Articular cartilage prevents the destruction of bone tissue under the influence of mechanical stress. Under the influence of a number of adverse factors, they can collapse. Because of this, pain, inflammation and degeneration occur. Often the pathology develops in the knee joint. To prevent the destruction of bone tissue, timely and comprehensive restoration of the cartilage of the knee joint is required. Treatment is carried out strictly under medical supervision. The methodology for this process will be reviewed below.
Causes for the development of pathology
How to restore the cartilage tissue of the knee joint? This question is often faced by people of middle and old age. Modern life has significantly reduced the age limit for the development of this disease. Diseases of the knee joints associated with dysfunctioncartilage, diagnosed even in children. If this pathology is ignored, bone tissue will gradually begin to break down. It will be impossible to restore them.
But the he alth of the hyaline cartilage of the knee joints can be restored with the help of complex treatment. They act as a shock absorber when moving. Cartilage does not allow bones to hit each other, break down under the influence of friction. They significantly reduce the load on the joint. Various diseases, as well as injuries, negatively affect the he alth of cartilage. As a result, the knee cannot function properly. Reasons for developing this condition are:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- too active sports (the load should be moderate);
- injuries;
- unbalanced diet (the presence of a large amount of fatty foods in the diet, lack of nutrients for the regeneration of body tissues);
- smoking, drinking alcohol;
- harmful working conditions;
- unfavorable ecological situation;
- lack of minerals, vitamins;
- infectious diseases;
- violation of metabolic processes.
Impaired blood circulation in the joint, as well as hypothermia, adversely affects the he alth of tissues. Often, the development of pathology provokes not one, but several negative factors at once. Because of this, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner, stratified. Sliding bones is difficult. Because of this, they flatten out, growths appear. joint space due tothis decreases and disappears altogether. The process is accompanied by pain. Mobility gradually decreases. Without proper treatment, this situation leads to disability. In this case, only surgical treatment and prosthetics will help. To avoid such consequences, complex restoration of cartilage tissue is required.
Recovery Methods
During the treatment of pathologies of the knee joint, the doctor conducts a comprehensive diagnosis. Only by finding out the causes of the development of the disease can effective treatment begin. Otherwise, the pathology will be aggravated by various complications. Depending on the type and course of the disease, the doctor prescribes different medications to restore the cartilage tissue of the knee joint. Many drugs have side effects and contraindications. Self-medication can be dangerous to human he alth and life.
If the pathology is in the initial or middle stage, a conservative treatment scheme is being developed. It includes medication, physiotherapy and a number of other techniques. Painkillers are prescribed. They can improve the patient's quality of life. Soreness is reduced.
Chondroprotectors are often prescribed to restore cartilage tissue. These are drugs that contain:
- Chondroitin. Needed to maintain the required level of tensile and compressive strength.
- Glucosamine. Increases the resistance of cartilage to mechanical damage.
Such drugs are also used in preventivepurposes. The doctor develops a treatment plan. It must be strictly adhered to. It should also be noted that chondroprotectors for the knee joint are prescribed to be taken for a long time. The process of cartilage repair is long.
Some people, when characteristic signs of the disease occur, resort to the help of traditional medicine methods. It should be noted that such approaches to treatment are not effective. They can only be used in combination with medications, physiotherapy, diet, etc. It is worth consulting with your doctor before using this or that prescription.
Recovery mechanism
Conservative therapy necessarily includes drugs to restore the cartilage tissue of the knee joint. This is necessary in order to increase the intake of nutrients. Under the influence of loads, cartilage tissue is constantly destroyed. Therefore, it has special cells - chondrocytes. They are responsible for the processes of regeneration of cartilage tissue in the joints. There are quite a few such cells (only 2-3% of the total mass). Therefore, recovery processes proceed at a certain speed.
If negative factors destroy cartilage faster than it can regenerate itself, the tissue quickly becomes thinner. Therefore, for a quick recovery, it is necessary to reduce the influence of negative factors, as well as increase the activity of chondrocytes. To do this, you need to provide the cells with good nutrition. It is carried out through the synovial fluid.
It is worth noting that in the human bodythere may be enough nutrients that chondrocytes need. But they don't fit in the cells. This is due to insufficient joint mobility.
Accompanying activities
Restoration of the cartilage of the knee joint is possible only under the influence of a special hormone - insulin-like growth factor (IGF). He is responsible for the process of division of chondrocytes. IGF is produced in the liver during the breakdown of growth hormone. To speed up this process, you need to revise your diet. It should be balanced, rich in natural products. The number of meals per day is also increased to 6-7 times (portions should be small).
Need the right training. Exercises are prescribed by an experienced physiotherapist. If you perform the actions incorrectly, do not calculate the level of load, you can only aggravate the pathology. Taking special preparations in combination with the above methods prevents premature aging of cartilage. They affect metabolic processes, making the system function smoothly.
Chondroprotectors
Injections and tablets for the restoration of cartilage tissue of the knee joint are prescribed by a doctor. In almost all cases, chondroprotectors are required. They will be effective at an early stage, as well as with moderate severity of the disease. If the degenerative process is running, chondroprotectors are prescribed in combination with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The presented variety of the drug is taken as a course. It lasts at least six months. Chondroprotectors are prescribed asin inflammatory diseases (arthritis) and degenerative pathologies (arthritis). Also, this type of drug is included in the treatment regimen for osteochondrosis and traumatic destruction of cartilage (for example, athletes).
The most studied representatives of chondroprotectors are glucosamines and chondroitin sulfate. These are simple substances that the body does not distinguish from its own. Therefore, they are involved in metabolic processes. In addition, the drugs presented also have an anti-inflammatory effect (similar to nonsteroidal drugs). At the same time, chondroprotectors are perfectly tolerated by the body.
In the course of taking chondroprotectors, degenerative processes in the joint slow down. Previously, glucosamine and chondroitin were only available as injections. The drugs are now available in tablet form.
To restore the cartilage of the knee joint based on chondroitin, the following drugs are produced:
- Mukosat;
- "Artradol";
- "Artrin";
- "Chondrolon";
- Chondroitin-Akos;
- Chondrograd.
The following medicines are based on glucosamine:
- "Dona";
- Sustilak;
- Elbona;
- Chondroxide.
This group also includes a drug in the form of a cream to restore the cartilage of the knee joint. It's called Chondroxide Maximum. The choice of the drug is made by the doctor.
Preparations of animal origin
There is a whole range of preparations made on the basis of bones and cartilage of animal origin. Most often, biological material taken from marine fish or young calves is used to create them. They stimulate the restoration of cartilage tissue of the joints due to the presence of a whole range of substances in the composition. They take part in metabolic processes. Such drugs slow down the aging process and the destruction of cartilage tissue. They protect cells from negative factors.
One of the most popular drugs in this group is Alflutop. The price of this drug varies from 1600 to 1900 rubles. Available in the form of injections. The drug is made from small marine fish. Since the likelihood of developing an allergy is high (as with any other drug of this type), the composition is administered intramuscularly. The drug is not prescribed for children under 18 years of age, as well as for women during pregnancy and lactation.
"Rumalon" is an analogue of "Alflutop". Its price ranges from 1200 to 1500 rubles. This drug is made from the bone tissue of calves. The drug has exactly the same contraindications. It is produced in the form of intramuscular injections. The drug is prohibited in the presence of autoimmune diseases. A foreign protein that is injected into the body can trigger an immune response. As a result, the body's own leukocytes begin to attack protein cells. This can lead to the development of rheumatoid arthritis or some other autoimmunepathologies.
Combination drugs
Pain is a frequent companion of diseases of the knee joints. To reduce negative manifestations, prescribe complex drugs. They contain in their composition not only chondroprotectors, but also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. These drugs include "Artrodar", as well as "Teraflex". Treatment of the knee joint in this case improves the patient's quality of life. The pain recedes, allowing you to perform daily activities. In this case, it is required to reduce the load on the joint by performing only special exercises.
The disadvantage of combined drugs is the side effects. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory components included in the composition affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. There may be heartburn and pain in the stomach, gastritis. If a person has a stomach ulcer, it worsens when taking these drugs. There may be bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, combined drugs are prescribed only with significant pain. Their intake is only possible for people who do not have diseases of the digestive system.
Also, these drugs are not prescribed to people over the age of 60. Combination medications are taken for a short period of time.
To restore the cartilage of the knee joint, the doctor may prescribe the following drugs in this group:
- Teraflex. The cost varies depending on the amount of the drug in the package from 360 to 3000 rubles.
- "Dimexide". concentrated solution. May also be available in gel form. The cost is 100-120 rubles. Suitable for outdoor use.
- Menovazin. Liquid solution with a strong odor. It can also be produced in the form of an odorless white cream. The cost is from 20 rubles. It is used externally in combination with other drugs.
Injection reviews
One of the effective methods is the use of hyaluronic acid injections in the knee joint. Reviews about this technique are mixed. The cost of such therapy is high. At the same time, it is performed exclusively by a highly qualified traumatologist-orthopedist. If such procedures are performed by a non-professional, you can not only aggravate the course of the disease, but also make it impossible to restore cartilage by conservative methods.
If the procedure is carried out by a highly qualified medical specialist, the treatment lasts faster than with other methods of introducing chondroprotectors. The active substance immediately reaches the articular cartilage. Hyaluronic acid is one of the important components of intra-articular fluid. It's a joint lubricant. With insufficient production of this substance, cartilage suffers. In this case, the use of chondroprotectors will not be effective. If the patient has a decrease in the production of the presented substance, it is injected into the knee joint.
The course of therapy is repeated after 6 or 12 months. The use of preparations based on hyaluronic acid is prohibited in case of inflammation or skin diseases in the joint area. Also, drugs of this group are not prescribed to children, pregnant and lactating mothers. The most famous preparations based on hyaluronic acid are:
- "Ostenil". The cost is from 3000 rubles. for 10 ampoules.
- Fermatron. Relieves pain. In this case, the mobility of the joint is quickly restored. The cost is from 4500 rubles. per pack.
Reviews about plasma therapy of the knee joint
According to reviews, plasma injections into the knee joint have proven to be effective. This is a relatively new and one of the safest ways to restore cartilage. It was developed by the Moscow doctor R. Akhmetov. Now this technique is used in the most famous domestic and foreign clinics.
Plasma derived from the patient's own blood is injected into the patient's joint. This allows you to accurately affect the damaged areas of the tissue. They begin to regenerate quickly. The technique has practically no contraindications, since rejection or negative reactions of the drug are impossible.
According to reviews, plasma injections into the knee joint are painless. The introduction of anesthesia is not required. First, 10-50 g of blood is taken from the patient from a vein (this is quite a bit). Then it is placed in a centrifuge. This allows the plasma to be separated. Her doctor inserts into the patient's knee joint. Improvement occurs after the first dose. The course includes 5-7 procedures. The price of one procedure varies from 4000 to 6000 rubles. Therefore, the disadvantages of the presented procedure include the high cost.
Traditional medicine
One of the recovery methods can be used as an addition to the main therapycartilage tissue of the knee joint folk remedies. One of these recipes is the use of radish and horseradish. They are rubbed on a fine grater, mixing in equal proportions. Each procedure will require 50-80 g of radish and horseradish.
You can make compresses at night from elecampane and burdock. Each of the ingredients (200 g each) is crushed, poured into 1 liter of alcohol (or vodka). The composition is infused for 3 weeks in a dark place. The compress is done 3 times a week.
Having considered the features and methods of restoring the cartilage of the knee joint, we can understand the mechanism of such a process. Only a doctor can prescribe the correct, effective treatment. This will allow, before it's too late, to return he althier joints.
