Arthrosis is a degenerative articular pathology, accompanied by the process of cartilage tissue degeneration.As the disease progresses, the joint capsule, ligament apparatus, synovial membrane and nearby bone structures are also involved in the destructive process.
Prevalence of arthrosis
Among arthrosis sufferers, the majority are elderly.Disease after the age of 65 is not only the most frequently diagnosed articular pathology, but also the main cause of loss of ability to work with subsequent disability.Moreover, in old age, it is mainly the fair sex that gets sick, but among young people, the majority of those who get sick are men.
The incidence of osteoarthritis varies greatly across countries.It has not yet been able to establish the reasons for the wide spread of statistical data.
Causes and risk factors
Arthritis is a disease that can be primary or secondary.If there is no objective reason for the development of the pathology, they talk about the primary type.If it is possible to identify the cause of arthrosis, they talk about the secondary type.
Secondary arthrosis can be provoked by the following negative factors:
- joint traumatization of various nature (frequent falls, sprains, bruises);
- chronic congenital tissue dysplasia;
- pathological changes in metabolic processes;
- various autoimmune pathologies;
- non-specific inflammatory process in the joint area;
- some pathologies of the endocrine system;
- degenerative-dystrophic type processes that occur chronically;
- various diseases accompanied by excessive joint mobility coupled with a weak ligamentous apparatus;
- the presence of hemophilia;
- certain types of inflammatory processes.
In addition to the direct causes that lead to the development of arthrosis, there are also predisposing factors that do not cause the disease itself, but can increase the risk of its development.
These include:
- age over 55 years;
- the presence of excess body weight, which causes the load on the joints to increase;
- excessive load on any one joint or group due to improper sports training, specific work that requires a long stay in one position;
- history of surgical interventions on joints;
- descent;
- hormonal changes in a woman's body during menopause;
- persistent hypothermia;
- untreated spinal pathology;
- insufficient intake of micro and macro elements from food.
Mechanism of development
The mechanism of the development of arthrosis is quite well known.The cartilage that ensures normal contact between two bones is smooth, without any lumps or roughness, which helps maintain normal movement in the joint.When the disease occurs, the cartilage structure changes, it becomes rough, and defects appear on it, reducing the effectiveness of natural gliding.
Due to the unevenness obtained, the cartilage is gradually injured, in some places it begins to calcify, and in other places it begins to harden.In this case, it is possible to separate small particles that end up in the joint fluid and can injure the surrounding tissue.
When the pathology worsens, the joint may go into a state of chronic subluxation, which will significantly affect its motor function.
Degree
Doctors divide arthrosis into three main degrees:
- I have a degree.Characterized by the absence of a clear clinical picture.Patients may have a rare complaint of pain in the affected joint, but generally do not see a doctor.In this case, changes are observed in the ligament-muscle apparatus and joint fluid, but there is no visible deformation yet.
- II degree.Symptoms of arthrosis become more pronounced.The pain is characterized as tolerable, but occurs regularly.The patient consulted the doctor because he noted a decrease in the quality of life.A characteristic pulsating sound can be heard in the affected joint.Changes are observed in nearby muscle structures, as nerve conduction is disrupted.
- III degree.Characterized by clear symptoms.Articular cartilage is very thin, and cysts, foci of calcification or ossification can be found in it.The ligaments become shorter, which leads to increased mobility in the affected area, which is accompanied by limitations due to the obvious inflammatory process.The metabolism of surrounding tissues suffers, which can cause muscular dystrophy.
In any case, the patient will need an explanation 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, alternately replacing each other.
Pain due to illness
Pain due to arthrosis is the most common complaint for which patients consult a doctor.Their defining feature is their relationship to time of day, weather, and physical activity.
In most patients, the pain worsens when walking, running or other types of physical activity aimed at the affected joint.As soon as the load stops, the pain gradually decreases.Their development is explained by the fact that cartilage can no longer perform the function of absorbing shock.
At night, discomfort most often occurs due to blood stagnation in the veins.Another reason is the increase in intraosseous pressure during this period.
One of the main diagnostic criteria is the presence of so-called initial pain, which bothers the patient at the moment when he has just started active movement.Initial pain usually subsides if physical activity continues.Their occurrence is explained by the presence of articular deposits (detritus), which irritate the nerve endings.Once these deposits move from the nerve, the pain will disappear.
symptoms
In addition to pain, doctors identify other signs of arthrosis, which may indicate the presence of pathology.
These include:
- The appearance of a painful and throbbing sound.Pain especially appears if a person has suffered hypothermia.At first, the noise is almost invisible to the ear, but as the disease progresses without therapy, it will be heard by the people around you.
- Decreased ability to move.In the early stages of the development of the pathology, there is no decrease in mobility.However, the longer the disease is left untreated, the worse the limitation of movement in the joint.This is explained by the narrowing of the joint space and spasm of nearby muscle structures.
- Joint defects.It is characteristic of late-stage arthrosis, but is also an important indicator of the course of the disease.During this period, it is very difficult to treat this disease.
Which doctor treats arthrosis?
Who treats arthrosis?In most cases, therapy is carried out by several specialists at once.First of all, an arthrologist is involved - a specialist in joints.In addition, the patient also needs to visit an orthopedic specialist.If the disease is the result of an inflammatory process, then it is also recommended to visit a rheumatologist.
If necessary, other specialists may be involved during the treatment period.Often you need to use the services of traumatologists, physiotherapists, massage therapists and surgeons.
Diagnostics
Treatment of joint arthrosis begins only after the diagnosis has been confirmed and the level of pathology has been established.First of all, the doctor interviews the patient in detail and conducts an examination.The presence of complaints and characteristic defects indicates that the disease exists.
A mandatory 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 pathology is found in the hand, then X-ray signs of the disease are specifically sought there.
Diagnosis using radiography does not always provide sufficient results to diagnose the patient.In this case, he may 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 the bone and cartilage structures, the involvement of nearby anatomical formations in the pathological process).
Treatment
How to treat joint arthrosis?The choice of the appropriate therapeutic technique depends on the severity of the symptoms and the stage of the disease.
The doctor chooses the treatment regimen after assessing the general condition of the patient and the course of the disease.Both conservative and surgical treatment methods can be used.
Medicines
How to treat a disease if it is better not to undergo surgery, but to use drugs?
Conservative therapy is suitable for patients only in the early stages of pathological formation, and will include the use of three main groups of drugs:
- glucocorticosteroids– hormonal drugs that effectively relieve the inflammatory process during exacerbations are injected into the joint cavity;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,which is mainly used as an injection and is injected into the muscle near the joint or directly into the vein.But the doctor can also recommend tablets, although the option of taking this NSAID is undesirable because of the negative effects on the gastrointestinal tract;
- chondroprotectors– drugs in this group can reduce the process of cartilage tissue destruction and increase regeneration;they are particularly effective in the early stages of disease formation.
Surgery
How to cure arthrosis if the disease has gone quite far?In this case, conservative therapy will be ineffective, and the doctor can only recommend surgical intervention to the patient.
Today, in most cases endoprosthetics are 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 provided, the main goal of which is to reduce the load on the articular surface.
Exercising
In the early stages of the disease, it is treated not only with drugs, but also with physical therapy.Physical exercise is an important stage of therapy, which helps to maintain joint function and reduce the possibility of further development of the disease.
Depending on the severity of the pathology and the individual characteristics of the patient, the set of exercises is selected individually.Doctors must take into account the localization of arthrosis, which allows the most effective treatment of the affected tissue.
Self-study without medical supervision is not recommended, especially in the early stages.Exercises must 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 method
Many people suffering from arthrosis refuse to use drugs or undergo surgery until the end.In this case, alternative medicine is used as a substitute for medicine.
The most common plants used in therapy are:
- Kalanchoe;
- ginger;
- horseradish;
- laurel leaves;
- garlic;
- cinnamon;
- ponytail and others.
It is applied in the form of tinctures, decoctions, and poultices to the affected area.It is important to remember that complete treatment of the disease using only home recipes is impossible.It is better if traditional therapy is combined with traditional medicine.
Prevention
What should be done to reduce the possibility of getting arthrosis in old age?Simple preventative measures are available to anyone.
Recommended:
- daily moderate physical activity: walking, cycling, doing simple exercise sets as exercise, etc.;
- adherence to the basic principles of a healthy diet: eat often, but little by little, avoid fast food, overeating, heavy and fatty food, eat a lot of spices;
- weight control: weight gain leads to increased pressure on the joints, which can lead to the development of arthrosis;
- timely treatment of chronic diseases that lead to metabolic disorders;
- the use of vitamin-mineral complexes if the amount of nutrients supplied from food is considered insufficient.
Difference between arthritis and arthrosis
Many people, because of the similarity of sounds, confuse arthritis and arthrosis.However, this is a completely different disease.
Arthritis is not called dystrophy and degeneration in the joint tissue, 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 closest to it, bone structures and ligaments.Arthritis pain is not associated with physical activity;it can bother the patient even at rest, and there is no irritation to the joints at all.
In most cases, it is impossible to distinguish arthritis from arthrosis independently, because the main symptom is pain, and patients rarely have an idea about the characteristics of each pathology.
It is better to entrust the establishment of an accurate diagnosis to the attending physician, so as not to make mistakes with the treatment and prevention of subsequent diseases.
Arthritis is a serious pathology that can cause disability if the patient does not consult a doctor in time.At the first signs of the disease, 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 this disease at an early stage of development, you may be able to do it even without surgical intervention, limiting yourself only to conservative treatment.