What is exactly knee arthritis?

What is exactly knee arthritis?

Swelling caused in any part of the body affects our daily activities and thus causes loss of time and work. When this swelling occurs in one or more joints, it is termed as arthritis. Pain, swelling and hardness are some common symptoms that can be seen in a person suffering from arthritis. Though it can be seen in any joint of the body, yet it is the most common disease in knees.

Knee arthritis

Knee arthritis is a progressive situation in which cartilage in the knees wears down and thus makes walking as a typical task for an individual. This can occur at any age of life but usually appears after midlife.

Knee injury is the basic reason behind the knee arthritis. If you experience any ligament injury or knee fracture, it is possible that you might suffer from knee arthritis after some years. It starts with mild pain in the knee, although it can be sudden in some cases. You may feel difficulty in climbing stairs, walking standing up from a sitting position, or kneeling down. All these are sufficient to identify knee arthritis.

Causes

There are various types of knee arthritis and each type has different causes. For example, osteoarthritis occurs after the age of 50 years due to the overuse of the knee joint. Similarly, Rheumatoid arthritis involves genetic factors. So some of the most common causes or risk factors are:

  • Getting older – joints are worn out over the time
  • Previous knee surgery- damaged or wear down cartilage was removed
  • Having a job with a knee strain
  • Having a family history related to knee arthritis
  • Overuse of the joint of the knee
  • Excess weight (obesity)- adds pressure to the joints and thus damage them
  • Weight loss- reduce the severity of the pain
  • Use of any particular medication
  • Kidney stones and lumps under the skin
  • Previous injury in the knee (knee fracture or wear down of cartilage)

Symptoms

To get proper treatment, it is better to diagnose this disease at an early stage. For this, it is a suggestion to have a glance at some of the symptoms related to knee arthritis.

A clicking or popping of the knee joint while walking signifies that you might be suffering from knee arthritis. Also, if you feel pain, swelling and stiffness in your knee and it gets worse with the rain, it is also a symptom of it. Moreover, warmth, redness over the joint, weakness in the joint, etc. are some common physical symptoms that can be experienced over time.

Treatment

The main aim of treating knee arthritis involves the removal of pain, swelling, and providing strength to the knees. Knee arthritis can be treated with the help of three categories:

  • Lifestyle

Making certain changes in lifestyle can help in getting relief from knee arthritis. It just involves keeping a check on the weight of the body. There must not be excessive weight or very little weight in the body. Moreover, you must try to wear comfortable shoes, having a proper and balanced diet, keeping bones strong, moving here and there, not to sit at a place for a longer time, and using a knee brace for support after midlife. Regular exercise and physical therapy can also prove to be helpful in the treatment of knee arthritis.

  • Medications

Knee arthritis can also be treated with the help of doctors and physicians. Visiting a doctor and having a prescription is the best option to choose if you are suffering from such symptoms over a long period of time. He might advise you to take anti-inflammatory pain relievers, some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, knee injections and DMARDs to preserve your joint health.

  • Surgery

It can be the last option for treating knee arthritis. It includes different types of procedures which include repairing and preserving bones and replacing knee joints as well. In this category, the physician makes a diagnosis and then repairs the problem with the help of small tools designed for the purpose of cutting, stitching, grasping etc.

Summary

Though knee arthritis has no cure, its effect can be slow down with the help of some basic remedies. If you experience any of the symptoms discussed above, you must go for proper treatment so that conditions may not get worse in the upcoming future.

If you are facing any kind of knee-related problems, visit at once JaipurJoints clinic. At JaipurJoints, you get the best hip, shoulder, and knee replacement surgery at an affordable cost.