The treatment for osteoarthritis in the knee should always be guided by an orthopedist as it is usually done to alleviate the specific symptoms of each patient and prevent the development of the disease, since there is no cure for osteoarthritis.
Thus, most knee osteoarthritis treatment is done with:
- Analgesics, such as Paracetamol or Dipirone: help reduce the pain felt by the patient, especially before or after doing some type of exercise with the affected limb;
- Anti-inflammatories, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen: reduce local inflammation in the joint, relieving pain and allowing mobilization of the affected limb. They can be used in the form of tablets or ointments to pass on the knee. Here are some examples: Anti-inflammatory ointments.
- Infiltration of corticosteroids, such as hexacetonide of triamcinolone or hyaluronic acid, being especially indicated when there is proven joint narrowing, several osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis and deformity in the bone contour;
- Hydrotherapy and / or swimming: As well as decreasing the symptoms of osteoarthritis, it helps to lose weight which is also an important factor to decrease the evolution of the disease;
- Cold / heat application : Useful for decreasing the symptoms of arthrosis, but the indication of the use of cold or heat will depend on the objective and progression of the disease, which should be indicated by the physiotherapist;
- Surgery to place a prosthesis in the knee is indicated when previous treatments have not had the expected result.
In addition, your doctor may also recommend doing physiotherapy sessions to help strengthen the knee and reduce the need to use medicine.
In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary for knee arthrosis, which involves removing damaged parts of the cartilage and replacing it with an artificial prosthesis. Learn more at: Knee Prosthesis.
Physiotherapy for arthrosis in the knee
Physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis is usually advised from the start of treatment to strengthen the leg muscles, increase the range of knee movements, and decrease pain.
Normally, physiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis should be done in physiotherapy clinics 4 to 5 times a week for approximately 1 hour sessions. Here are some physical therapy exercises you can do at home in this video:
Natural Treatment for Arthrosis in the Knee
A good natural treatment to relieve the pain of knee arthrosis is to apply a wet compress on warm chamomile tea since the heat in association with the analgesic properties of the plant helps to quickly reduce the pain.
In addition, other natural treatments for knee osteoarthritis include acupuncture, postural drainage, and knee massage, for example.
Signs of amelioration of knee arthrosis
Signs of improvement in knee arthrosis arise about 1 to 2 weeks after initiation of treatment and usually include reduced difficulty in moving the affected leg, increased joint amplitude, and decreased knee swelling.
Signs of worsening of knee arthrosis
Signs of worsening knee arthrosis arise when treatment is not being done properly and may include difficulty walking and increased swelling in the knee.
In addition to arthrosis, there are other problems that can cause knee pain, see:
- Knee Popping
- Knee pain
