Once osteoarthritis develops irreversible, the patient's knee pain gradually worsens over time. Artificial knee replacement is the final solution, but it is not a minor surgery after all, and it is not recommended to perform it too early until the final stage. The following 4 therapies can delay the progress of osteoarthritis. Each therapy has its own advantages and disadvantages. Patients can refer to it based on their own situation.
drugs
The most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis are such as futalin, ibuprofen , celecoxib, meloxicam, nimesulil , etc. They can prevent the production of prostaglandins in the body and can effectively relieve the pain, swelling and stiffness of knee arthritis , the advantage is that they will not be addicted. However, these drugs also have side effects. Long-term use may lead to gastrointestinal ulcers, decreased appetite, abdominal distension or abdominal pain, and a few patients may also experience liver and kidney damage and cardiovascular risks.
The following are precautions when taking medicine:
can be used externally and do not take it internally. should give priority to using external non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Futalin ointment. If it is ineffective, it will be considered for oral administration.
Do not take medicine on an empty stomach, will increase the risk of NSAIDs to the stomach. Avoid drinking alcohol during the medication period, avoid spicy and irritating food, and avoid irritating the stomach and causing burden.
Tell the doctor about gastrointestinal symptoms. If gastrointestinal symptoms appear after taking the medicine, you should inform the doctor in time. The doctor may change the medicine or stop the medicine, such as adding some drugs to protect the gastric mucosa and inhibit gastric acid secretion, such as omeprazole . Patients with active ulcers or bleeding should inform their doctor in advance.
Pay attention to signs of bleeding, If there is blood in the phlegm after taking the medicine, severe abdominal pain, and excrete coffee grounds or asphalt-colored black stool, please seek medical attention immediately.
Injection
Injection is commonly called blocking injection . If the pain is not relieved after taking the medicine, the doctor may recommend injection. There are two main types of injections. The effect of injection is to lubricate joints, obtain buffering, and restore smooth joint movement. Hyaluronic acid is originally present in the body. As the age of the age, the joint degenerates. Injection is a supplementary process. Currently, 5 injections are usually a course of treatment, once a week, and then it will gradually lose, and the maintenance time is different. Generally, mild to moderate degenerative osteoarthritis, without obvious effusion, most patients can maintain for half a year to a year, and the more serious osteoarthritis can generally last for 3 to 6 months.
Another injection is to get corticosteroids, which have better anti-inflammatory effects than hyaluronic acids. has obvious effect on knee swelling and effusion caused by acute pain, and it also takes effect faster. However, its side effects are also a little larger, which may damage the cartilage. corticosteroid injection is injected at most once a month, not more than three times a year, and can generally last for weeks to months.
Arthroscopic surgery
In addition to pain, if the knee is stuck or locked, arthroscopic minimally invasive surgery may be required, with a small hole as thick as a chopstick on the skin, a lens is placed, and then the surgical instrument is inserted from another hole. The entire surgical process is operated by a monitor. This surgery can be used to repair cartilage or meniscus tear in the knee and remove bones or cartilage fragments. Its advantages are small wounds, less bleeding, and the patient recovers quickly. The disadvantage is that after a period of cleaning, the debris may fall off like the wall.
Osteotomy
By osteotomy, the surgeon performs a cutting on the tibia or thigh bone to transfer the pressure of the knee joint from the area of arthritis. This procedure is usually recommended for young patients with deformities or injuries on one knee, and in some cases it can be used as an alternative to knee replacement surgery, but osteotomy may make it difficult for patients to undergo knee replacement surgery in the future.
Medical science popularization, for reference only.
