Osteoarthritis Of The Knee: Pain Management And Treatment
The knee, the largest joint in the body, bears most of our weight. Due to the natural wear-and-tear that comes with constant lifting and moving, the knee is frequently affected by arthritis. Among the many forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis most commonly impacts the knee.
OA is a degenerative condition that involves the loss of the smooth cartilage surfaces on the end of bones. This can lead to bone-on-bone rubbing in the knee, which causes pain.
OA usually occurs with aging. For many years, knee replacement candidates were typically in their sixties or seventies, but increased sports participation at a younger age has contributed to rising numbers of knee problems earlier in life. As materials used in knee implants improve, knee replacement surgery is being used to treat OA in younger patients.
Types Of Knee Osteoarthritis Treatments
Finding the right knee osteoarthritis treatment starts with an assessment. You can think of osteoarthritis as a spectrum, with some instances being more severe than others. Dr. Clymer always focuses on each individual before creating a treatment plan. During an initial appointment, he often asks questions to understand factors such as:
- What caused your knee osteoarthritis?
- How severe is your osteoarthritis?
- Is the pain tolerable?
- What are your lifestyle goals?
- How has knee osteoarthritis affected those goals?
From there, Dr. Clymer can decide whether more conservative knee osteoarthritis treatments will suffice or if you would benefit more from surgery.
Do: Maintain A Healthy Weight Which Eases Stress On Your Knee Joints
Excess weight puts greater pressure or stress on your already damaged knees, Pisetsky explains. If you’re overweight, losing weight can relieve knee pain and even slow down the rate of cartilage degeneration, according to a study in the August 2017 issue of Radiology. The research showed that the more weight participants lost, the greater their improvements were. If youre overweight, weight loss can help with knee pain, Pisetsky emphasizes.
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Osteoarthritis Symptoms And Signs
Osteoarthritis is a type of joint damage.
Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain in the affected joints that occurs after repetitive use. Since the condition can affect many different joints, this can lead to hand pain, hip pain, knee pain, lower back pain, neck pain, or any kind of joint pain. Other associated symptoms and signs include joint swelling, joint stiffness, joint creaking or crackling, and loss of range of motion. Joint deformity can occur in severe cases.
Do I Have Arthritis In My Knee
Dr. Ekaterina Urch, orthopedic surgeon and knee specialist, covers the symptoms, causes, and best treatment options for knee arthritis.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is the result of inflammation in one or more of your joints. This inflammation can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in various joints within the body and can even lead people to replacing their joints because the arthritis has interfered with their every-day activity level. This can be particularly true with arthritis felt in the knee, one of the more common areas where arthritis can occur. Depending on how bad the pain is, it can interfere with the activities people enjoy and can keep them from pursuing an active life.
What are the different types of arthritis?
Not all types of arthritis are created equal. In fact, there are more than 100 different forms of arthritis. However, the two more common types of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, which is known as a degenerative wear-and-tear type of arthritis, is commonly found in the knee. It is rare for osteoarthritis to be found in younger people. It is more commonly found in people 50 years of age and older.
Why is osteoarthritis causing you so much pain?
Rheumatoid arthritis
Posttraumatic arthritis
Symptoms of knee arthritis:
Other symptoms of knee arthritis:
Nonsurgical treatment for knee arthritis:
Other nonsurgical options to help ease arthritis pain:
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Find Out What Type Of Arthritis You Have
Learn about the type of arthritis you have and your treatment options. Ask your doctor about creating a tailored management plan and team care arrangement for you. This includes subsidised care from a team of healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, dietitians, and others. Your;local Arthritis office;may also run self management courses to help you develop skills to manage your symptoms, communicate with your healthcare team and lessen the impact of arthritis on your life.
Use These Calculations To Get Yourself Into A Caloric Deficit
Use the calculator below to calculate your basal metabolic rate .3
Number of calories you need to take in to maintain your current weight:4
XXXX calories
To start losing weight, you need to be eating fewer calories than what your body requires to maintain your current weight. A good goal is to aim for a 500-calorie deficit per day, which equals a 3500;calorie deficit per week, which equals 1;lb. of weight loss per week.
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What Is Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is the wear and tear of the cartilage around the knee joint, which leads to inflammation, pain, and even joint degeneration.
The knee is a hinge joint, which allows for flexion and extension. It is also the strongest and largest joint in the body. There are three bony components to the anatomy of the knee:
The end of your thigh bone The head of your shin bone The kneecap
Joints are covered with articular cartilage that protect the connecting bones from grinding against each other. In the knee joint, the cartilage is two wedge-shaped pieces that aid in shock absorbing. These pieces are called the meniscus.
Over time, the meniscus can break down from years of wear and tear. They become thinner and thinner, leading to less protection for the joint. As the joints begin to rub, especially if there isnt enough space between the two, it causes inflammation, discomfort, and pain.
Diagnosis for knee osteoarthritis requires an examination from a physician along with tests such as X-rays or ultrasounds. But you may have an idea on whether you have osteoarthritis based on these symptoms:
- Joint stiffness, especially after youve been sitting or lying down
- Pain and swelling around knee
- Feeling of the joints crunching when you move
- Difficulty bending or straightening your knee
- Knee locking up while youre moving
- More pain in rainy weather
- Age
- Physical activity
- Obesity
Use Hot And Cold Therapy
Heat and cold treatments can help relieve arthritis pain and inflammation.
- Heat treatments can include taking a long, warm shower or bath in the morning to help ease stiffness and using an electric blanket or moist heating pad to reduce discomfort overnight.
- Cold treatments can help relieve joint pain, swelling, and inflammation. Wrap a gel ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables in a towel and apply it to painful joints for quick relief. Never apply ice directly to the skin.
- Capsaicin, which comes from chili peppers, is a component of some topical ointments and creams that you can buy over the counter. These products provide warmth that can soothe joint pain.
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How Does Arthritis Affect The Knees
The knee is commonly affected by arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis . You may notice pain and stiffness in your knee, particularly when you first get out of bed in the morning, after sitting for a long period, climbing stairs, walking, kneeling or even when youre just sitting still. Your knee might look swollen, or feel like it might give way or buckle.
There are many things that can help you manage arthritis of the knee. The first steps are regular exercise, weight loss and using medicines wisely.
Hot And Cold Compresses
When it comes to pain, hot and cold compresses may be very beneficial. They dont cause the long-term side effects that medications might. Heat is helpful for joint stiffness, and cold compresses are best for joint pain.
Compresses can reduce muscle pain or spasms surrounding a joint. Making a compress can be as simple as using a warm or cold towel.
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Complementary And Alternative Medicine
A meta-analysis on the effectiveness of acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee found only short-term benefit, which the authors described as clinically irrelevant.28 Acupuncture can be of benefit in chronic low back pain, but studies do not differentiate the etiology of the back pain.29
The most widely used supplements for osteoarthritis are glucosamine and chondroitin. The literature consisted of small clinical trials until the release of the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial , which included more than 1,500 patients. The trial had five arms comparing glucosamine alone, chondroitin alone, a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin, celecoxib, and placebo. The results were favorable only for the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin, which appeared to be effective for moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee.30 Chondroitin alone did not show benefit for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip in a meta-analysis.31
What To Expect After Prp Or Stem Cell Injections
Doctors recommend avoiding anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for four to six weeks after a therapeutic injection with stem cells or platelet-rich plasma while the injury heals. This is because injections of biologic material stimulate the bodys inflammatory response, an important part of healing. If the injection site is sore or swollen in the days after treatment, doctors recommend taking over-the-counter acetaminophen and applying an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time three times a day.
You should also avoid strenuous activities using the knee for four weeks after an injection to give the injured tissue time to heal. Your doctor may provide you with a boot to keep your foot and leg immobile. All weight should be kept off of the knee for two days, and your doctor can provide you with crutches to help you move around without putting weight on the joint. The boot should be worn for two to three weeks.
Your doctor schedules a follow-up appointment after three or four weeks to evaluate the healing process. He or she may recommend an additional platelet-rich plasma or stem cell injection depending on the extent of the injury.
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Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Some people with osteoarthritis try complementary or alternative therapies such as acupuncture and aromatherapy and find them helpful.
However, there’s a lack of medical evidence to suggest they’re effective and they generally are not recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence .
Accidents During Sport And In Your Leisure Time
Knee injuries, particularly of the menisci and ligaments, can cause natural wear to start earlier or speed up the degeneration process. The rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most common knee injuries. A consequence of this injury is often instability of the knee joint, which in the long term can lead to increased wear of the cartilage and thus to the development of osteoarthritis3.
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Weight Loss And Exercise
Other therapies, such as promoting weight loss and increasing exercise resistance, can help to relieve joint stress. Each therapy may be effective for some people while failing for others. Speak to the psychiatrist about the medical plans so that you can find the best appropriate treatment for you. Remember that the sooner you begin therapy, the higher your chances of a quicker and more lasting recovery.
Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate
This draws on the same concept as MSCs. Experts take cells from your body and use them to stimulate the healing process inside your knee.
The advantage is bone marrow may be easier to obtain than MSCs, and also contains other substances involved in promoting cartilage regrowth and calming inflammation.
While still a new approach, a review in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine found âgood to excellent overall outcomesâ from 11 studies. The researchers noted that that some trials were tougher than others. So they recommended that the treatment be used cautiously since a lot is still unknown.
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Citrus Fruits Cause Inflammation
Some people believe that they should avoid citrus fruits because the acidity is inflammatory. However, this is not the case. In fact, citrus fruits have anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as being rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
Grapefruit juice can, however, interact with some medicines that doctors use to treat arthritis. People who are undergoing treatment should check with a doctor before incorporating it into their diet.
Nightshade Vegetables Cause Inflammation
Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers all contain the chemical solanine, which some blame for arthritis pain. However, the Arthritis Foundation say that there is no scientific evidence for this. Adding these nutritious vegetables to the diet can have many benefits for chronic health conditions.
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Lack Of Sleep Makes Pain Worse
It can be easy to get stuck in a cycle where you cant sleep because of knee pain. That lack of sleep can actually make your pain worse. Sleep is vital for healing and rejuvenation. Without sleep, you have less energy to expend on healing as you need to focus your bodily processes on staying alert and awake.If nighttime knee pain causes you to toss and turn, you may end up accidentally further straining your knee by sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Reducing Inflammation And Preventing Damage
A balanced, nutritious diet will give the body the tools it needs to prevent further damage to the joints, which is essential for people with osteoarthritis.
Some foods are known to reduce inflammation in the body, and following an anti-inflammatory diet can improve symptoms. Eating enough antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, may help to prevent further damage to the joints.
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Treatment Of Osteoarthritis Knee
How to treat osteoarthritis in the knees the safe and effective holistic way using the Natural Treatment of Osteoarthritis Knee. Choosing a holistic osteoarthritis healing regimen is far safer than surgery and prescription medicines as the side effects can leave you fatally ill, paralyzed, with fused joints and even fatal liver damage. Natural arthritis treatments use common sense natural remedies, herbs and therapies that stop the cause of your joint destruction, reverse the damage, stop the pain and inflammation, and give you back your normal joint flexibility.
There is a good holistic guide to reversing osteoarthritis in the knees, hips and hands called theArthritis Reversed Guide by Dr. Mark Wileys, a holistic physician that specializes in arthritis. His guide shows you how to treat osteoarthritis naturally and safely using holistic medicine. He discovered it while looking for a real cure and permanent relief for his own osteoarthritis. You can benefit from his experience in eastern alternative medicine that actually reversed his arthritis for good using natural healing regimens only.
When it comes to osteoarthritis it all starts and ends with diet, supplementation and specific exercises for arthritis. Doing these exercises and using the proper supplementation at the same time make each of them work far better than doing only one. Exercise increases the circulation that can bring the nutrients to your joints so they can heal and get relief.
Focus On Eating Whole Foods
A diet rich in whole foods provides you with maximal nutrients and minimal calories. On the other hand, highly processed and packaged foods are very high in calories and excess sugar and low in nutrients. Some examples of whole foods include fresh fruit, vegetables, chicken, fish, beef, turkey, eggs, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil.
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Maintaining A Healthy Weight
Being overweight can put extra pressure on the joints, and excess fat stores in the body can cause further inflammation. Maintaining a healthy weight can lessen the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Keeping to a healthy weight can be difficult for some people, especially those who have a medical condition that reduces their mobility, such as osteoarthritis. A doctor or dietitian will be able to provide advice.
Including specific foods in the diet can strengthen the bones, muscles, and joints and help the body to fight inflammation and disease.
People with osteoarthritis can try adding the following eight foods to their diet to ease their symptoms:
What Are The Symptoms Of Knee Osteoarthritis
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee may include:
- pain that increases when you are active, but gets a little better with rest
- swelling
- feeling of warmth in the joint
- stiffness in the knee, especially in the morning or when you have been sitting for a while
- creaking, crackly sound that is heard when the knee moves
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Foods That Fight Inflammation
No one food can relieve arthritis, but eatingor avoidingcertain foods can help combat inflammation throughout the body.
What to eat
-
Omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish, such as salmon and tuna
-
Beans
-
Omega-6 fatty acids from egg yolks and red meat
-
French fries and other fried foods
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Packaged cookies, crackers,baked goods, and other processed, sugary foods
-
Fruit juice
Symptoms Of Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis pain can be easily identified with the symptoms and diagnosis, however, some of those with severe pain may not show any changes in the X-ray. So, it is very much important to keep a keen look at the symptoms instead of just relying on the X-rays.
Few of the most common symptoms noticed in those suffering from Osteoarthritis of knees are;
- Pain that changes with how active youre, more activity leads to increased pain while resting relieves the pain.
- Swelling
- Warmth sensation at joints.
- Stiff knees when you sit idle without moving, mainly in the mornings
- Very hard or almost impossible to sit down on the floor.
- Crackling sound heard when moving the knees
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