Common treatments for knee pain in the middle-aged and elderly

  Knee pain in middle-aged and elderly people mostly belongs to primary osteoarthritis, which is mainly the degeneration of articular cartilage, and thus evolves into bone growth and hypertrophy of the knee joint, so it is also called “hyperplastic arthritis”, “hypertrophic arthritis”, “degenerative arthritis”, etc. “Degenerative arthritis” and so on.  The main treatment methods are: Physiotherapy The role of physiotherapy is to reduce inflammation, swelling, promote blood circulation, promote the absorption of inflammation, and improve the function of the knee joint, using physiotherapy can gently and effectively ease the pain and stiffness of the knee joint. Conventional physical therapy methods include ultrashort wave, microwave, iontophoresis, red light irradiation, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).  The newly applied shock wave pain treatment method has immediate and definite effect on knee pain, especially old knee joint soft tissue injury, and is very popular among elderly people. It is important to remind elderly people not to use hot compresses to reduce swelling and pain during acute attacks, especially when the knee joint is red, swollen and hot, so as not to overheat and aggravate the local swelling, but to use pain relief creams or acupuncture point compresses externally, or to use Fotalin emulsion or safflower oil, orthopedic water, etc.  Drug therapy The application of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs during the acute attack period can relieve pain and reduce symptoms, although it cannot stop the development of the disease, usually oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs), such as fentanyl, fotarine, celebrex, etc., but such drugs are prone to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and cause complications, damage to kidney function, so such drugs should be taken after meals and under the guidance of a doctor; vitamin B1 The treatment can also include vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium supplements, etc. Antibiotics can also be given during the acute inflammatory period.  Chinese medicine treatment Chinese medicine includes this disease in the category of paralysis, and believes that this disease is due to the weakness of positive energy, external cold and dampness, or bruises and injuries resulting in the stagnation of qi and blood, phlegm and dampness within the flow of injection in the muscles and joints and the onset of disease. The disease can be treated by acupuncture and massage, Chinese medicine fumigation, Chinese medicine external application, Chinese medicine internal administration and other methods of both internal and external treatment plus functional exercise under the guidance of Chinese medicine practitioners.  Blockage Therapy Blockage therapy involves injecting a mixture of local anesthetics, neurotrophic drugs, and sometimes a small amount of hormones, into the nerve trunk or around the nerve tissue of the ganglion. The normal movement of the joint depends on the lubrication of the joint fluid in the joint cavity. As mentioned earlier, the secretion of joint mucus decreases with age in the elderly.  Sodium vitreous acid, also known as sodium hyaluronate, is the main component of joint mucus. The injection of high molecular weight, high concentration and high viscoelasticity of sodium vitreous acid into the joint cavity can significantly improve the inflammatory response of tissues, enhance the viscosity and lubricating function of joint fluid, protect joint cartilage, promote the healing and regeneration of joint cartilage, relieve pain and increase joint mobility.  Surgical treatment For severe symptoms, surgical treatment is possible. Different surgical methods are used depending on the condition, such as arthroscopic or open bone removal, free body removal, meniscectomy, joint debridement, joint fusion and artificial knee joint replacement.