What you do not know about knee Osteoarthritis
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Knee Osteoarthritis is one of the chronic diseases that cannot be completely cured, but healthy habits are followed or medications are taken to reduce the severity of its symptoms according to the prescription of the specialist doctor and according to the development of the condition. Follow the following article with us in order to be able to know more information that will greatly benefit you in your life, whether at present or in the long term.
Knee Osteoarthritis
Many people wonder what is knee osteoarthritis? Who are the people at risk of infection? Many people are at risk of developing knee osteoarthritis, as this is a normal occurrence when they get older or frequently use a joint and wear it out a lot.
Although knee osteoarthritis cannot be avoided, it can be delayed or its symptoms can be reduced, especially when there are knee problems. It is not preferable to leave it untreated so that we do not have to resort to surgical interventions.
The extreme importance of the knee cannot be ignored as it is one of the largest joints in the body and helps in many things such as standing, walking, adjusting levels of movement, and balance, and for this reason, a defect in it and ignoring it may greatly affect the normal activities that one performs daily.
Knee Osteoarthritis is represented by very severe difficulty in moving the knee joint due to the presence of severe infections that are accompanied by a lot of pain, and its severity varies from person to person. It may come to some in the form of simple pain that makes them uncomfortable, but it can be ignored, and others may suffer from severe pain that prevents them from even standing or walking.
How do I know if I have knee osteoarthritis?
As a person gets older, he is more likely to suffer from many diseases, including knee Osteoarthritis, where the knee joints become less flexible and durable as a result of a large amount of friction that causes cartilage erosion, and there are some symptoms that the affected person can infer from knee Osteoarthritis, such as:
- Feeling severe pain in the knee, especially when standing or doing any movement that requires bending the knee.
- Severe pain when going up or down stairs.
- Issuance of sounds such as popping from the joint during movement.
- The presence of severe infections in the knee joint is swollen.
- Deformation of the knee shape and the beginning of the appearance of scoliosis.
- Stiffness and stiffness of the knee joints, so that the individual has great difficulty in bending them.
If you have started to feel any of these symptoms, you must start visiting a specialist doctor immediately to start receiving the appropriate treatment, and this is represented in taking some medications that relieve inflammation and reduce the intensity of pain, and this treatment is considered a temporary situation only.
In some chronic cases, it may require medical and surgical intervention to be done by changing the knee joint, and this will be the final solution to that problem, and the individual will be able to practice his life normally after that.
Does prostration increase knee Osteoarthritis?
When knee Osteoarthritis has reached a chronic stage, patients may suffer from severe pain when prostrating in prayer, and in that case, our honorable scholars said that an individual can pray standing and kneeling and then sit on a chair as long as he is harmed by prostration.
Our religion is ease, not hardship, and it has offered us many solutions to all the problems that we may face for many ages, the aggrieved person is not judged as long as he is honest about that, and when the matter reaches the patient in that situation, he must immediately take medical advice to find out the appropriate solutions for his condition and surgical intervention if necessary.
Prostration is one of the best rituals that a Muslim performs during his prayer, as he is closer to his Lord than at any other time, and for this reason, if you suffer from health problems that prevent you from doing so, search for solutions for them immediately so as not to deprive yourself of this great thing.
Is a knee brace good for knee osteoarthritis?
There are many cases in which the patient’s doctor may recommend knee wear because it is one of the medical methods that are used in order to significantly reduce the severity of inflammation or reduce complications that may result from the erosion of the knee joint, but it is better to use knee brace under supervision medical in order to ensure effective results.
In addition to the fact that wearing a medical knee is useful if some operations are performed in the knee area, and this has a great role in healing joints that have been fractured and rebuilding the cartilage that connects them well, in addition to being used in the event of an accident or severe collision in the knee area.
Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment
When individuals discover that they have knee osteoarthritis, in that case, they ask questions such as: Does roughness have a cure? Certainly, everything nowadays has a solution in some way, and treatment for knee Osteoarthritis is divided into treatment under medical supervision and some habits that can be done at home. Here are detailed examples of each:
Medical knee osteoarthritis treatment
This is divided into physiotherapy, drug therapy, and surgical intervention, and we will begin to get acquainted with them separately.
Pharmacotherapy
Medicines contribute greatly to reducing the pain and inflammation that the patient feels in order to be able to practice his daily life normally, in addition to being taken with the rest of the other methods that are used in the treatment of knee Osteoarthritis.
Examples of drug methods used in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis:
- Painkillers.
- Anti-inflammatories are taken in tablet form.
- Topical paints on the knee joint.
- Direct injection of the knee joint with an anti-inflammatory such as cortisone or hyaluronic acid.
Surgical treatment
This method is used in chronic cases of knee Osteoarthritis, which becomes difficult to affect by any other method of treatment, and this is done by removing eroded tissues or bony protrusions, and in some cases, the doctor may have to replace the entire knee joint.
Natural Therapy
What is the natural treatment for knee osteoarthritis? Specialists specify some exercises for the knee joint to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, especially the joints around the knee, but during that it is necessary to be careful not to overburden the knee and reduce friction that may result in pain.
In the beginning, the doctor may advise the patient to lose weight if he suffers from obesity to reduce the resulting pressure on the knee, and then he determines the appropriate exercises for him according to his condition and age.
It is one of the most popular methods that are followed during the physiotherapy treatment for knee osteoarthritis is the use of cold and hot compresses, and each of them is used interchangeably, as it greatly reduces tumors and infections that cause severe pain and facilitates the patient’s ability to move.
Treating knee osteoarthritis with oils
It is considered one of the oldest and most famous methods among many individuals because it is reliable and reliable in results, and it can be done at home without the need for a doctor’s intervention. Among the most popular oils used in this method are lavender oil, ginger oil, orange oil, turmeric, basil, and eucalyptus.
Does olive oil treat knee osteoarthritis?
Olive oil has great effectiveness in treating knee osteoarthritis, as it is mixed with one of the oils mentioned in the previous lines in equal amounts and warmed, then the knee joint is gently massaged with this mixture, and it is better to test it first on a small part of the skin to ensure that the individual does not suffer from any sensitivity to oils.
Can knee Osteoarthritis be treated permanently?
Knee Osteoarthritis cannot be cured permanently, but the treatment methods that are used reduce the severity of symptoms and prevent them from developing for the worse over time, in addition to facilitating the patient’s movement and making him more able to move naturally.
Does collagen treat knee osteoarthritis?
There are no proven studies on the fact that collagen contributes to the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, but it has been concluded that it reduces the pain that may affect some while walking, as it greatly reduces tumors and infections, and it is mostly taken in the form of nutritional supplements, and there are many forms that are available in it, such as:
- Collagen pills or capsules.
- Collagen drink for joints.
- Collagen ampoules for joints.
- Collagen injection.
- Collagen effervescent.
Does walking treat knee osteoarthritis?
People who suffer from knee Osteoarthritis have a great belief about the fact that walking will affect them negatively, but doctors have proven the exact opposite. They also emphasized the need to practice light sports such as walking and others, and that doing them regularly greatly reduces the symptoms and pain resulting from knee Osteoarthritis.
This is because walking strengthens the muscles of the thigh and legs that strengthen the knee, in addition to the fact that movement contributes to increasing the regularity of blood flow to the joint, which helps food to reach it well.
That is why individuals should walk for a period of 20 to 35 minutes daily, while being careful not to take too long and avoid climbing many stairs or walking on uneven floors, in addition to the need to wear completely comfortable shoes.
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis
Knee Osteoarthritis symptoms vary according to the cause that led to them from the beginning, as if knee Osteoarthritis is caused by a specific injury, then the symptoms are limited to the affected organ only, but if it is caused by rheumatoid arthritis, it may include many parts of the body, and knee Osteoarthritis pain is accompanied by the following:
- Having knee pain.
- the appearance of swelling;
- redness.
- Feeling very hot in the knee.
- The presence of tingling-like pain in severity.
- Feeling of numbness and tingling in the knee.
- Bruising or bleeding.
- Deformities in the joint.
- Weakness of the muscles that surround the joint.
- Inability to control the joint.
Degenerative arthritis causes knee osteoarthritis, whose symptoms are accompanied by severe pain and swelling, especially in the morning periods, and usually affects only one or two joints. As for rheumatoid arthritis, it affects many joints, such as the hands and feet.
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis caused by a disease
In some cases, individuals may develop roughness in the knee as a side result of a defect in one of the systems in the human body, and the symptoms that indicate this are:
- Note a very high temperature.
- Significant muscle weakness.
- The appearance of swelling and roughness in some of the other joints.
Knee Osteoarthritis symptoms that indicate a serious illness
There are some symptoms that, if you have started to notice them, you should go to a specialist immediately, as this may be an indication of something very serious, for example:
- Cold feet and the feeling that the pulse did not reach them.
- High temperature.
- Inability to feel the lower parts.
- The appearance of a noticeable deformity in the joint or bone.
- Paralysis attacks and inability to move some areas.
- severe bleeding
- Pain beyond one’s ability to bear.
Degrees of knee osteoarthritis
There are many degrees of knee Osteoarthritis as it may be normal, simple, moderate, or severe, and we will get to know this more clearly in the following lines and how to deal with each degree.
Stage 0 (normal mode)
At that stage, there are no signs of osteoporosis or roughness on the knee, and this indicates that it is in a very normal position, and there is no weakness or defect in the joints, and therefore this stage does not require any treatment.
Stage 1 (mild)
At that stage, a slight erosion begins at the end of the knee joint, and in that case, there may not be any symptoms or pain that the individual suffers from, and for this reason, no treatment is taken, but doctors are advised to take nutritional supplements and do regular exercises.
Stage 2 (simple)
When the injured person at that stage takes an x-ray, it is noticed that there is an increase in the rate of erosion in the knee, and the pain begins to appear, and the patient can feel the presence of hard parts around the joint that make him feel pain when he performs any of his normal day-to-day activities.
This stage is considered early and detection of the disease makes it very easy to control knee osteoarthritis and prevent its development into larger problems, and doctors begin to prescribe non-drug methods in order to reduce the severity of the pain felt by the patient, such as doing some strict exercises to maintain the stability of the joint, using knee braces, and making a nutritional diet if necessary.
Stage 3 (moderate)
At that stage, the erosion of the cartilage surface is more evident than in the previous stages, and this results in a narrowing of the gaps between the bones, and the bones become more coarse, in addition to the presence of severe pain in the joint that accompanies the patient while walking, standing, or even sitting.
In addition to the occurrence of stiffness in the joints when staying still for long periods or in the morning periods, and the presence of popping sounds that accompany the person when walking.
At that stage, doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, and the patient can take painkillers without the need for medical advice. If this method is not effective, the doctor selects treatments with a stronger effect, and some may need to inject hyaluronic acid into the joint, and it takes from a few weeks to six months for the pain to end.
Stage 4 (severe)
At this stage, the distances between the joint and the bones are very few, which causes erosion of the cartilage that causes the joint to harden, and this results in severe inflammation that causes strong pain that cannot be tolerated when moving the joint, and with more developments, bumps appear that make the least normal daily activity very difficult.
At that stage, the ideal solution for it is a surgical intervention in order to re-orthopedic bones, where the doctor in that process cuts the bones above and below the knee to shorten its length and make the pressure on the joint regulated as before, and after that one becomes able to practice his life normally without feeling pain.
Causes of knee Osteoarthritis
Many causes lead to knee osteoarthritis, and we will talk about the most common of them in the following lines:
knee injuries
Sometimes the knee is damaged or the tissues that surround it, and this affects the function of the joint greatly and this leads to roughness in the knee, and examples of these injuries include:
- Injury to the cartilage surrounding the joint: As the cartilage has a very large role in facilitating the movement of the joint, and therefore exposure to any injury makes it difficult to move the joint, in addition to the possibility of part of the damaged cartilage getting stuck in the joint, which stops its movement completely.
- Sprain of the ligaments surrounding the joint: Any sprain, even if it is simple, in one of the ligaments supporting the knee joint may lead to knee osteoarthritis, as this leads to instability of the joint during movement and swelling.
- Ligaments rupture: This leads to internal bleeding that causes swelling and severe difficulty in movement.
- Knee fractures: This causes the bones to move out of place, which leads to swelling and knee osteoarthritis, and this can be avoided by adhering to the knee rehabilitation program.
Rheumatoid arthritis
As rheumatoid arthritis is considered an autoimmune disease in which immunity attacks the joints of healthy body parts and causes them to deform, and this leads to infections that cause a lot of pain, which leads with time to knee osteoarthritis, and it is not possible to recover from rheumatoid inflammation completely, but medications are taken in order to limit the development of the disease and avoid its serious complications.
Osteoarthritis
This disease mostly affects people over 65 years of age and causes them to lose the cartilage that protects the joint and roughness, in addition to the fact that its symptoms include severe pain, swelling, and a popping sound from the joints while walking.
Degenerative arthritis is treated by replacing the tissues and fluids that the joint loses and making sure to lose weight in the case of obesity to reduce pressure on the joints, and when the matter develops to its final stages, surgical intervention is the best solution to replace the joint.
Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks some body tissues such as muscles and joints, and it is difficult to detect this disease because it is similar in its symptoms to other diseases, and therefore it is not possible to receive appropriate treatment for it, but it is only possible to seriously limit its development.
Gout
This occurs as a result of an increase in the level of uric acid in the blood and its accumulation inside the joint, and its attacks occur at varying intervals and mostly affect the joints of the feet and the knee. Its treatment is to reduce the level of uric acid and reduce the severity of symptoms.
Bursitis
It occurs as a result of swelling of the small serous sacs that are located inside the joint and works to prevent friction between the tendons and bones, and it is treated by undergoing rest for some time and preventing any effort on the affected joint, and although it affects any of the joints of the body, it mostly affects large joints, such as:
- Shoulder joint.
- Elbow joint.
- The knee joint.
- Pelvic joint.
- Ankle joint.
Bone cancer
One of the rarest causes of knee osteoarthritis is that it is an abnormal growth of bone tissue, and it requires immediate medical intervention because it is very dangerous.
Does walking increase knee osteoarthritis?
Walking does not increase knee osteoarthritis, on the contrary, it reduces knee osteoarthritis and works to limit its impact on joint movement and functions, in addition to increasing muscle softness and stiffness, and activates blood circulation that facilitates blood and food access to the joints.
How do I protect myself from knee Osteoarthritis?
- Take care not to eat large amounts of food.
- Limit your intake of sugars and foods that contain saturated fats.
- Avoid fast food.
- Not doing wrong positions or sitting in an uncomfortable position.
- Avoid climbing stairs excessively.
- Make sure to do regular exercise.
- Doing a daily walk, even for a short period.
- Drink drinks that contain antioxidants, such as green tea and ginger.
- Warm water compresses from time to time.
- When you feel pain in one of the areas, massage it with warm olive oil 3 times a day.
- Eat foods rich in omega 3 such as fish, shrimp, almonds, and eggs.
Knee Osteoarthritis exercises
There are many exercises that doctors may recommend in case of knee osteoarthritis, and here are some of them:
- Hamstring stretching exercise: lie on your back straight, lift the leg and tighten it with a belt around the bottom of the foot, use the belt to raise your foot until you feel a complete stretch in the back of the knee and thigh, hold this position for 30 seconds and lower it very slowly.
- Straight leg raises exercise: Sleep on your back, then put the foot you want to exercise straight with the other bent to support the lower back, and tighten the upper thigh muscle by raising it until it is at the level of the other knee, and then slowly lower it.
- Calf muscle stretching exercise: Stand in front of a wall and extend your legs behind you and place the other in front of you, lean your hand on the wall to use it and then slowly bend the front knee while fixing the heel of the back leg on the ground, continue this for 30 seconds until you feel a complete stretch in the calf muscle.
- Half-squat exercise: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then extend your arm forward, then bend your knee very carefully until you are half-sitting, keep your back straight, raise your chest, and straighten your feet without bending forward. Hold this position for only five seconds, then stand up quietly.
- One leg drop exercise: Stand between two chairs to help you balance well, raise your leg 12 inches and hold this position, keep the back straight, then bend the other foot and go down slowly as if you are sitting down, hold for 5 seconds and then repeat the same steps with the leg other.
- Leg sliding exercise: Keep standing straight and hold the back of a chair in front of you, make your foot slide back slowly while keeping your toes on the ground until the buttocks are tightened, and repeat the same steps on the other foot.
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis in young people
Young people who suffer from structural changes in the knee joint as a result of roughness are not aware of this happening because they are more tolerant than the elderly, which makes their symptoms not directly apparent, but there are some cases in which one of the following symptoms may appear:
The pain
This feeling differs from one young man to another according to his ability to endure, and for this reason, many of them may delay receiving the appropriate treatment, especially young people who practice sports because pain is a normal thing that they are exposed to daily, but if you notice pains as follows, you should seek medical advice immediately:
- The presence of pain increases continuously with movement.
- The pain begins to disappear immediately after taking a rest.
- It is difficult to determine the source of the pain.
- Pain comes from more than one place such as bones, muscles, ligaments, and joint lining.
Joint stiffness
Another symptom that may appear in most young people is joint stiffness, especially in the morning periods, where the young man finds himself unable to move completely without pain for up to 30 minutes, especially if this is repeated more than once.
Stiffness of the knee joints is not the same in all cases, but rather this varies according to the person’s current disease stage and the extent of the development of symptoms. It is not good for the patient to ignore cases of joint stiffness, but rather he must seek medical advice immediately before the matter escalates further.
A popping sound
Knee Osteoarthritis, whether it is in young people or the elderly in general, causes many changes in the texture of the cartilage that lines the ends of the bones, making them rougher, and this causes sounds resulting from friction during movement.
In addition to the appearance of some other symptoms when young people suffer from knee osteoarthritis, such as:
- Swelling in the knee joint.
- Inability to move the joint normally and carry out normal daily activities.
- Feeling severe pain when touching the joint.
Treatment of joint roughness in young people
There is no complete cure for joint stiffness or for the return of cartilage to the previous state it was in, but doctors seek to prescribe healthy habits for a person that makes him able to practice his life normally without feeling pain and using some medications if necessary and an example of this matter:
- Regular exercise while maintaining proper positions.
- Physiotherapy is aimed at increasing the strength of the muscles around the joint.
- Follow a diet in case of obesity.
- Use of certain medications to relieve pain or prevent serious disease progression.
- Use of braces for the knee joint.
- Resorting to the surgical solution when needed.
Causes of knee osteoarthritis in women
There are many studies have been conducted, which have proven that women over the age of fifty are at high risk of developing osteoarthritis, due to the interruption of the menstrual cycle, which works to reduce the estrogen hormone that protects both bones and joints.
In addition to the fact that the woman’s effort in general throughout her life has a significant impact on the incidence of knee Osteoarthritides, such as both pregnancy and lactation, and all this affects the bones greatly and causes many problems for women, not just knee Osteoarthritis.
Is knee Osteoarthritis a chronic disease?
Knee Osteoarthritis is considered a chronic disease that cannot be cured and completely eliminated, as the medications that are taken are only a means to reduce the severity of symptoms and prevent the development of the disease to dangerous stages in the long term only, and this makes it necessary to adhere to the treatment pattern prescribed by the doctor from the beginning.
In addition, relying on drugs and medications only is not effective in many cases, but the lifestyle must be completely changed to be more healthy by reducing harmful foods and exercising regularly.
Although it is not possible to restore the cartilage to what it was in the beginning and get rid of knee osteoarthritis completely, the closest thing to this matter is by performing plastic surgery or a total replacement of the artificial knee joint.
What is the difference between knee osteoarthritis and friction?
Many people confuse knee Osteoarthritis with friction, and the difference between them is that knee Osteoarthritis is a type of rheumatism that is classified as arthritis, and it is possible to develop roughness through many factors, including advanced age or the presence of other inflammatory diseases that show roughness as a side effect.
As for friction, it means touching the bones, which often results in severe pain, and this is due to the occurrence of complications from other diseases such as inflammatory and degenerative rheumatic diseases, and so on.
