Arthrosis is an articular degenerative pathology that is accompanied by dystrophic processes of cartilage tissue. As the disease progresses, the articular sac, ligamentous apparatus, synovial membrane, and the closest bone structures are also involved in the process of destruction.
Prevalence of osteoarthritis
The majority of people with osteoarthritis are elderly. The disease after age 65 is not only the most commonly diagnosed joint pathology, but also the main reason for disability with subsequent disability. In addition, in old age, most of the time women are sick, but among young people, most of the sick are men.
The incidence of osteoarthritis varies greatly in different countries. The reasons for the widespread use of statistical data have not yet been determined.
Causes and Risk Factors
Osteoarthritis is a disease that can be primary or secondary. If there are no objective reasons for the development of the pathology, then they speak of the primary type. If it was possible to identify the causes of osteoarthritis, then speak of the secondary type.
Secondary osteoarthritis can be triggered by the following negative factors:
- Traumatization of joints of various kinds (frequent falls, sprains, bruises);
- chronic congenital tissue dysplasia;
- pathological changes in metabolic processes;
- various autoimmune diseases;
- unspecific inflammatory processes in the joint area;
- some pathologies of the organs of the endocrine system;
- processes of the degenerative-dystrophic type that are chronic;
- various diseases, accompanied by excessive joint mobility, coupled with a weak ligamentous apparatus;
- presence of hemophilia;
- specific type of inflammatory processes.
In addition to the immediate causes, the action of which leads to the development of osteoarthritis, there are also predisposing factors that do not cause the disease by themselves, but can increase the risk of its development.
These include:
- is over 55 years old;
- Overweight, which increases the stress on the joint joints;
- excessive load on a joint or group during improper sports training, certain jobs that require a long stay in one position;
- history of joint surgery;
- inheritance;
- hormonal changes in the female body in postmenopause;
- constant hypothermia;
- pathologies of the spine that are not treated;
- insufficient intake of useful micro- and macro-elements with food.
Development mechanism
The mechanism by which osteoarthritis develops is known. The cartilage that ensures normal contact between two bones is naturally smooth, with no irregularities or roughness, which helps maintain normal movement in the joints. With a disease, the structure of the cartilage changes, it becomes rough, defects appear that reduce the effectiveness of natural sliding.
Due to the acquired bumps, the cartilage is gradually injured, in places where it begins to calcify and in places where it ossifies. In this case, it is possible to separate off small particles that can get into the synovial fluid and injure the surrounding tissue.
If the pathology worsens, the joint can enter a state of chronic subluxation, which significantly affects its motor function.
degrees
Doctors divide osteoarthritis into three main grades:
- I have a 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 generally does not consult a doctor. At the same time there are changes in the ligament and muscle apparatus and in the synovial fluid, but there are still no visible deformities.
- II degree.The symptoms of osteoarthritis are getting worse. The pain is characterized as tolerable, but occurs regularly. The patient goes to the doctor, noting a decrease in the quality of life. A characteristic crunch can be heard in the affected joint. Changes are observed in the nearby muscle structures as the nerve conduction is disturbed.
- III degree.Characterized by distinctive characters. The articular cartilage is very thinned, cysts, foci of calcification or ossification can be found in it. The ligamentous apparatus becomes shorter, which leads to an increase in mobility in the affected area, which is accompanied by a restriction due to a pronounced inflammatory process. The metabolism of the surrounding tissues suffers, which can lead to muscular dystrophy.
In any case, the patient must clarify the diagnosis of the attending physician. This is due to the specificity of the course of the disease, which is characterized by stages of remission and exacerbation, which alternately replace each other.
Pain with illness
Pain in osteoarthritis is the most common complaint for which patients go to the doctor. Their distinguishing feature is their association with the time of day, the weather and physical activity.
In most patients, the pain is aggravated by walking, running, or other physical activity aimed at the affected joint. Once the load stops, the pain gradually subsides. Their development is explained by the fact that the cartilage can no longer fulfill its shock-absorbing functions.
Symptoms usually occur at night as a result of blood stagnation in the veins. Another reason is the increase in intraosseous pressure during this time.
One of the most important diagnostic criteria is the presence of so-called start-up pain, which disturbs the patient at the moment he has just started active movement. The initial pain usually subsides when physical activity continues. Their appearance is explained by the presence of joint deposits (detritus), which irritate the nerve endings. Once these debris clears away from the nerves, the pain goes away.
Symptoms
In addition to pain, doctors identify other signs of osteoarthritis that may be suspected of pathology.
These include:
- Pain and crispy sound.Lomota occurs mainly in the event that a person has developed hypothermia. The crunch will be barely audible at first, but if the disease progresses without therapy, it will become audible to those around you.
- Reduced mobility. At an early stage of the development of the pathology, there is no decrease in mobility. However, the longer the disease remains untreated, the greater the restriction of movement in the joint. This is explained by the narrowing of the joint space and the spasm of the nearest muscle structures.
- joint deformity.It is characteristic of the late stage of osteoarthritis, but also an important indicator of the course of the disease. At this time it is already very difficult to treat the disease.
Which doctor treats osteoarthritis?
Who treats osteoarthritis? In most cases, several specialists are involved in therapy. Initially, an arthrologist, who is a joint specialist, is involved. In addition, the patient must see an orthopedic surgeon. If the disease is a consequence of an inflammatory process, it is recommended to also visit a rheumatologist.
If necessary, other specialists can be called in during the treatment period. Usually you have to resort to the services of traumatologists, physiotherapists, masseurs and surgeons.
Diagnosis
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints begins only after confirming the diagnosis and determining the degree of pathology. First, the doctor questions the patient in detail and conducts an examination. The presence of characteristic discomfort and deformities indicates a disease.
An x-ray of the affected joint is a mandatory way to confirm the diagnosis. If the disease affects the knee, a picture of the knee is taken, if the pathology is found in the hand, the radiological signs of the disease are specifically sought there.
Radiological diagnosis does not always provide sufficient results to diagnose the patient. In this case, he can go to MRI (this allows to assess the condition of soft tissues and their involvement in the pathological process) or to CT (this allows to draw conclusions about the condition of bone and cartilage structures and the involvement of the closest anatomical structures in the pathological processto draw).
Treatment
How do you treat osteoarthritis of the joints? The choice of the appropriate therapeutic technique depends on the severity of symptoms and the stage of the disease.
The doctor selects the therapy 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 a disease when it is preferable not to have an operation but to use medication?
Conservative therapy is suitable only for patients at an early stage of pathology formation and includes the use of three main groups of drugs:
- Glucocorticosteroids- hormonal drugs that are effective in relieving the inflammatory process during an exacerbation, are injected into the joint cavity.
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,, which are injected and injected primarily into muscles near the joints or directly into a vein. However, doctors may recommend pills, although this option of taking NSAIDs is undesirable due to the negative effects it has on the gastrointestinal tract.
- Chondroprotectors- Medicines from this group can reduce the destruction of cartilage tissue and promote regeneration. They are especially effective in the initial stages of the development of the disease.
Surgical
How can you cure osteoarthritis if the disease has gone far enough? In this case, conservative therapy will be ineffective, and doctors can only recommend surgery to the patient.
Nowadays, in most cases, a joint replacement is performed. During the operation, the real joint is replaced by a prosthesis that fulfills all the functions of a healthy joint.
In some cases, palliative therapy options are offered, the main task of which is to reduce the stress on the articular surfaces.
Exercise
In the early stages of the disease, it is treated not only with drugs, but also with physical therapy exercises. Exercise is an important stage of therapy that helps maintain joint functionality and reduce the chance of the disease getting worse.
Depending on the severity of the pathology and the individual characteristics of the patient, the exercise set is selected individually. The doctor must take into account the localization of the osteoarthritis, which will allow the most effective effect on the affected tissue.
Self-study without medical supervision is not recommended, especially in the early stages. The exercises must be chosen so that they are as smooth as possible, without sudden movements.
Exercise therapy courses are only effective if the patient devotes a little time each day to the recommended complex.
Traditional methods
Many people who suffer from osteoarthritis refuse to take medication or surgery until the last moment. In this case, alternative drugs are used to replace drugs.
The most common plants used in therapy are:
- Kalanchoe;
- ginger;
- hell;
- bay leaf;
- garlic;
- cinnamon;
- Horsetail and others.
They are used in the form of tinctures, decoctions and poultices for the affected area. It is important to note that complete treatment of the disease is impossible only with homemade recipes. It is best when traditional therapies are combined with traditional medicine.
Prevention
What can be done to reduce the likelihood of osteoarthritis in old age? Simple preventive measures are available to everyone.
Recommended:
- moderate daily physical activity: walking, cycling, simple exercises for a fee and so on;
- Adherence to the basic principles of healthy eating: eat often, but gradually, avoid fast food, overeating, heavy and fatty foods, eat lots of spices;
- Weight control: weight gain leads to increased stress on the joints, which can lead to osteoarthritis;
- timely treatment of chronic diseases that lead to metabolic disorders;
- the use of vitamin and mineral complexes in the event that the amount of nutrients supplied with food is considered insufficient.
Difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis
Many people confuse arthritis and osteoarthritis because of the similarity of sound. However, these are completely different diseases.
Arthritis is not a dystrophy and degeneration in the joint tissue, but any inflammatory reaction that can develop in the joint cavity, regardless of its cause. Inflammation most often affects not only the joint, but also the muscles, bone and ligament structures closest to it. Arthritis pain is not associated with physical activity, it can disturb the patient even at rest, and there is no crunch in the joints at all.
In most cases, it is impossible to distinguish arthritis from osteoarthritis independently, since the main symptom is pain and patients rarely have an idea of their characteristics for each of the pathologies.
It is better to entrust the attending physician with an accurate diagnosis so as not to make mistakes in the subsequent treatment and prevention of the disease.
Osteoarthritis is a serious disease that can lead to a disability if the patient does not see a doctor in time. At the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to contact a specialist to confirm the diagnosis and choose the most optimal treatment.
If it is possible to get the disease at an early stage of development, it will certainly be possible to limit oneself to conservative treatment without surgery.