Find out about Knee Arthritis in the Elderly
Knee arthritis in the elderly is a disease that is increasingly common due to the natural physiological process as well as many influencing factors. In order to effectively prevent and treat this disease, it is necessary to understand the true nature of the problem. In this article, we will provide basic information about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of knee arthritis.
What is knee arthritis in the elderly?
The knee joint is the contiguous area of 3 main types of bones: femur, kneecap, shin bone. Osteoarthritis of the knee in the elderly occurs when the cartilage in the knee joint deteriorates, causing numbness, pain, difficulty in walking, even the inability to walk. Along with that is the damage to bones under cartilage, ligaments, muscles, and joint fluid.
Causes of knee arthritis in the elderly
There are many causes of knee arthritis in the elderly, here are some of the main ones.
Age
Most elderly people experience natural degeneration. But the time of onset of degeneration, the degeneration process, and the degree of impact are not the same for each person.
Pathological
Diseases of the bones (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis …) have a high risk of degenerative knee osteoarthritis. Along with that, gout diseases, knee synovitis, tendinitis, diabetes, metabolic disorders … also increase the risk of this disease.
Injury
Injuries from sports, work or traffic accidents pose a high risk of knee arthritis. Because the process of restoring the knee joint for the elderly when experiencing this injury is very low, even impossible. This leads to faster knee degeneration.
In addition, affected by labor, doing heavy work leads to damage to the knee joint, causing inflammation. Along with that are the causes of overweight, obesity, irrational movement, inactivity, side effects of corticosteroids, unscientific eating and genetic causes that cause knee arthritis earlier.
Symptoms of knee arthritis
For people with knee arthritis, there are symptoms and signs that are easy to observe. Need to monitor and detect early to promptly treat, avoid turning to a severe stage, leaving serious consequences such as loss of ability to walk, muscle atrophy, paralysis.
Hurt
People with previous arthritis often experience dull pain, pain stronger when sitting or standing in one place for too long.
Swollen joints
After waking up, there will be a pain, swelling in the pillow area, and a hot sensation. Swelling larger than usual or the other side. This symptom of knee arthritis is easy to recognize.
Foot numbness
Numbness in the limbs occurs and needs to be vigilant because nerves running through the knee joint may be being squeezed by the degenerative joint.
Stiffness
This can happen in the sedentary elderly or when you wake up early in the morning. Suddenly difficult or unable to move, stretching the knee joint as usual, massaging takes 10-30 minutes to be able to move, walk. Lack of translation in the knee, appears a cry “crunching” when contracting, stretching, moving in the elderly.
Diagnostic measures for knee arthritis
To determine knee arthritis in the elderly, in addition to the clinical manifestations, it is necessary to conduct subclinical diagnostic techniques. In order to accurately assess the level, condition, and cause of disease in order to have appropriate and effective treatment direction.
X-ray
This is an effective diagnostic method to observe whether or not bone spines are present.
Supersonic
This diagnostic measure will evaluate how well the appointment of the knee joint affects other components. Simultaneously measure the cartilage and joint mucus, check bone spikes and detect degenerative cartilage plaques.
Magnetic resonance imaging MRI
This method helps observe three-dimensional images of the knee joint. From there, it is easy to detect lesions appearing in cartilage, synovial membrane as well as ligaments.
Endoscopic
This diagnostic measure of knee arthritis provides direct observation of the degenerative knee damage.
Treatment measures for knee arthritis
Arthritis of the knee in the elderly is caused by the natural age law. So we cannot prevent it completely. However, with effective treatments to help patients alleviate the condition, slow down degeneration, restore damaged bone cartilage areas, and avoid the risk of complications occurring.
For each elderly person with different degrees of knee OA damage, there will be appropriate therapy and treatment from the prescription of a specialist.
Treatment with Western medicine
The method provides quick relief as well as relief of unpleasant symptoms.
Using safe and highly effective sebum injection methods, making the patient feel comfortable and comfortable when moving. However, this method has the disadvantages of high cost, not all the elderly have the conditions to implement.
Use effective pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs in the case of patients with mild to moderate arthritis.
Surgery for knee arthritis patients in severe conditions is highly effective, but the risk of this method is not low.
Treatment with Oriental Medicine
Traditional remedies work well but need a long and persistent treatment time for patients.
The remedy with guise leaves is easy to do. Yellow star guise leaves with scratched grassroots, elephant tapioca roots, every 300 grams and brought sharply with 3 bowls of water, boil to 1/3 of the bowl for the patient to drink.
The remedy for bone pain plants is very simple, just 20 grams of decoction plants to drink for 7-10 days feel effective. Or you can crush the tree with the guise leaves, ginger, the yellow star tiger’s tongue tree and soak the wine, and then cover it on the knee joint.
Remedy with policies fruticose root easy to find. Take 30gr of gold-star prickly roots and drink color, the pain will be effectively reduced.
Effective and noted treatment measures for arthritis of the knee:
Gradually relieve the pain
Assist in rehabilitation of the functions of the knee joint
Limiting and preventing deformation of the knee joint
Do not overuse medications such as pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs
Limit the side effects of the drug
Do not arbitrarily use drugs without the prescription of your doctor
Along with that, people with knee arthritis need to maintain a suitable diet and exercise regimen.
Knee arthritis in the elderly is not life-threatening but affects the quality of life when pain and stiffness are unable to walk. Many cases of complications are worrying such as weak leg muscles, atrophy of leg muscles, deformation of joints. The most serious is the permanent polio consequences.
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Above is the detailed analysis of knee arthritis in the elderly. Family members need to care, early detect causes and symptoms to quickly choose effective treatment methods for the elderly to live happily and healthy with their family.
