Meniscus degeneration

　　Meniscus degeneration can occur at any age, with young and middle-aged people often caused by trauma, and the elderly often caused by degenerative changes in bones and joints.

　　Most patients have no history of trauma, and swelling gradually occurs after injury, with the injured side being more prominent; pain often occurs in a certain posture during exercise, and the pain may disappear after the posture changes. The pain is located in the interarticular spaces on both sides, walking is possible, but fatigue, especially when going up and down stairs, is more obvious, and accompanied by pain or discomfort. In patients with a longer course of disease, the quadriceps femoris may gradually atrophy; locking symptoms.

　　The degenerative injury of the meniscus in the knee joint is generally not very common in clinical practice, and it belongs to the scope of soft tissue injury in modern medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is classified under the categories of 'strains' and 'knee pain'. It is important to seek medical attention promptly if a degenerative meniscus injury in the knee joint occurs, as it can cause great pain and also severely affect normal work and life.

　　If this disease is not treated in a timely manner, it can cause degenerative joint disease of the joint. The main complications are infection, vascular and nerve injury, synovitis, and rare joint effusion. The infection rate is less than 0.5%, nerve injury is less than 0.1%, and vascular injury is rarely reported.

　　Joint swelling is most common due to the injection for surgery. Joint hemorrhage is usually caused by lateral release, meniscus repair, superficial vascular bleeding at the entry site. There are few reports of popliteal artery injury, but it must be paid attention to. When nerve injury occurs, in addition to tourniquet paralysis or local edema and pressure, it should also be considered whether the nerve is tied during the repair of the meniscus, at this time, surgical exploration can be performed.

　　Clicking and pain in the knee joint space Obvious clicking and pain in the knee joint space are manifestations of clinical diagnosis of meniscus injury.

　　Meniscus injury is one of the most common knee injuries, more common in young and middle-aged adults, with more males than females. Joint pain: Many people in life are troubled by joint pain. There are many causes of joint pain, which can generally be summarized as soft tissue, cartilage, bone, and inflammatory causes. Any arthritis caused by any reason can usually be cured or alleviated if medical treatment is sought in a timely manner and the treatment is symptomatic. Weakness in the lower leg: The lower leg is soft and weak, not strong enough, and when walking, it is limping. This is called 'limping'. Patients with meniscus injury often have knee pain, limping, locking of the leg and joint, and other symptoms.

　　Stiffness in extending the knee is a clinical manifestation of knee arthritis. Knee arthritis: can be monolateral or bilateral, more common in females, often overweight. Symptoms after middle age: when sitting up and standing, there is knee pain and discomfort, which disappears after a period of walking, which is an early manifestation. As the disease progresses, activity does not alleviate pain, and there may be some difficulty in climbing stairs or squatting and standing up, and assistance with the hand on the knee is needed. After walking for a while, the knee may swell slightly, or it may swell severely, and some pale yellow fluid may be drained. Due to the thickening of the synovium and joint capsule due to lesions, there may be a sound during movement. If there are loose bodies in the joint, it may affect joint movement and there may be a phenomenon of 'joint locking'. In the end, knee deformities may appear, such as knee flexion contracture, O-shaped legs or X-shaped legs, and even crutches may be needed to walk.

　　Meniscus injury is one of the most common knee injuries, more common in young and middle-aged adults, with more males than females. In cases of acute injury, there is damage to the synovial membrane on the inner wall of the joint capsule, causing joint bleeding and effusion. After the injury, the joint gradually swells and persists in pain. After rest and general treatment for swelling and pain relief, symptoms may subside, but there is still pain in the joint space, especially when the joint extends or flexes to a certain position, which is particularly obvious. Walking, especially up and down stairs, may feel weakness in the lower limbs, often with a wobbly gait, which affects work and life.

　　To prevent the occurrence of this disease, attention should be paid to the following points in daily life:

　　When engaging in physical exercise, proper preparation should be made, and the joints should be warm and the reactions flexible before starting the exercise.

　　Do not exercise in a state of fatigue, as it is easy to cause knee sprains and meniscus injuries due to poor coordination of movements.

　　3. Strengthen the training of muscle strength to ensure the stability and flexibility of the joint; avoid excessive movements during training to prevent accidents.

　　4. When climbing stairs, one must be fully focused, and only after stepping firmly, can the next step be taken to avoid trauma. To prevent knee trauma, one can wear a knee brace to prevent accidents.

　　5. In terms of diet, eat less greasy and high-fat foods, and more vegetables, fruits, and coarse grains.

　　Meniscus injury is one of the most common injuries in the knee joint, more common in young and middle-aged people, and more common in men than women. Acute injury causes injury to the synovial wall inside the joint capsule, leading to joint bleeding and effusion. After the injury, the joint gradually swells and persists in pain. After rest and general anti-inflammatory and pain treatment, the symptoms subside, but there is still pain in the joint space, especially when the joint is extended to a certain position, which is particularly obvious. Walking, especially climbing stairs, feels weak in the lower limbs, often limping, affecting work and life. The diagnosis of this disease can be confirmed through the following examinations.

　　① Meniscus snap test: The patient lies on his back, fully flexes the hip and knee, the examiner holds the patient's foot with one hand and places his hand on the patient's knee, first making the lower leg internal rotation and adduction, then external rotation and abduction, and then internal adduction and extension. If there is pain or a snap sound, it is considered positive. Most patients are positive.

　　② Most patients have a history of knee sprain.

　　③ Grind test: The patient lies on his stomach, the knee joint is flexed to 90 degrees, and the examiner applies pressure and rotates the grind at the ankle. Pain at a certain location is considered positive.

　　④ There is a sound of snap when the knee joint flexes and extends.

　　⑤ At the moment of injury, the knee joint has a sense of tearing and noise, severe pain, joint swelling, restricted function, and more pain when walking and climbing stairs. Some patients may also experience weakness of the leg and joint locking phenomenon.

　　⑥ During the examination, it can be found that the quadriceps muscle atrophy, there is a feeling of pain when pressing on the joint gap, and the flexion and extension are not flexible.

　　⑦ If necessary, knee air contrast, iodine solution contrast, or arthroscopy can be performed.

　　If there is a meniscus degeneration injury in the knee joint, it is necessary to seek medical attention in time. Otherwise, it will bring great pain to oneself, and at the same time, it will seriously affect normal work and life. At the same time, attention should be paid to rest, avoid overexertion and mental stress, keep warm, and avoid cold, carrying heavy loads, and剧烈运动.

　　In terms of diet, eat less greasy and high-fat foods, and more vegetables, fruits, and coarse grains.

　　Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the main cause of this disease is due to factors such as fatigue, trauma, infection, leading to weakened immunity, and dysfunction of internal organs. The pathogenic factors of wind, cold, and dampness invade the body, causing congestion in joints and meridians. Because the kidney is responsible for bone growth and the production of essence, and nourishing the marrow. If the kidney Qi is insufficient, it cannot govern the bones, and the nourishment of the marrow may lead to bone diseases; the liver governs the meridians, controls the movement of ligaments and joints throughout the body. If the liver Yang is hyperactive and the liver blood is insufficient, symptoms such as tenderness, numbness, and difficulty in flexion and extension may occur; the spleen governs transportation and transformation, and is responsible for the muscles. If the spleen fails to transform, it cannot nourish the skin and muscles, leading to soreness, atrophy, and tenderness in muscle and joint tissues. Therefore, the treatment of such diseases must first regulate the functions of the five internal organs and six bowels, treat both the symptoms and the root cause, in order to achieve the goal of cure and recovery.

　　1. Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Differentiation Treatment

　　Blood Stasis Retention Syndrome

　　Treatment Method: Activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. Prescription: Taohong Siwu Decoction (from 'Yilie Yuanrong') with modifications. Commonly Used Medicines: Taoren, Hongyao, Chishao, Shengdihuang, Danggui, Chuanxiong, etc.

　　Muscle and Vessel Malnutrition Syndrome

　　Treatment Method: Nourish blood and strengthen tendons, and promote the flow of meridians. Prescription: Zhuangjin Yangxue Decoction (from 'Compendium of Traumatology') with modifications. Commonly Used Medicines: Danggui, Baishao, Chuanxiong, Chuanxuduan, Honghua, Shengdihuang, Niuxi, Mudanpi, Duzhong, etc.

　　2. External Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine

　　In the early stage, external application of Shuangbai Paste or Sihuang Powder can be used to promote blood circulation, reduce swelling, and relieve pain; in the middle and later stages, external application of lower limb injury washing formula can be used for fumigation and washing to promote the recovery of joint function.

　　3. Commonly Used Traditional Chinese Medicines

　　Red Medicine Plaster (Aerosol): For Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. Bone Hyperplasia Capsules: For muscle and vessel malnutrition syndrome. Compound Nansheng Analgesic Plaster: For long-standing rheumatism and invasion syndrome.

　　4. Acupuncture Treatment

　　Main Acupoints: Yanglingquan, Ququan, Dubi, Neiguan. Auxiliary Acupoints: Xuanzhong, Xiaxi, Xingjian, Guguan, Liangqiu, Zusanli, etc. Straight needle insertion of 2 cun, causing local acid, numbness, and distension in the patient, twice a day.

　　5. Iontophoresis

　　Take raw Chuanwu, raw Caowu, Bai Zhi, Guizhi, Honghua, and stir-fry them slightly yellow. Soak them in pure rice wine, filter the juice, and place it in a disinfected bottle for later use. Soak a sterile gauze pad in the medicine juice, apply it to the affected area for 3 minutes, place the electrode pad on the medicine pad, the anode pad on the severely swollen or painful area, and the cathode pad on the opposite side. Connect the iontophoresis machine, and set the current intensity to 8-10 mA. Perform this once a day for 30 minutes.