Osteoarthritis of the knee joint occurs in one in five Europeans.Experts estimate that only 40 percent of cases of degenerative osteoarthritic arthritis are a consequence of aging.In the remaining 60 percent, this is due to overload, injuries and physical inactivity.Therefore, knee disease is the price we pay for our lifestyle.
Degenerative changes in the knee joints (osteoarthritis and arthritis) develop slowly and progress gradually, destroying cartilage.In addition, there are several forms of this disease.Thus, post-traumatic osteoarthritis appears after all types of injuries to the knee, 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 spine, which leads to inadequate load distribution on the knee joint.A common cause of osteoarthritis is 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 ailments of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatoid arthritis and gout).
Symptoms
Initially, the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint appear very weakly, so the patient does not pay attention to them.You should be careful 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 heat in 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.However, if you start treatment on time, you can restore the functionality of the knee joint.
Exercises for the joints.
Special exercises that must be performed regularly help to overcome osteoarthritis of the knee joints.They stimulate blood flow to the knees, so the cartilage tissue begins to recover.Attention!If you have post-traumatic arthritic arthritis, you should consult a traumatologist before exercising.
- After waking up, without getting out of bed, slowly perform the “bicycle” exercise.The range of movement of the legs should be maximum.
- The following exercise against osteoarthritis is also performed in a lying position.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 the health of your knees to perform this simple exercise: sit on the floor, place a support under your heels, keeping your legs in a horizontal position.Then, without bending your knees, you should bring your toes towards you.Repeat several times.
- While sitting in 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 osteoarthritis is.
Expert note: with regular physical activity, the symptoms of knee joint disease are significantly reduced or disappear completely.On the Internet you can find many videos with useful exercises.
Treatment
In the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, all kinds of home methods are used: hot and cold compresses, wraps and ointments.A proper diet plays an important role.By adding some simple foods to your diet, you can quickly cure osteoarthritis of the knee joint without spending large 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 them on an elevated surface.For half an hour you should not move your lower extremities.Ice has an anti-inflammatory effect and provides quick relief.However, it only helps in the early stages of osteoarthritis.
hot compresses
In the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, warm compresses are used only when there is no swelling.Before physical training, reduce pain.But you must 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.By entering through the skin through friction, they hydrate the joint, which is especially important in conditions of synovial fluid deficiency.
If osteoarthritis bothers you, turn to 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 chosen oil to normal Vaseline and mix the product.
How to choose essential oil against osteoarthritis of the joints?Focus on your symptoms.
So, peppermint oil will relieve pain and cool the 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 mistakes when purchasing essential oils.How to distinguish a quality product from a fake - search for videos on this topic on the Internet.
Hirudotherapy
Treatment with leeches (hirudotherapy) gives amazing results in diseases of the knee joints (osteoarthritis, arthritis, bursitis, etc.).The fact is that leeches thin the blood, improve blood circulation and eliminate all congestion.They will help you in any case, regardless of the type of osteoarthritis you have: post-traumatic, senile, etc.Leeches should be applied very close to the knee, avoiding large arteries.There is a break of 4 to 7 days between procedures.In total, your treatment will last 3 to 5 hirudotherapy sessions.There are many videos on the Internet on how to properly handle 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 disappears completely.
comfrey wraps
To treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint with folk remedies, comfrey is often used, since this plant strengthens cartilage tissue and helps to develop it in case of degenerative changes in the joints.Melt 200 g of pork fat (lard) in a bain-marie, add 2 tablespoons of chopped comfrey and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.After cooling, pour the resulting medicine into a glass container and store in the refrigerator.To get rid of osteoarthritis, lubricate your knees with comfrey at night 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 according to the recipe we gave you above (200 g of lard + 2 tablespoons of crushed slippery elm bark).Do the wraps every night until the osteoarthritis or arthritis completely disappears.
harpagofito
The harpagophytum plant is popularly 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 let it brew for at least 2 hours.To successfully treat osteoarthritis, it is necessary to drink 3 to 4 glasses of the resulting medicine in warm form per day.
Bishofite salt
Bichophyte 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 cure any osteoarthritis and arthritis, even post-traumatic (there are many videos on the Internet about the healing properties of this drug).It is enough to take warm baths every two days, in which 1 glass of bischofite salt is dissolved.Continue treatment until osteoarthritis and arthritis completely disappear.
Massage for sore knees
During the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joints, do not forget to perform regular massages.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 left and right and back and forth.Pain relief occurs almost immediately.
ginger
Ginger has been used for a long time to treat stomach diseases.Scientists have recently discovered that this product also relieves knee pain, 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 joint arthritis is.
We also tell you 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 film and secure with a bandage.This compress for osteoarthritis should be used for at least 3 hours, but it is better to do it overnight.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 osteoarthritis in India.Adding this spice to food can do wonders as 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 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 fight sciatica and arthritis.How to apply it?Rub the joint area with turpentine at night, apply a warm bandage and lie down.The next morning you will notice that the osteoarthritis no longer bothers you.
hot compress
Here is another recipe for a warm compress for osteoarthritis.Mix 100 ml of pure alcohol with 50 g of mustard powder, 50 g of gasoline and 50 g of camphor.Separately beat the whites of two or three eggs 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 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 with a towel, just pat your body dry.
dandelion flowers
And now we will tell you how to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint with the help of dandelion.Everything is simple here: in the spring, when dandelions bloom, you need to pick 3-4 flowers per day, rinse them under running water, and 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 alcohol tincture from dandelion flowers: to do this, you need to fill them whole with pure alcohol and store in a cool, dark place for 1 month, then strain.As soon as arthritis begins to invade you, lubricate your knees with this alcohol tincture.