Osteoarthritis of the knee, the effectiveness of therapeutic injections

Age-related changes, weight gain, long walking in high heels, professional sports, as well as low consumption of B vitamins are the main reasons for the development of arthritic processes of the knee joint. The destruction of cartilage, accompanied by constant aching pains can not only deprive a person of sleep and peace, but also make him disabled.

Injections from arthrosis will help to avoid the serious consequences of the disease. Therapeutic blockade with the use of medications is intended to reduce pain, stop inflammatory and degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the knee joint.

Injections also relieve swelling, improve the structure of the cartilage and increase the amount of synovial fluid. Compared to tablets and ointments, injection blockade allows you to achieve immediate results without side effects on other organs of the body.

With arthrosis of the knee, a specialist can prescribe several types of injections:

• intramuscular
• intraarticular;
• painkillers.

As the practice of treating arthrosis shows, it is almost impossible to achieve a complete recovery without injections. Therefore, the only way to maintain the ability to work in a sick person remains an integrated approach with the mandatory inclusion of an injection blockade.

Intramuscular preparations

For intramuscular administration in degenerative processes in the knee joint, specialists usually prescribe a number of drugs that are selected based on the course of the disease, the age of the patient and the degree of damage to the knee joint.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Injections using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are designed to reduce inflammatory processes in the cartilage of the knee joint. In addition, they effectively relieve pain, relieve swelling from the affected area. The main advantage of this type of injection is the speed of the reaction.

The following NP injections from arthrosis are widely known to date:

1. diclofenac;
2. ibuprofen;
3. ketonal;
4. aspirin;
5. pyroxycam.

The disadvantages of non-steroidal drugs include the negative impact that they have on the digestive tract. NP injections cause ulcers on the mucous membrane of the stomach, the work of the liver and gall bladder worsens.

For this reason, injections are prescribed in a process that has an advanced form of the disease and only with short courses in a dose strictly determined by the doctor. After completing the course, the patient must necessarily take a vitamin course with a high content of vitamins B1, B6.

Analgesics, antispasmodics

The appointment of analgesics (analgin, baralgin) for arthrosis is necessary to relieve pain, so when the cartilage in the knee joint is destroyed, they bother the patient quite a lot. Sometimes the pain is so severe that without an analgesic injection, he cannot lead a familiar lifestyle. However, like previous analgesic drugs, they only reduce the symptoms of the disease, and they do not restore the cartilage in the knee joint.

Very often there is a need to relieve muscle spasm, which inevitably occurs with arthrosis. In this case, it is recommended to use Midokalm, Baclofen, Sirdalud. The course of treatment is about a week. There are practically no contraindications, with the exception of pregnancy, lactation and an allergic reaction to the components of the drug.

Steroid drugs

With severe damage to the knee joint, in some cases, a steroid type injection can be prescribed by a specialist. The most famous and often used drug to date is Ambene. Its effectiveness is manifested in the rapid removal of pain in the knee, reduce the inflammatory process and restore the joint.

However, reviews after using such tools can be heard far from the best. The presence of strongly acting aggressive components in the preparation causes cartilage weaning to the ability to form new cells. Therefore, it is advisable to resort to the appointment of steroid drugs in the most extreme cases.

Vitamin preparations

An indispensable drug for the restoration of cartilage in the knee joint is a vitamin complex containing vitamins B1, B6, B12. Typically, intramuscular injections are used Combilipen, Neurorubin, Kopligam B, Trigamma, Milgamma. The intake of a vitamin supplement reduces pain and improves impulse conduction along nerve fibers that innervate the affected joint.

Intraarticular preparations

The introduction of a medicinal product directly into the knee is the most effective method of treating arthrosis, since the substance enters the affected area quite quickly and in a concentrated form. Injection into the knee joint is especially necessary at the first stage of degenerative processes.

Blockade of arthrosis in this way is the suppression of infection by introducing an antimicrobial drug (antibiotic, antiseptic) into the knee joint. Joint drainage may also be prescribed as an adjuvant.

It should be borne in mind that intra-articular injections for arthrosis are complex procedures and require some practice. Therefore, it is best to contact a qualified specialist who has experience introducing such drugs into the knee.

Chondoprotectors

Today, chondoprotectors are recognized as the most powerful drugs. In composition, they are very close to the structure of the cartilage of the knee joint, which allows you to very quickly heal and regenerate damaged tissue. The components of the drug are made on the basis of substances of animal origin: cartilage, tendons and ligaments.

However, practice shows that it is very difficult to cure arthrosis with injections using only these drugs. Therefore, to get the maximum effect, they should be prescribed in combination with other drugs. Most often, chondoprotectors consist of several active ingredients – glucosamine and chondrotin sulfate. And to obtain the desired result as an adjuvant, it is advisable to add hyaluronic acid injections to the course of chondoprotectors.

The downside of using such drugs is the duration of the course. To obtain a long lasting stable effect, it is necessary to introduce the drug into the knee joint for six months. Given the high cost of chondoprotectors, such treatment is considered an expensive event and not every patient can afford it.

How to choose a chondoprotector

A feature of the purpose of injections is the initial stage of the disease, in which there are still small areas of cartilage in the knee joint capable of synthesizing new cells and increasing synovial fluid in the joint bag.

Good reviews after the use of intraarticular injections were received on the following types of chondoprotectors:

• alfputop. Usually, 1-2 mg (1-2 ampoules) are prescribed once every 3-4 days. The course of treatment is 5-6 injections;
• Don. The composition of the drug includes glucosamine. Assign 1 injection to the knee 3 times a week. The course of treatment is 12 injections with a mandatory repeat after 4-6 months;
• chondrolone. Chondroitin drug. The course of treatment is about 20-25 injections.

Of the above drugs, you can not select any and say that it is the best. Each medicine has its own special components that have a specific effect. Therefore, when choosing a chondoprotector for the knee joint, it is mandatory to undergo a diagnosis, after which the doctor determines which drug is suitable in this case.

Corticosteroid hormones

Particularly popular drugs containing corticosteroid hormones received for the rapid removal of pain and suppression of the inflammatory process. Immediately after the first session, the patient feels relief.

This drug does not contribute to the synthesis of cartilage and does not restore blood circulation, it only relieves inflammation in the affected areas. Therefore, it is usually prescribed in combination with B vitamins.

For insertion into the knee joint, it is recommended to use the following types of drugs:

1. celeston;
2. floresteron;
3. hydrocortisone;
4. diprospan;
5. kenalog.

When injections containing corticosteroid hormones are necessary to adhere to some rules:

• such drugs are not allowed to be used more than 2 times a week, so the maximum effect appears after 10-14 days;
• after the first injection, the patient should feel a strong relief. If this does not happen, hormonal injections are canceled, or another place is selected for the introduction of the drug;
• it is very necessary to carefully select the dosage of the drug, since negative consequences may occur with an overdose of the drug. There may be disturbances in the structure of the surrounding muscles of the ligaments, which subsequently causes “looseness” of the knee joint.

Hyaluronic acid

The introduction of hyaluronic acid preparations (sodium hyaluronate) can reduce the dependence on painkillers and anti-inflammatory injections, while providing a longer therapeutic effect. A similar effect is achieved due to the fact that the substance is a component of the synovial fluid of the joint bag, as well as a structural component of the cartilage tissue.

One of the causes of arthrosis is a decrease in the concentration of this substance in the synovial fluid. Therefore, intraarticular injections have a positive effect on metabolic processes occurring inside the joint. Hyaluronic acid promotes the formation of a protective film on the damaged joint and protects the cartilage from further destruction.

Intra-articular injections are given under the following conditions:

1. the disease has an active form of degenerative processes;
2. before the introduction, it is necessary to determine the most affected area where the drug should go;
3. mandatory combination of drugs that have a therapeutic and analgesic property;
4. Before the appointment, it is necessary to compare the benefits and harms of this method.

Penetrating into the joint, the acid revitalizes the “dried up” cartilage, restoring its cushioning properties and thereby improving its firmness and elasticity. As a result, pain and stiffness during movement disappears.

Novocaine blockade

In some cases, with arthrosis, there is a need to use the introduction of novocaine. This is due to very severe pain accompanying degenerative processes in the knee joint. The drugs are injected into the site affected by arthrosis, as well as into the adjacent tendons and muscles no more than 3 times a month. Injections with novocaine are necessarily combined with vitamin preparations, which reduce the negative effects of the drug on the body.

Modern medical therapy has enough means and experience to defeat arthrosis. However, to obtain a stable and lasting effect, treatment should be carried out only under the supervision of an experienced specialist.