Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease, the prevalence of which increases with age and is more common in women than men. It is particularly prevalent in the knee joint, which is heavily weight-bearing and active, and is highly dangerous.
The early manifestations of osteoarthritis of the knee are not obvious, which makes it easy to delay treatment and aggravate the disease. For middle-aged and older people over 40 years of age, if you have weakness or pain in the knee joint when walking on flat surfaces or stairs, stiffness in the morning or after exercise, or an inability to straighten or bend, you have early osteoarthritis.
If you have the following symptoms: unexplained atrophy of the thigh muscles; a rattling sound or a feeling of friction when moving; swelling and pain easily after moving, etc. This indicates that your arthritis has progressed to a certain level.
For those with milder symptoms in the early stages, conservative treatment can be used, including the following methods.
1, first of all, to reduce their own weight;
2, reduce running, hiking, stair climbing and other sports that increase wear and tear on the knee joint, which is a misconception of many people with knee arthritis;
3. Wearing knee pads or knee braces to increase knee stability;
4, walking, straight leg raising, swimming (or walking in water) to increase muscle strength and joint stability;
5. Pay attention to weather changes and avoid humidity and cold.
6, drug treatment.
(1) sodium hyaluronate: the main component of the synovial fluid of the joint cavity, one of the components of the cartilage matrix, plays a lubricating role in the joint, reducing friction between tissues, and can significantly improve the inflammatory response of synovial tissue after intra-articular injection, enhance the viscosity and lubricating function of the joint fluid, protect joint cartilage, promote the healing and regeneration of joint cartilage, relieve pain, and increase joint mobility. It is often injected intra-articularly.
(2) Glucosamine: It is the most important monosaccharide that constitutes polyglucosamine (GS) and proteoglycan in articular cartilage matrix. Normal people can synthesize GS by amination of glucose, but in osteoarthritis, the synthesis of GS in chondrocytes is blocked or insufficient, resulting in softening of cartilage matrix and loss of elasticity, destruction of collagen fiber structure, and increase of cartilage surface lacunae, resulting in bone wear and destruction. Glucosamine can block the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, promote the synthesis of proteoglycans with normal structure in chondrocytes, and inhibit the production of enzymes (such as collagenase and phospholipase A2) that damage tissue and cartilage, reduce damage to chondrocytes, improve joint movement, relieve joint pain, and delay the course of osteoarthritis.
(3) Non-steroidal analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs: can inhibit the synthesis of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin, counteract the inflammatory response, and relieve joint edema and pain. You can use ibuprofen 200-400mg once, 3 times a day; or aminoglycoside zinc 200mg once, 3 times a day; nimesulide 100mg once, 2 times a day for 2-4 weeks.
(4) Chinese herbal medicine Xianling Bone Depot capsule or Bone Sparing Kang is taken orally for 4~8 weeks, which can b present remission or cure.
With systematic conservative treatment, the progression of osteoarthritis of the knee joint can usually be significantly delayed. However
Knee pain caused by osteoarthritis or arthritis of the knee, which is ineffective with conservative treatment (more than 6 months of treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
Knee dysfunction caused by arthritis
Inability to work due to joint pain
Inability to sleep due to joint pain
Inability to walk for more than 3 blocks due to joint pain
Patients need to be rushed to a regular hospital immediately for treatment under the supervision of a specialist. If necessary, a total knee replacement will be performed.