Arthrosis is a degenerative joint pathology accompanied by cartilage tissue degeneration processes.As the disease progresses, the joint capsule, ligament apparatus, synovial membrane and nearby bone structures also participate in the destructive process.
Spread of arthrosis
Among people with arthrosis, most are elderly.The disease after the age of 65 is not only the most frequently diagnosed joint pathology, but also the main cause of loss of working capacity with subsequent disability.In addition, in old age, the fairer sex is mostly affected, but among young people, the majority of patients are men.
The incidence of osteoarthritis varies greatly from country to country.It is not yet possible to establish the reasons for the wide dispersion of statistics.
Causes and risk factors
Arthritis is a disease that can be primary or secondary.If there are no objective reasons for the development of pathology, they speak of a primary type.If it is possible to identify the causes of arthrosis, they speak of a secondary type.
Secondary arthrosis can be provoked by the following negative factors:
- traumatization of the joints of a different nature (frequent falls, sprains, bruises);
- chronic congenital tissue dysplasia;
- pathological changes in metabolic processes;
- various autoimmune pathologies;
- inflammatory processes of a non-specific nature in the joint area;
- some pathologies of the endocrine system;
- processes of the degenerative-dystrophic type that occur chronically;
- various diseases accompanied by excessive joint mobility combined with a weak ligamentous apparatus;
- presence of hemophilia;
- inflammatory processes of a specific type.
In addition to the direct causes that lead to the development of arthrosis, there are predisposing factors that do not cause the disease in themselves, but can increase the risk of its development.
These include:
- age over 55 years;
- the presence of excess weight, due to which the load on the joints increases;
- excessive load on any joint or group due to incorrect sports training, specific work that requires a long stay in one position;
- history of surgical interventions on the joints;
- heredity;
- hormonal changes in the female body during postmenopause;
- permanent hypothermia;
- pathologies of the spine that are not treated;
- insufficient intake of useful micro- and macroelements from food.
Mechanism of development
The mechanism of development of arthrosis is quite well known.Cartilage, which provides the normal contact between two bones, is smooth in nature, without any bumps or roughness, which helps to maintain normal movement in the joints.When the disease occurs, the structure of the cartilage changes, it becomes rough and defects appear on it, which reduce the efficiency of natural gliding.
Due to the acquired unevenness, the cartilage is gradually injured, begins to calcify in some places, and ossifies in others.In this case, it is possible to release small particles that fall into the joint fluid and can injure the surrounding tissues.
As the pathology worsens, the joint may go into a state of chronic subluxation, which will significantly impair its motor function.
Degrees
Doctors divide arthrosis into three main degrees:
- I degree.It is characterized by the lack of a clear clinical picture.The patient may have rare complaints of pain in the affected joint, but usually does not consult a doctor.In this case, there are changes in the ligamentous-muscular apparatus and joint fluid, but there are still no visible deformations.
- II degree.The symptoms of arthrosis become more pronounced.The pain is characterized as tolerable but occurring regularly.The patient consults a doctor because he notices a decrease in the quality of life.A characteristic crunch is heard in the affected joint.Changes in nearby muscle structures are observed, as nerve conduction is impaired.
- III degree.It is characterized by pronounced symptoms.Articular cartilage is very thin and cysts, foci of calcification or ossification can be found in it.The ligament apparatus becomes shorter, which leads to increased mobility in the affected area, which is accompanied by limitation due to a pronounced inflammatory process.The metabolism of the surrounding tissues suffers, which can lead to muscular dystrophy.
In any case, the patient will need clarification of the diagnosis from the attending physician.This is due to the specificity of the course of the disease, which is characterized by stages of remission and exacerbation, alternating with each other.
Pain due to illness
Arthritis pain is the most common complaint with which patients turn to a doctor.Their characteristic feature is their relationship with time of day, weather and physical activity.
For most patients, the pain worsens with walking, running, or other physical activity that targets the affected joint.As soon as the load stops, the pain gradually subsides.Their development is explained by the fact that the cartilage is no longer able to perform its shock-absorbing functions.
At night, discomfort most often occurs as a result of stagnation of blood in the veins.Another reason is the increase in intraosseous pressure during this period.
One of the main diagnostic criteria is the presence of the so-called initial pains, which bother the patient at the moment when he has just started active movement.The initial pain usually subsides if physical activity is continued.Their appearance is explained by the presence of joint deposits (detritus) that irritate the nerve endings.Once these deposits move away from the nerves, the pain disappears.
Symptoms
In addition to pain, doctors identify other signs of arthrosis that may indicate the presence of pathology.
These include:
- The appearance of pain and a crunching sound.Pains appear mainly if a person has suffered hypothermia.At first, the squeaking will be barely perceptible by the ear, but as the disease progresses without therapy, it will become audible to those around you.
- Reduced ability to move.In the early stage of development of the pathology, there is no reduction in mobility.However, the longer the disease remains untreated, the more severe the limitation of movement in the joint becomes.This is explained by narrowing of the joint gap and spasm of adjacent muscle structures.
- Joint deformity.It is characteristic of the late stage of arthrosis, but it is also an important indicator of the course of the disease.During this period, it is already very difficult to treat the disease.
Which doctor treats arthrosis?
Who treats osteoarthritis?In most cases, therapy is performed by several specialists at once.First of all, an arthrologist - a joint specialist - is involved.In addition, the patient will have to visit an orthopedist.If the disease is a consequence of an inflammatory process, then it is also recommended to visit a rheumatologist.
If necessary, other specialists can be involved during the treatment.Most often you have to resort to the services of traumatologists, physiotherapists, massage therapists and surgeons.
Diagnosis
Treatment of joint arthrosis begins only after confirming the diagnosis and establishing the degree of pathology.First of all, the doctor thoroughly interviews the patient and conducts an examination.The presence of characteristic complaints and deformities indicates the presence of the disease.
An obligatory way to confirm the diagnosis is radiography of the affected joint.If the disease has affected the knee, then a picture of the knee is taken;if the pathology is found in the hand, then X-ray signs of the disease are specifically sought there.
Diagnosis using radiography does not always give sufficient results to diagnose the patient.In this case, it can be sent for MRI (this will allow to assess the state of soft tissues and their involvement in the pathological process) or CT (this will allow to draw conclusions about the state of bone and cartilage structures, the involvement of nearby anatomical formations in the pathological process).
Treatment
How to treat arthrosis of the joints?The choice of an appropriate therapeutic technique depends on the severity of the symptoms and the stage of the disease.
The doctor chooses the treatment scheme after assessing the general condition of the patient and the course of the disease.Both conservative and surgical methods of treatment can be used.
medicines
How to treat the disease, if it is preferable not to undergo surgery, but to use drugs?
Conservative therapy is suitable for patients only at an early stage of pathology formation and will include the use of three main groups of drugs:
- glucocorticosteroids- hormonal drugs are injected into the joint cavity, which effectively relieve the inflammatory process during an exacerbation;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,which are mainly used as injections and are injected into muscles near the joint or directly into a vein.But doctors can also recommend tablets, although this option for taking NSAIDs is undesirable due to the negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract;
- chondroprotectors- drugs from this group can reduce the processes of cartilage tissue destruction and improve regeneration;they are especially effective in the initial stages of disease formation.
Surgically
How to cure arthrosis if the disease has already gone quite far?In this case, conservative therapy will be ineffective, and doctors can only recommend surgical intervention to the patient.
Today, in most cases, endoprosthesis is performed.During the operation, the real joint is replaced with a prosthesis that has all the functions of a healthy joint.
In some cases, palliative treatment options are offered, the main goal of which is to reduce the load on the joint surfaces.
Exercise
In the early stages of the disease, it is treated not only with drugs, but also with physiotherapy.Physical exercises are an important stage of therapy that helps maintain the functionality of the joint and reduces the likelihood of further progression of the disease.
Depending on the severity of the pathology and the individual characteristics of the patient, the complex of exercises is selected individually.The doctor must take into account the localization of the arthrosis, which allows the most effective treatment of the affected tissue.
Self-study without medical supervision is not recommended, especially at the initial stage.Exercises should be chosen so that they are as smooth as possible, without sudden movements.
Exercise therapy classes are effective only if the patient devotes some time to performing the recommended complex every day.
Traditional methods
Many people suffering from arthrosis refuse to use drugs or undergo surgery until the very end.In this case, alternative medicines are used as a substitute for medicines.
The most commonly used plants in therapy are:
- Kalanchoe;
- ginger;
- horseradish;
- bay leaf;
- garlic;
- cinnamon;
- horsetail etc.
They are used in the form of tinctures, decoctions and poultices on the affected area.It is important to keep in mind that the complete treatment of the disease with only home recipes is impossible.It is best to combine traditional therapy with traditional medicine.
Prevention
What to do to reduce the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis in old age?Simple preventive measures are available to everyone.
Recommended:
- daily moderate physical activity: walking, cycling, performing simple sets of exercises such as exercises, etc.;
- compliance with the basic principles of healthy eating: eat often, but little by little, avoid fast food, overeating, heavy and fatty foods, eating a lot of spices;
- weight control: weight gain leads to an increased load on the joints, which can lead to the development of arthrosis;
- timely treatment of chronic diseases leading to metabolic disorders;
- the use of vitamin-mineral complexes, if the amount of nutrients supplied by food is considered insufficient.
The difference between arthritis and arthrosis
Many people, due to the similarity in sound, confuse arthritis and arthrosis.However, these are completely different diseases.
Arthritis is not called dystrophy and degeneration in joint tissues, but any inflammatory reaction that can develop in the joint cavity, regardless of the cause.Inflammation most often affects not only the joint, but also the muscles, bone and ligament structures closest to it.Arthritis pain is not related to physical activity;it may disturb the patient even at rest, and there is no crunching in the joints at all.
In most cases, it is impossible to independently distinguish arthritis from arthrosis, since the main symptom is pain, and patients rarely have an idea of its characteristics in each of the pathologies.
It is better to entrust the establishment of an accurate diagnosis to the attending physician, so as not to make a mistake with the subsequent treatment and prevention of the disease.
Arthrosis is a serious pathology that can lead to disability if the patient does not consult a doctor in time.At the first signs of illness, it is recommended to contact a specialist so that he can confirm the diagnosis and choose the most optimal treatment.
If you manage to catch the disease at an early stage of development, you will probably be able to do it even without surgical intervention, limiting yourself only to conservative treatment.