ligaments and nerves, above the knee, into the femoral ligaments and muscles, and below - into the lower leg.
• Ischemic pain, from impaired blood circulation in the knee joints. They can appear from a sudden change in weather, severe hypothermia for a long time. Examples are sailors who work for a long time in high (arctic) latitudes. In most cases, the localization of pain is symmetrical, equally intense, and at the first stage does not affect joint mobility.

The most serious mistake in such cases would be to ignore the pain and hope that if you just rest, “everything will go away on its own.” Only a specialist can give recommendations for treatment and make a correct diagnosis, therefore treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is unacceptable at home only on the basis of advice from “knowledgeable people”, and even purely using traditional medicine. Effective treatment is possible only with a combination of medications in the form of tablets, rubbing, ointments, and the use of physiotherapy. Sometimes, in severe or advanced cases, surgery cannot be avoided.

Establishing diagnosis

An orthopedic surgeon can make a diagnosis of arthrosis of the knee joint after movement tests and medical history. The following procedures are usually prescribed as additions to diagnostics:

• Relating to laboratory tests, such as a biochemical blood test and bacterial microflora, smear, puncture of joint fluid and/or bone marrow, serological analysis, that is, a study for the presence of antibodies and antigens contained in the blood serum.
• Instrumental studies, which may include ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, densitometry and others.
• Examination of the internal joint capsule using an arthroscope - a device for a minimally invasive procedure for penetrating the cavity through an incision. Most often, this method is used after damage to the meniscus or with cracks and severe wear of the cartilage tissue, as well as to restore the anterior cruciate ligaments. Although recently the anthroscope has rarely been used as a diagnostic tool, it has been successfully replaced by a completely non-invasive diagnostic method using MRI.
• Just “by ear” - with a 3rd degree articular lesion, extraneous sounds in the form of creaks, rustles, and clicks are clearly audible in the joint.

The information obtained is brought together into a general history, and only on the basis of it can full and effective treatment begin.

Preparation

Preparing a compress

In order to prepare an alcohol compress, you need to take:

• Wide gauze fabric folded in three layers.
• Dressing material (bandage).
• A piece of polyethylene larger than gauze.
• Vatu.

The gauze should be folded in three layers and soaked in slightly warmed vodka. Next, the fabric is wrung out and placed on the sore knee. It is very important that the gauze soaked in the solution fits tightly to the epidermis.

If the patient feels coolness and tingling, then there is space between the epidermis and the application. If this happens, you need to remove the gauze bandage soaked in vodka and replace it with a new one. Next, you need to apply a layer of polyethylene and cotton wool on top. The layer of cotton wool should be large, since it is this layer that will retain heat from the evaporating alcohol.

The resulting application must be fixed with a dressing and additionally wrap the knee joint with a wool scarf. The compress should be on the injured limb for six to twelve hours, so it is best to do it at night. After time has passed, the application is removed and the knee is fixed with a dry, warm bandage.

It is recommended to apply a vodka-based application at night in order to avoid hypothermia of the joint structure. It is not necessary to leave the bandage on while you sleep, just leave it on for a few hours.

If the patient feels that the skin under the bandage is starting to burn and itch, it must be removed immediately. Then wipe the epidermis with a cloth soaked in warm water, and apply baby cream or massage oil to the irritated area.

How to treat gonarthrosis?

Restoring joint mobility is not a matter of one month. The treatment is complex, it is expensive due to the high cost of drugs, and the result depends only on the patient’s desire to cooperate with the doctor and strict adherence to all medical recommendations and prescriptions.

But first. What needs to be done is to immediately reduce the load on the affected joint(s). If the work involves such stress, negotiate with management (if necessary, with doctor’s notes in hand) about changing your type of activity. For a while or forever - life will tell. Although often at first, bed rest may be required for the initial restoration of joint function. Remember: a joint is not a muscle, you cannot “work it out” with intense exercise, it will only make it worse. Activation of life with intense movements may be required later, after the most acute inflammation has subsided. But even when increasing the load, you need to use means of support in the form of elastic elastic bandages, a cane, a crutch, etc. Sometimes you cannot do without special orthopedic insoles or even custom-made orthopedic shoes.

Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint is also possible at home, using outpatient medications prescribed by a doctor - chodroprotectors, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Depending on the degree of damage to the joint and the type of inflammation, the doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). But for all their effectiveness in relieving symptoms, they do not eliminate the causes of the disease.

Do not heat sore joints with arthrosis! On the contrary, apply an ice pack to the inflamed area - it will help relieve swelling, redness and inflammation.

The use of chondroprotectors, on the contrary, does not relieve pain. But the restoration of cartilage tissue will proceed slowly but surely. The only question is the effectiveness of the drug, but you should try to use proven and certified medications for treatment. Preferably internationally recognized.

For some types and degrees of joint damage, applying and permanently (or temporarily) wearing a tightening bandage that fixes the joint can help. But this measure should be used only if the method is approved by the attending physician, since in some types of arthrosis, wearing such a bandage can aggravate the course of the disease.

You cannot completely immobilize yourself if you have knee pain. Moreover, with some types of inflammation, moderate physical activity only benefits the joint. An orthopedic doctor will tell you when and how much to exercise. Moreover, complete passivity in terms of physical activity will cause weight gain, and this will further aggravate the situation, loading the joint.

Drug treatment is usually combined with courses of physiotherapy, the most favorable for the treatment of arthrosis: magnetic and laser therapy (coherent laser radiation is used at safe frequencies), mechanical vibration and ultraphonotherapy, microwave installations with deep effects on tissue - when this is therapeutically justified.

In diagnosis, three degrees of arthrosis of the knee joint are distinguished.

Arthrosis I degree

The mildest degree of the disease. It is characterized by the fact that treatment does not require a large degree of medicinal influence, the list of medications is small, and measures involving physiotherapy, massage, and exercise therapy help well. One of the most effective methods is considered to be laser therapy, which significantly reduces pain, stimulates the regeneration of irradiated areas, and reduces inflammation. In addition, the use of coherent radiation with a strictly defined wavelength eliminates the need to use glucocorticosteroids in treatment, which cause a lot of side effects.

Arthrosis II degree

It is characterized by more intense and acute processes of inflammation and degeneration of cartilage tissue. In the acute period, special medications are prescribed, a special diet is recommended, and physical therapy designed for such cases is recommended. Physiotherapy and massage are excluded during these periods.

Recommendations: reducing the load on the affected joint, limiting walking, avoiding any movements associated with squatting. Special orthoses may be prescribed for the knee joint - devices that fix the joint and severely limit its mobility.

In the medical arsenal for the treatment of arthrosis of the second degree, along with chondroprotectors with glucosamine and chondroitin, steroid drugs, as well as anti-inflammatory non-steroids, may be present. It is possible to inject hyaluronic acid and other drugs into the joint capsule to facilitate the sliding of cartilage surfaces relative to each other.

A special diet with excess collagen is prescribed: jellied meat, jelly, aspic, and from confectionery products - gelatin soufflé. Including fish oil in your diet is beneficial.

Arthrosis III degree

When the knee joint is affected by arthrosis of the third degree, the treatment is not much different from the previous condition - except that the frequency of use of medications increases with a slight shift towards glucocorticosteroid hormones. If there are no results, there is a need for surgery followed by joint replacement.

Compresses

There are many recipes for preparing compresses for arthrosis using both folk and medicinal remedies. Some of them have a warming effect, while others have a cooling effect.

The following recipes are effective:

Snow with salt. We spread the cloth, put a layer of snow on top, prepared in advance in the freezer, and sprinkle generously with salt on top. We wrap it around the affected joint and secure the oilcloth on top with an elastic bandage. We keep it for several hours until the compress begins to melt, then remove it and immediately lubricate it with warming ointment, wrap it in warmth.

Important! Despite their high effectiveness, cold compresses have a number of contraindications. It is imperative to consult with your doctor before starting to use them.

Clay with kefir. We dilute the clay powder purchased at the pharmacy with kefir until a thick mass of uniform texture is formed. Place the mixture in a water bath for 5-7 minutes, then apply the mixture to the area with affected joints.

Also effective are recipes using bee products: honey, propolis.

Alcohol and vodka infusions

Vodka infusions for arthrosis can be used to prepare remedies for oral administration, but their use for compresses is considered more effective. They provide a warming effect and are easy to prepare:

Hot vodka compresses. Mix hot water and vodka in equal quantities, moisten gauze folded several times, squeeze, apply to the affected area, put polyethylene on top, provide heat. After 10-15 minutes, change the gauze with a new solution and so on several times.

Cold vodka compresses. They are prepared in the same way as hot ones, only cold water is used for cooking. This compress lasts for about an hour; there is no need to change the gauze.

Important! Such treatment methods are not recommended during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or in childhood, since alcohol is absorbed through the skin pores, which is dangerous for children's health.

Gonarthrosis of the knee joint

All of the above applies mainly to people of working age, when organic damage to the knee joint is caused by extreme circumstances and is in no way related to the aging of the body.

A completely different picture emerges when a person passes the age of 50 - when the flexibility of ligaments is lost, processes of tissue dehydration begin, and metabolism slows down.

Under these conditions, the development of gonarthrosis begins - deforming arthrosis of varying severity. In the classification accepted in medicine, gonarthrosis of the knee joint is divided into degrees I, II and III.

This disease, once it begins, progresses very quickly. Refers to acquired age-related pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. To one degree or another, it is inherent in all patients after 50 - another thing is that by leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding extreme physical activity, the integrity of the cartilage layer in the joints can be preserved both after 70 and after 80 years.

Possible onset of the disease

Located between the tibia and femur bones, the knee joint in the human body bears perhaps one of the heaviest loads. An example would be regular running on a hard (most often asphalt) surface: each step in such running causes a shock load on the knee joint.

This joint also includes the largest sesamoid movable bone - the patella, located at the crown of the tendons of the quadriceps femoris muscle. The articular surfaces are covered with a thick, up to 2.5 mm, cartilaginous membrane consisting of chondrocytes. Medicines under the general name chondroprotectors help restore these cartilage tissue cells, which are primarily affected by gonarthrosis.

There are primary and secondary arthrosis of the knee joints. The etymology of the first is not fully understood and may have different reasons. When - from a sedentary lifestyle, and when, vice versa, from too much physical activity. Poor ecology, excess weight, and addiction to smoking or alcohol can also have an impact. Doctors consider identifying the first stage of arthrosis a great success, since the cause of the pathology is difficult to analyze.

Regular hypothermia of the feet can also provoke the onset of the disease. Therefore, it is better for people with a tendency to such diseases not to choose professions related to the cold (refrigerators, navy working in northern latitudes), etc.

In women over 45 years of age, the frequent development of gonarthrosis is associated with long-term use of contraceptives due to a decrease in the natural synthesis of estrogen. It also often occurs during menopause or under the influence of gynecological diseases such as fibroids, fibroadenomas, endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia. Often in women, gonarthrosis is also provoked by strict diets for weight loss, during which many useful minerals and vitamins are removed from the diet.

It is much easier to decide on ways to influence secondary arthrosis, which can be a consequence of:

1. Defects in the development and formation of tissues;
2. The influence of neurodystrophic processes in the cervical and lumbar spine;
3. Arthritis of the knee joint;
4. His injuries and microtraumas;
5. Meniscectomy, that is, surgical removal of the meniscus;
6. Hormonal imbalances and endocrine chronic diseases;
7. Heavy and constant physical activity, including sports. To prevent joint injuries after 40 years, it is better to significantly limit and later abandon all exercises associated with extreme loads on the knee joint (in the form of running on hard surfaces or squats with a load);
8. Abnormal joint mobility. This condition occurs when the ligaments that hold the joint in the correct position are underdeveloped or naturally weak;
9. Stress and constant nervous tension.

Signs and symptoms of the onset of the disease (stage 1, or degree)

• Stiffness of the knee joint in the morning;
• The appearance of pain in the knee if you walk a distance of a kilometer and a half;
• Pain in the joint after prolonged standing (even if without movement);
• Pain in the knee even after complete rest, up to 2 hours, in a sitting position;
• Pain before going to bed or in the first half of the night while sleeping.

These signs need to be paid the most serious attention, because if you do not consult a doctor during this period, the disease begins to progress rapidly, which leads to the second stage of the disease.

Gonarthrosis II degree

Which is typical:

• Night pain, as well as pain in the first minutes of the morning when getting out of bed.
• Pain when moving up flights of stairs.
• Possibility to use public transport with restrictions.
• Slightly pronounced lameness.
• The occurrence of pain when moving at a distance of up to 800-1000 meters.
• Limited ability for self-care.

Often, measures to simply increase the production of synovial fluid by the joint become an effective way to cure even the second degree of gonarthrosis.

Gonarthrosis degree III

Characterized by:

• pain that begins immediately after rest or occurs after 500 meters of quiet movement;
• severe lameness, when the help of improvised means (canes, crutches) is required;
• stiffness after waking up for up to half an hour or even more;
• the inability to climb stairs or enter high-level vehicles independently or without assistance;
• night pain even without moving the joint.

The affected joint develops ankylosis, a condition in which the articular ends of adjacent opposing bones fuse. The leg completely loses its mobility, and the only way to return it is to replace the joint with an artificial one.

The choice of drugs and treatment methods depends not only on the degree of damage to the cartilage tissue, but also on the age of the patient, his ability to tolerate certain drugs and physiotherapeutic methods of influence.

When diagnosing, a distinction is often made between unilateral and bilateral arthrosis, and among unilateral arthrosis, right- and left-sided. The latter is often diagnosed in left-handed people.

Can there be complications?

Compared to medications, compresses have virtually zero side effects and are almost harmless, but it is worth remembering the contraindications.

When using any folk remedies without consulting a doctor, the patient must remember that in this case he fully accepts responsibility for the possible occurrence of complications.

This procedure is easy to do at home. The main thing is not to change the components at your discretion and not to increase their dosage on your own in order to recover faster. This may not only not help, but also cause side effects. A vodka compress on the knee joint can also cause problems, so if during the procedure or after there is a burning sensation, dryness, pigmentation, dermatitis, rash, swelling, then you need to seek medical help.

Nutrition for gonarthrosis

First of all, doctors advise excluding red meats and offal such as liver from the diet. Priority should be given to fruits and vegetables, cereals with a high content of gluten and fiber, without salt and sugar. As well as fermented milk products, fish and nuts.

The last time you eat food should be no later than 19:00. The frequency of food intake can remain familiar, as it has developed over many years. But it’s better to eat in fractions – in small portions 5-6 times a day in the morning.

Breakfast should be the most plentiful - it sets the body in the mood for work and maintains strength until lunch.

If, especially at first, the feeling of hunger becomes unbearable, trick your stomach - eat an apple or chew a carrot. Just don't eat high-calorie bananas and grapes!

Don't give up jellied meats. Carrying collagen to the body and joints - the raw material for the construction of cartilage tissue.

Drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day: water and/or natural juices.

Eliminate from your diet:

• Red meat;
• Lard, smoked meats of any kind;
• Everything is spicy;
• Semi-finished products of unknown origin;
• Carbonated drinks with sugar;
• Vegetables: white cabbage, tomatoes, red bell peppers.

Potatoes because they are high in calories (carbohydrates!) and help you gain excess weight. Therefore, the Dukan diet will be relevant.

Gain

For arthrosis and arthritis, vodka can be replaced with formic alcohol, or you can use a tincture with the addition of red pepper to enhance the effectiveness of therapy.

Also, to enhance vodka applications, alcohol can be infused with various herbs that have the necessary medicinal properties.

If you mix vodka with garlic or onion juice, the application will have an anti-inflammatory and absorbable effect. But it should be noted that such compresses cannot be kept for more than sixty minutes, otherwise irritation may appear on the skin.

For hematomas, you can use an alcohol tincture with bodyaga. It will not only resolve bruises, but also relieve swelling.

For arthrosis, in addition to alcohol applications, salt compresses are also very popular. They will be discussed below.

Treatment of gonarthrosis in the Solnechny sanatorium

In our institution, a wide range of physiotherapy, mud therapy, acupuncture, and various massages are used as methods of treating arthrosis of the knee joint.

One of the advanced treatment methods is intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid. They compensate for the lack of production of their own hyaluronic acid, which serves as a lubricating element for the surface of the joint and protects it from abrasion. The effect of this procedure is felt on the first day. The effect of one injection lasts on average for a month. Patients in advanced stages of arthrosis feel a significant reduction in the pain that has tormented them for many years in the very first days, and people with a moderate course of the disease, grade 1-2, after a course of 5 injections in most cases forget about the pain completely for about six months. A rehabilitation treatment program for knee arthrosis has been successfully applied . See here .