Joint pain can make life unbearable.After visiting the doctor, a record of diagnosed arthrosis or arthritis will appear on the card of the outpatient hospital.
People who are far from medicine have little idea of the difference between arthritis and arthrosis and mistakenly consider them as the same disease.
In fact, these are two completely different pathological processes that can occur simultaneously.
arthrosis
Arthrosis refers to degenerative-inflammatory processes and develops due to age-related changes in the structure of cartilage tissue.
It affects the moving joints of the large bones, and less commonly, the joints of the fingers.
The appearance of an arthrosis joint
The main cause of pathological changes are metabolic disorders in the cartilage.Violation of cartilage trophism leads to irreversible loss of proteoglycans and loss of tissue elasticity.
Dystrophic changes in the cartilage bring pathological changes in the structure of the articular surfaces of the bones.Over time, the degeneration process spreads to the periarticular tissues.
Types of arthrosis
Based on their origin, primary and secondary arthrosis are distinguished.
The primary form affects previously healthy joints and is a consequence of age-related changes and inadequate physical activity.The time of appearance of the first symptoms of arthrosis depends on hereditary predisposition, characteristics of professional activity and lifestyle.
Traditionally, people over 45 were considered at risk, but now there is a steady trend towards earlier incidence.The disease mainly affects women, but with age, gender dependence gradually softens.
Secondary arthrosis develops against the background of a previous injury or certain diseases of a different nature, including:
- autoimmune processes;
- metabolic disorders;
- endocrine dysfunction;
- pathologies of the structure of bone joints;
- genetic diseases;
- inflammatory processes.
Secondary arthrosis is not associated with the aging process and can occur at any age.
There are three stages in the development of the disease.
In the first stage, changes occur in the joint fluid.Cartilage nutrition breaks down and its resistance to stress decreases.Roughness appears on the surface of the cartilage and inflammation develops accompanied by pain.
As the disease progresses to the second stage, pain becomes common and the course of accompanying inflammation becomes wave-like.Cartilage begins to deteriorate and compensatory bone growths are formed at the edges of the joint area.Periarticular muscles are involved in pathological processes.
The third stage is characterized by severe depletion of articular cartilage with areas of complete tissue destruction.Degenerative processes lead to irreversible anatomical changes, including changes in the axis of the limbs.The function of the ligamentous apparatus is interrupted, abnormal mobility appears in the affected joint against the background of limited natural mobility.
According to the location of the lesion, they are distinguished:
- gonarthrosis,
- coxarthrosis,
- spondyloarthrosis,
- arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints of the hands.
Other localizations of the pathology are relatively rare.
Gonarthrosis, arthrosis of the knee joint
Risk factors for the development of this disease include hereditary predisposition, overuse or injuries to the knee due to occupational characteristics.
According to statistics, arthrosis lesions in the knee joints are diagnosed more often in women.
In the early stages of development, the disease manifests itself as discomfort in the affected joint and aching pain.Depending on the causes of the lesion, several forms of gonarthrosis are distinguished.
Some of them are characterized by a long lack of progression;the patient's condition remains stable for decades.However, there are also those that develop rapidly and lead to the loss of mobility of the affected limb.
Coxaarthrosis, arthrosis of the hip joint
With this disease, a classic clinical picture of arthrosis is observed.
The first symptom of coxarthrosis is discomfort in the hip joint after physical activity.
With progressive coxarthrosis, pain increases, stiffness and limited mobility appear.
Patients with a severe form of coxarthrosis spare the affected limb, avoiding stepping on it and being immobile, choose positions in which the pain is felt less.
Spine arthrosis, spondyloarthrosis
Spondyloarthrosis refers to pathologies that develop against the background of degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs.
The first and main symptom of the development of spinal arthrosis is pain when bending from one side to the other or back and forth.
When a person takes a horizontal position, the pain gradually decreases.
Over time, in the absence of adequate treatment, the mobility of the affected part of the spine can be completely lost.
Without proper treatment, arthrosis of the spine can provoke intervertebral hernia and joint deformation.In severe cases, the patient loses the ability to perform usual movements and becomes disabled.
Arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints of the hands
The disease mainly affects women.Among the early symptoms of arthrosis are pain during contact with cold water and when you strain your fingers.Over time, joints are deformed due to the compression of adjacent tissues and the formation of characteristic bone growths.
The disease has a wave-like course, in the acute phase the joints swell, partially lose mobility and tactile sensitivity may be impaired.
Treatment of arthrosis
It is impossible to completely cure arthrosis with modern medicine.However, timely diagnosis and complex therapy aimed at preventing further destruction of cartilage tissue help stabilize the condition of the affected joint and significantly improve the patient's quality of life.
First of all, it is necessary to reduce the load on the musculoskeletal system.Doctors recommend avoiding carrying heavy objects, staying in one position for a long time and limiting time on your feet.For overweight patients, it is vital to lose weight.
In the medical treatment of arthrosis, the following are used:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, internally in the form of injections or tablets and externally as part of ointments.The form and regimen of use are prescribed depending on the patient's condition;
- drugs from the group of chondroprotectors to maintain the condition of cartilage tissue;
- anti-inflammatory steroid drugs in the form of intra-articular injections.They are prescribed in severe cases;
- hyaluronic acid preparations to improve joint mobility.
In addition, warming compresses and ointments, drugs that activate blood microcirculation and metabolic processes, antioxidants and microelement-vitamin complexes with selenium are used, and physiotherapeutic treatment is prescribed.In severe cases, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
During the remission period, the patient is recommended a course of exercise therapy, chosen in accordance with the characteristics of the course of the disease.
Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that occurs as an underlying disease, a concomitant pathology or as a complication of a previous infectious disease.
The appearance of arthritic joints
Among the typical causes of inflammatory processes in the joints:
- metabolic disorders in the body;
- lack of vitamins;
- injuries;
- autoimmune diseases;
- infectious lesions of various etiologies.
Unlike arthrosis, pathological processes in arthritis affect periarticular tissues.The occurrence of pain does not depend on physical activity and body position, and often bothers you at night.
Joint noises characteristic of the early stages of arthrosis are rarely observed.A general blood test shows the presence of an inflammatory process;during joint examination, characteristic degenerative changes in the cartilage are rarely detected.
The common symptom of both diseases is pain.Any unusual and unpleasant sensation in the joint is a good reason to consult a doctor.The success of the treatment depends mainly on the timely detection and treatment of the disease.
Types of Arthritis
Based on their appearance, arthritis is divided into several types:
- infectious arthritis.They develop as independent diseases due to wound infection (primary infectious arthritis) or when a pathogen enters the bloodstream from organs affected by the infection (secondary arthritis);
- rheumatoid arthritis.This chronic disease is of infectious-autoimmune origin and usually develops in middle-aged and older people;
- gouty arthritis.The inflammatory process is provoked by the microtraumatization of the cartilage surface by crystals of uric acid salts formed in the joint capsule;
- traumatic arthritisdevelops as a reaction to trauma, but may develop several years after its consequences have been eliminated;
- juvenile rheumatoid arthritisaffects children under 16 years of age.The causes of this disease are still unknown.The course is chronic, progressive.
The course of arthritis can be acute or chronic.In the acute course, the disease develops quickly, with severe swelling, severe pain in the affected area, local or general increase in temperature.
With chronic arthritis, symptoms increase gradually and the disease can progress over the years.With premature or inappropriate treatment, acute arthritis can become chronic.
According to the characteristics of the lesion, monoarthritis and polyarthritis are distinguished.In monoarthritis, the lesion is localized in one of the joints;when several joints are involved in the pathological process, a diagnosis of polyarthritis is made.
Treatment of arthritis
The strategy of treating arthritis depends on the causes of the disease and the severity of the patient's condition.For infectious arthritis, patients are prescribed a course of antibiotics or other drugs, in accordance with the nature of the pathogen.
To eliminate inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in the form of injections, tablets and/or externally in the form of an oil or gel.
In addition, drugs from the groups of chondroprotectors, antihistamines and general restorers can be prescribed.In some cases, patients are prescribed drugs that improve blood microcirculation.
In addition to drug treatment, patients are prescribed a course of physiotherapeutic procedures and, during the remission period, a set of exercise therapy exercises.
In severe and advanced cases, surgery may be required.
Without the help of specialists, arthritis and arthrosis can lead to disability.
Self-medication for joint diseases is contraindicated;in the vast majority of cases, the patient's condition worsens progressively.
Any change in joint functionality is a reason to visit a doctor.
Preventive measures
To prevent arthritis and arthrosis, it is important to optimize physical activity, avoiding overloads.People diagnosed with this disease, as well as those at risk, should adjust their diet in favor of healthy foods, reduce alcohol consumption and quit smoking.
People who are prone to obesity are advised to maintain a normal body weight, as increased load on the musculoskeletal system can provoke or accelerate pathological changes.
For timely detection of the disease in the early stages, it is important to undergo regular preventive examinations.