Spikes in the knee: what to do, how to treat?

What are these thorns, and how to dissolve them?

When cartilage is damaged, a disease called deforming osteoarthritis develops. As a result, spikes appear in the knee joint. It is important to begin treatment of osteophytes as early as possible, because over time they become ossified and block the normal functioning of the limb. The causes of formation, stages of development and modern methods of their treatment should be discussed in more detail.

How does pathology develop?

The condyles of the bones that form the knee joint are covered with special cartilage. This padding is necessary to ensure that the bones slide during movement and to protect the bones from damage and abrasion. However, cartilage tissue does not have blood vessels. But she, like a sponge, absorbs everything that she gets from the synovial fluid. This fluid fills the cavities of the knee joints and nourishes the cartilage.

When a failure occurs in metabolic processes, the composition of the synovial fluid changes. It turns out that the cartilage does not receive the necessary substances to maintain functionality and integrity. “Starvation of cartilage tissue” leads to degeneration processes. As it dries out, cracks and even chips appear. Sliding can no longer occur without resistance, which inevitably leads to the gradual abrasion of the cartilage.

Regeneration of cartilage is possible, but for this to happen, certain elements such as chondrocytes, collagen fibers, proteoglycans, glycosamines must be present in the tissue, and in large quantities. The body reacts accordingly to a deficiency of such substances. It begins to build up bone tissue in place of the missing cartilage. The process of compensation is manifested by the appearance of uneven, sometimes sharp-edged growths. It is for their structure that such growths are called spines in the joints. In medicine, the pathology is more often classified as osteophytes.

Carefully! A large spike can break off and, falling into the joint cavity, block movement.

Possible complications

Complications may occur after surgery.

After arthroscopy, an inflammatory reaction may occur. Pain and swelling persist for several days after surgery, which can be eliminated with drug therapy.

In rare cases, ligaments, cartilage or synovium may be damaged during surgery. It is also possible that fluid may accumulate in the joint capsule, deep vein phlebitis, or infection inside the joint.

Complications after endoprosthetics occur extremely rarely. Basically, they can develop against the background of chronic diseases of the patient. The most common complication is thrombosis. In rare cases, excess scarring may occur.

Causes of thorns

The main reasons for the appearance of spines, as a factor in the development of cartilage degeneration, are metabolic problems. But a number of other significant factors can be identified:

which may lead to the development of pathological bone growth:

Injuries. As a result of sports and everyday injuries, especially frequent or untreated, cracks inevitably appear in the cartilage, which subsequently becomes the cause of its destruction.
Overload. Even metal gets tired from constant excessive load. When a person stops protecting the knee joints by loading them during training, competitions or physical labor, the cartilage cannot withstand constant stress and begins to gradually wear out.
Excess weight. Obesity is a scourge for knee joints. Every 10 kg of excess weight puts an additional thirty kilogram load on the joints. Accordingly, thinning of the cartilage occurs faster.
Autoimmune pathologies. Against the background of disruptions in metabolic and immune processes, not only a malnutrition of cartilage tissue occurs, but also self-destruction, since the immune system perceives healthy cells as foreign.
Hormonal imbalances. Hormone balance is directly related to joint health. Therefore, women of menopausal age are familiar with the symptoms of arthrosis firsthand.

But most often it is not possible to determine the true origin of the appearance of spikes in the knee, since usually there is a complex of root causes behind the pathology.

Prevention

To prevent the development of deforming osteoarthritis, experts recommend choosing the right body position during physical work, avoiding increased load on the knee joints. You need to watch your weight and eat right. An important recommendation is the correct selection of shoes and furniture. It is important for women over 40 years of age to be under the supervision of an endocrinologist. Hormonal imbalances, especially during menopause, contribute to the development of joint pathology. Any discomfort in the knee joint should be a reason to consult an orthopedic doctor.

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Symptoms and stages of disease development

At the initial stage, when spines are just beginning to form, the disease often remains without treatment. This is due to the absence of characteristic symptoms and the long period of development of the pathology.

The patient may be concerned about:

fast fatiguability;
Fatigue may be a symptom
slight pain that goes away after rest;
restriction of physical activity;
morning stiffness.

The clinical picture is much worse at the third or fourth stages of spine development. We are talking about already formed osteophytes, which significantly worsen a person’s life,

because they provoke the appearance of:

severe painful sensations that do not go away even with rest;
stiffness of movements;
obvious deformation of the joint;
inflammatory processes and swelling.

Dangerous consequences in the form of joint blockade due to separation of a bone growth cannot be excluded.

At an advanced stage of development of spines in the knee joint, treatment often involves surgical intervention, otherwise the patient will face disability.

Physical methods of influence

For proper treatment, it is necessary to reduce physical stress on the lower extremities and provide sufficient rest to the legs. There is no need to stay in bed all the time. Complete rest and immobility are prescribed if the process is acute and the pain syndrome is noticeably pronounced. Mostly, treatment rarely takes more than 3 days.

In the future, try to simply dose the load on your legs. The physical load on the heel depends on the condition of the foot and position. If the foot is placed on a horizontal surface at the wrong angle, this increases the load factor significantly.

In some cases, to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms caused by a thorn on the heel, it is quite enough to simply learn how to place your foot correctly. There is no need to treat pain and inflammation. Correct placement can be achieved with the help of specialized orthopedic insoles. It is better to order from orthopedic salons and workshops. Initially, an impression of the foot is made. An insole is made according to the sample, and it is shown to wear the device at home. The lining perfectly conforms to the individual shape of the arch and heel bone. Gradually, the spike on the heel becomes rounded, the pain syndrome disappears spontaneously.

To relieve severe pain, the doctor prescribes physiotherapeutic treatment. The patient is recommended to undergo a special therapeutic massage using painkillers and anti-inflammatory ointments.

An effective way to treat pain at home is to wear special insoles with a depression in the heel or orthopedic shoes.

Recently, an innovative method involving shock wave removal of osteophyte on the heel has become very popular. The disadvantage of this method of treatment is the excessively high price. Crushing the osteophyte on the heel is carried out according to a principle similar to crushing kidney stones.

A special sensor is attached to the affected area of the leg. The device begins to emit waves that affect the hard tissues of the heel bone, destroying the growths. According to doctors, two procedures are enough to get rid of osteophyte on the heel.

How is the treatment carried out?

The patient should know that neither drug therapy nor treatment with folk remedies can get rid of already formed thorns.

All miracle drugs or ointments that promise to put a person back on his feet in a short time by dissolving osteophytes are an advertising ploy.

The only remedy that can truly remove bone growths is surgery.

Why then do doctors prescribe pills, injections, massage and physiotherapeutic procedures for osteophytes? The goal of such treatment is to remove inflammation and pain, stop the pathological process, prevent the cartilage from deteriorating further and, if possible, start the regeneration process.

Diagnostic procedures

To identify the pathology, you need to contact a rheumatologist or orthopedist. During the appointment, the doctor will listen to complaints, collect and analyze the medical history and conduct a clinical examination of the patient. This is not enough to make a final diagnosis. The patient needs to undergo a series of instrumental and laboratory tests for differential diagnosis and prescription of effective therapy. The following tests are often prescribed:

Various blood tests. A mandatory study that helps assess the patient’s general condition, his biological parameters and detect an infectious agent if the inflammation is caused by a pathogenic microorganism.
X-ray. Evaluates bone integrity and diagnoses osteophytes at an early stage.
MRI and CT. The most informative methods of computer diagnostics allow you to see the full picture of the disease, the degree of osteophyte growth and bone deformation.

Types of operations for spines in the joint

When the patient is diagnosed with a late stage with large growths that cause unbearable pain, provoke the appearance of effusion, block the joint, lotions and compresses are ineffective. It is forbidden to stretch the knee or try to remove the blockage yourself.

Here surgical intervention is already inevitable.

At the second – third stage, it is possible to perform arthroplasty, which is done arthroscopically. Instruments are inserted into the joint through punctures and the marginal processes, causing unbearable pain, are removed.
At stage 4 , when the cartilage is completely destroyed, there is no joint space and the spines block movement, partial or complete endoprosthetics are required. Joint replacement is performed under general anesthesia, and recovery can last up to six months.

The operation, of course, saves a person from disability, but does not guarantee the absence of the development of a similar process in other joints.

Traditional medicine in the fight against osteophytes

Timely treatment will help avoid severe pain or other negative consequences.

Home treatment should be carried out regularly, but always after consultation with a doctor. How to treat a heel thorn at home?

(Video: Spikes in the heels - treatment)

How to get rid of colpitis: treatment features

Effective methods of traditional medicine in the fight against thorns include:

Salt baths before bedtime. To prepare them, 1 kg of salt is dissolved in 5 liters of hot water, and the feet are steamed for 30-40 minutes. Then the feet are wiped dry, iodine is applied to the heels, the feet are wrapped in a plastic bag, and socks are put on.
Foot baths with gum turpentine.
Potato compresses. Potatoes are boiled with their skins, mashed, and mixed with kerosene. The feet are kept in this composition for 10-15 minutes, the product is washed off, and socks are put on.
Compress of salt, iodine and honey. A bottle of iodine is mixed with other components until a homogeneous paste is obtained. Apply the composition to a plastic bag and fix it to the affected limb with a bandage, go to bed, and wash it off in the morning. Repeat the procedure every evening for five days.
Hot sand. How to cure a spur with this remedy? Pour sea sand onto a baking sheet and place in a preheated oven. After heating, take out the tray, then put your feet there, hold until the sand has cooled completely.
Flour and honey are effective in combating thorns. From these components you need to prepare a cake, apply it to the sore spot, wrap it in cellophane, and put on socks. Leave overnight.
Garlic and chalk. The ingredients are crushed and mixed in a 1: 1 ratio. First, a warming foot bath is made (you can prepare a solution of water and soda), then a compress of garlic and chalk is applied. Leave the product on all night and wash off with water in the morning.

Medicines for the treatment of pathological conditions with thorns

The traditional treatment regimen involves the use of the following drugs:

Non-steroidal painkillers. These can be either tablets or injections. Ketoprofen, Indomethacin or Diclofenac are usually prescribed in injections for up to five days. In the future, it is advisable to switch to the use of ointments of the same name, since the medicine causes complications associated with damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
Vascular preparations to improve blood circulation and tissue nutrition. It could be L-lysine, Actovergin.
Complex preparations of B vitamins. Milgama, Vixon improve the conductivity of nerve impulses and partially relieve pain.
Muscle relaxants. Medicines in this group are needed to relieve muscle spasms that appear against the background of inflammation and pain. Most often, patients are prescribed Sirdalut or its analogues. These medications should be taken under medical supervision, as they have many side effects.
Sedatives, tranquilizers. These drugs are included in the treatment regimen, since patients exhausted by constant pain suffer from depression, insomnia, and other nervous disorders.

Only a doctor can choose a treatment regimen based on an examination, taking into account the presence of concomitant diseases.

A separate group includes drugs that promote cartilage regeneration. It is these drugs that can be classified as agents that prevent the formation and further development of thorns. But a significant disadvantage is the cost of such drugs and the need for long courses of treatment.

Among the most effective are drugs containing:

Hodroitin - regulate metabolic processes and stimulate the production of natural components responsible for the restoration of articular surfaces.
Glucosamine – can accelerate the synthesis of natural hyaluronic acid, glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan, which promotes regeneration. They have a moderate analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Rumalon is an extract of bone marrow and animal cartilage. Reparants help normalize metabolic processes in cartilage.
Hyaluronic acid. The product can be used in the form of intra-articular injections. Completely restores the composition of the joint fluid, promotes the appearance of a protective film on the cartilage, protecting it from further destruction.

Conservative treatment is necessarily complemented by physiotherapeutic procedures, massage and therapeutic exercises. Patients during periods of remission are recommended to periodically undergo sanatorium-resort treatment as a preventive measure for relapses.

Complex of therapeutic measures

The goal of removing spines and osteophytes in the knee joint is to eliminate symptoms that cause discomfort when moving, as well as restore the functionality of the joint.

Traditional methods

Treatment of osteophytes of the knee joint is carried out according to the following scheme:

First of all, the joint is numbed. To do this, use: Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Analgin, Aspirin or Butadione. They also have an anti-inflammatory effect, however, they irritate the walls of the stomach (take only after meals). People suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are prescribed Ketanov, Rofecoxib, Celebrex.
In the absence of an inflammatory process, Andekalin, Angitrophin, Depokallikrein and other drugs are used.
If the disease is accompanied by inflammation, Gordikos or Contrikal is prescribed, and the risk-benefit ratio is carefully assessed.
Preparations that stimulate tissue nutrition in general: nicotinic acid, ATP, L-lysine, Actovergin, B vitamins, Solcoseryl.
Medicines that restore remaining joint cartilage, which include chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. Treatment is effective if there is no inflammation in the cartilage.
Preparations based on avocado and soy. They are quite expensive, but very effective.
Injection of hyaluronic acid into the joint, which is an analogue of joint fluid.
The use of warming compresses based on medical bile, bischofite or dimexide.

Surgical removal of spines as a last resort

Surgery is used when drug treatment does not bring the desired effect. There are two types of surgical treatment:

arthroscopic – a small incision is made through which video equipment is inserted and osteophytes are removed with its help;
endoprosthetics - removal of a damaged joint, instead of which a metal implant is inserted.

ethnoscience

Treatment of osteophytes of the knee joint with folk remedies can be carried out in combination with drug therapy. Before use, consult your doctor.

Use the following recipes:

Compress using blue and red clay. Take the powder and dilute it with water to the consistency of homemade sour cream. Spread the mixture in two layers onto a clean cotton cloth. Wash the joint, place the gin on it, wrap it with a bandage, and insulate it with a woolen scarf on top. Leave for two hours, then rinse with warm water.
Mix a tablespoon of honey with 60 ml of apple cider vinegar. Apply the mixture to the affected joint. Place a cabbage leaf on top, wrap it in polyethylene, and insulate it with a scarf. Keep the compress until the sheet dries. The course of treatment is a month.
After taking a hot bath, apply a piece of kombucha to your steamed knee and leave it for about two hours.
Finely chop 1.5 kg of Jerusalem artichoke leaves and pour 8 liters of boiling water over them. When the water becomes warm, lower your foot into it so that the tincture completely covers the joint. Perform the procedure for 30 minutes, daily for 10 days.
You can apply a leaf of plantain, coltsfoot or burdock to the sore knee.
Grind the walnut kernels into a paste. Place the paste on a clean knee and leave until some of the oil is absorbed into the knee.
Combine honey and mumiyo, melt the solution in a water bath. Rub the resulting mixture overnight.