Torn knees: causes, possible diseases, treatment

Causes

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) belongs to a group of nervous system disorders. A person complains of discomfort and unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities. Anxiety symptoms are more likely to occur at rest. When a person walks or does certain work, the discomfort disappears.

Doctors cannot say exactly what provokes disorders and discomfort, but there are contributing factors:

• psychoemotional disorders;
• unnecessary impressions;
• depression, stress;
• bad habits (abuse of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products);
• previous spinal cord injuries;
• abuse of drinks that contain caffeine;
• lack of vitamins and microelements in the human body (iron, dopamine);
• treatment with certain medications (neuroleptics, antidepressants).

In medicine, there is also a distinction between primary and secondary restless legs syndrome. In the first case, discomfort and unpleasant sensations appear due to provoking factors. The secondary form of the disease manifests itself against the background of certain diseases that will require additional consultation with other specialized doctors and specially selected therapy.

Causes of pathological origin when twisting legs at night:

• vascular diseases (varicose veins, atherosclerosis, thrombosis);
• peripheral polyneuropathy;
• swelling of the lower extremities;
• damage to the thyroid gland;
• muscle pain;
• positional discomfort;
• anxiety disorders.

In any situation, the disease is additionally accompanied by clinical symptoms with which you need to go to the hospital. The scheme and course of treatment depends on the established diagnosis.

Degenerative joint diseases

What makes them special? A distinctive feature of degenerative diseases is constant continuous deterioration in the structure of the affected organs and tissues. Typically, such processes occur in tissues that participate in the formation of joints. These include articular cartilage, areas of the bone layer that are in constant contact with the fibers of the ligaments, and the ligaments themselves.

Typically, symptoms of degenerative diseases appear gradually. At first, a person feels that he is slightly twisting his legs and knees, then the pain becomes constant and does not go away even at night. This is due to the fact that over time the disease affects a fairly large area of ​​connective tissue.

Symptoms

Restless legs syndrome is in most cases accompanied by accompanying symptoms, but it is sometimes difficult for patients to describe their condition as accurately as possible.

The pathological disorder occurs with the following symptoms:

• severe discomfort;
• an irresistible desire to move;
• itching and goosebumps appear on the skin;
• sleep is disturbed;
• irritability increases;
• insomnia develops;
• During the day, a person notes apathy towards the world around him;
• the functioning of the digestive system organs is disrupted;
• depression develops.

The described symptoms intensify at night. A person can alleviate his condition only if he moves his legs. For this reason, the condition is called restless legs syndrome.

Inflammatory processes

Why does he twist his knees? One of the most common causes is inflammation in the joints.

Here are just some of the diseases that can cause them:

1. Arthritis: this pathology may indicate the beginning of the first stage of development of polyarthritis. The disease affects several groups of joints at once. The first symptoms of the disease are swelling, redness, severe pain, especially at night and when weather conditions change.
2. Bursitis: This disease is associated with inflammation of the joint capsule. It is this element that protects the joint from infections and mechanical damage. The first signs of inflammation are swelling and redness, and severe knee pain.
3. Tendinitis. With this disease, the inflammatory process affects the ligaments and tendons. As a result, the legs become very swollen, and discomfort appears while running or walking. Pain may also occur in the lower leg and thigh.
4. Becker's cyst. The location of the inflammatory process is the back surface of the lower leg, slightly below the popliteal notch. The disease causes severe pain that intensifies when bending the leg.

Which doctor should I contact?

If you twist your legs at night (a comprehensive diagnosis will help determine the causes of the pathological condition) and accompanying symptoms appear, you need to consult a general practitioner or immediately directly to a neurologist. The specialist will conduct an examination and prescribe an additional comprehensive examination to determine the cause of the pathological condition. Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will select an effective and safe treatment.

A person needs immediate assistance from a specialist if the following signs appear:

• soft tissues on the legs swell and swell;
• the skin turns red;
• painful sensations in the legs suddenly appeared, the syndrome persists for a long time;
• walking is impaired;
• there is a constant feeling of weakness in the legs;
• lower limbs go numb.

It is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination, since the cause of the pathological condition can be serious diseases. They need to be excluded or confirmed, and then therapy should be started immediately. Timely treatment at an early stage of the disease will stop its progression.

Diagnosis of muscle pain

Before prescribing treatment for muscle pain, it is necessary to conduct a diagnosis that will identify the root cause of their occurrence. Depending on the nature of your pain, the CELT Pain Clinic may refer you to one of the following specialists:

• traumatologist;
• rheumatologist;
• infectious disease specialist

As a rule, diagnosis is based on the history of the disease and its clinical manifestations. To confirm or differentiate the cause of myalgia, the following may be used:

• X-ray examinations;
• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• CT scan;
• ultrasonography;
• laboratory research methods;
• muscle biopsy.

Medications

Medicines are selected by a therapist or neurologist, guided by the results of a comprehensive diagnosis, the patient’s presenting complaints and the individual characteristics of the body. Patients should strictly adhere to dosages, since medications provoke side effects.

To reduce nighttime leg discomfort, doctors prescribe the following medications to patients:

Additionally, patients are recommended to wear special compression stockings or stockings, which improve blood circulation in the legs and prevent congestion. In the future, patients should undergo courses of sanatorium-resort treatment. Mud and pine baths restore mental state, improve sleep and reduce the frequency of night attacks.

Arthrosis

What is this disease? One of the possible reasons why the legs twist from the knees to the feet is arthrosis. This disease is characterized by severe pain. This is due to the destruction of articular cartilage and destruction of the synovium.

The following symptoms are characteristic of arthrosis:

• Crunching in the knees and severe aching pain.
• Fast fatiguability.
• In the later stages of the disease, numbness and swelling of the knees are observed. In severe cases, complete immobilization may occur.

If treatment for this disease is not started in a timely manner, the kneecap may gradually shift and become deformed.

Treatment with folk remedies

The use of recipes from witch doctors and healers is acceptable if there are no serious medical contraindications. The same applies to progressive or chronic pathologies. Folk remedies are used in complex therapy with traditional drugs. All components are safe for human life, but you should always remember the high probability of an allergic reaction or individual sensitivity.

Baths

If your legs twist at night (the causes of discomfort can be of physiological or pathological origin) and you are worried about weakness, water procedures will help. Warm water with the addition of herbs or other natural ingredients helps relax muscles and eliminate cramps. Some recipes have a mild analgesic effect.

If your legs twist at night and there is discomfort, contrast baths will help you cope. It is recommended to carry out water procedures 60 minutes before bedtime. Chamomile or lemon balm will help improve the healing effect. A decoction based on these herbs should be added to water.

Massage

Massage treatments before bed will help improve blood circulation in the legs and reduce discomfort. Before the procedure, it is recommended to lubricate the lower limbs with a fatty cream or any warming agent.

When performing self-massage, you should follow simple tips:

1. Perform all movements smoothly and slowly in the direction from the foot to the knee.
2. The muscles should be rubbed for a long time, preferably in a circle.
3. Work your calves with patting movements.
4. While lightly stroking, apply pressure periodically.

End massage procedures with light and slow stroking of the feet and muscles. Your feet should always be warm, so you can sleep in socks at night. In the morning, remove them and again do a light massage using cream or gels.

Compresses

Twisting legs at night (it is important to determine the causes of the pathological condition with a doctor in order to select the most effective and safe treatment), and the accompanying symptoms are absent or appear to a minor extent, then you can turn to witch doctors and healers. Alternative medicine offers effective methods to combat nighttime leg discomfort. It is important not to carry out therapy on your own; you need to consult a doctor, as it can worsen your health condition.

At home, if your legs are twisting at night, you can use cold. A cool heating pad is applied to the muscles of the lower extremities.

Rubbing

Comprehensive treatment for restless legs syndrome at home involves the use of rubs. In folk medicine there are a large number of effective recipes. It is important to observe all proportions during preparation and the rules for using the product.

If your legs twist at night, you can rub peppermint oil into your skin. Apply the product with light massage movements until the skin turns slightly red. It is also recommended to rub your feet with lemon zest, apple cider vinegar or horseradish tincture.

Osteoarthritis

This joint disease is characterized by changes in tissue structure and the formation of growths on the bones. The causes of this disease are still not fully understood.

Only a few factors have been established under the influence of which deforming osteoarthritis can develop:

• genetic predisposition;
• metabolic and circulatory disorders;
• changes in hormonal levels;
• entry of proteoglycans into the joint.

The first stage of the disease occurs without any symptoms. First, it affects cartilage, which does not have nerve endings and nearby blood vessels.

Recommendations from experts

When your legs twist at night (it is important to identify the causes of the discomfort immediately in order to prevent possible complications) and discomfort bothers you, you need to determine the main sources of the problem and only after a diagnosis, engage in comprehensive treatment.

In this case, the therapist or neurologist recommends following simple rules in order to achieve the maximum therapeutic effect:

• It is recommended to take a warm shower before going to bed. Water will relax your muscles and relieve tension. A warm shower will help you fall asleep quickly.
• A person should adhere to the healthiest lifestyle possible. Walk more in the fresh air, play sports, do moderate physical activity, after which you sleep better at night.
• If anemia is diagnosed, patients are advised not to forget to take courses of vitamins and microelements.
• If the work is sedentary, it is important to periodically take breaks and warm-up and exercises.
• You need to completely give up bad habits. This applies to cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.
• Proper nutrition will help restore the balance of microelements and vitamins in the body.
• It is necessary to avoid hypothermia of the lower extremities and always dress appropriately for the weather.

It is also recommended to avoid stress, do yoga, meditation, listen to your favorite music, read books and watch calm films. If you have chronic diseases, you need to visit your doctor promptly and undergo a preventive examination. You should not self-prescribe medications that can negatively affect the functioning of the central nervous system.

It is not enough to establish the reason why your legs twist at night and there is discomfort. You need to choose the right treatment and follow simple doctor’s recommendations to get rid of restless leg syndrome. Nervous disorders can disrupt the normal rhythm of life, so the problem should be taken under control as it develops. It is important to carry out therapy under the supervision of a doctor, without independent diagnoses and prescriptions.

How is the knee joint structured?

Let's look at this in more detail. The knee has a rather complex structure. This joint is formed from several bones at once: the patella, femur and tibia. The menisci located between them perform a shock-absorbing function. They prevent bones from rubbing against each other and also provide protection during physical activity. The knee joint includes tendons and muscles that are located on the side of the leg and thigh. If any of the above elements are damaged, severe discomfort may occur. It is almost impossible to determine a clear localization of pain in this condition. Why does he twist his knees? The reasons can be completely different. For an accurate diagnosis, you should definitely contact a qualified specialist.

Patella luxation

Is it dangerous? If, after hitting a hard surface or an injury during sports, your knees twist strongly, then the reason may be a detachment of bone or cartilage tissue. If the pain is accompanied by swelling, unnatural twisting or bending of the leg, then most likely it is a dislocation of the kneecap. In this case, blood vessels and nerve endings may also be damaged. Therefore, along with aching pain, the patient may also feel numbness and tingling in the joint area. At first, the injured area may simply turn red. Blueness appears much later.

Surgery

If destructive processes in the joints have gone far enough and do not respond to standard therapy, surgical intervention may be required. This measure is considered radical and is prescribed only as a last resort. Today, there are several ways to perform joint surgery.

Here are some of them:

1. Total joint replacement: performed when the joint and surrounding bones are completely destroyed. During the operation, the patient is fitted with a prosthesis.
2. Partial joint replacement: only the damaged elements of the joint are changed.
3. Arthroscopy: during surgery, destroyed elements of the joint are removed through 2-3 small incisions.

After any surgical intervention, doctors recommend that patients wear a tight pressure bandage for a long time.