Arthrosis is a degenerative joint pathology, accompanied by processes of dystrophy of the cartilaginous tissues. As the disease progresses, the articular pouch, the ligamentous apparatus, the synovial membrane and the closest bone structures are also involved in the destructive process.
Arthrosis prevalence
Most people with osteoarthritis are elderly. Disease after age 65 is not only the most frequently diagnosed joint pathology, but also the main reason for disability with subsequent disability. In addition, in old age, most women are ill, but among young people, the majority of patients are men.
In different countries, the incidence of osteoarthritis varies widely. It has not yet been possible to establish the reasons for the widespread dissemination of statistical data.
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, they speak of the primary type. If it was possible to identify the causes of arthrosis, they speak of the secondary type.
Secondary arthrosis can be triggered by the following negative factors:
- traumatization of joints of various natures (frequent falls, sprains, contusions);
- chronic congenital tissue dysplasia;
- pathological changes in metabolic processes;
- various autoimmune pathologies;
- nonspecific inflammatory processes in the joint area;
- some pathologies of the organs of the endocrine system;
- chronic degenerative-dystrophic processes;
- several diseases, accompanied by excessive joint mobility, associated with a weak ligament system;
- presence of hemophilia;
- specific type of inflammatory processes.
In addition to the immediate causes, whose action leads to the development of arthrosis, there are also predisposing factors that do not cause the disease on its own, but can increase the risk of its development.
This includes:
- is over 55 years old;
- excess weight, due to which the load on the joints increases;
- excessive load on a joint or group in case of improper sports training, specific work that requires a long stay in a position;
- history of joint surgery;
- heredity;
- hormonal changes in the postmenopausal female body;
- constant hypothermia;
- pathologies of the spine that are not treated;
- insufficient intake of useful micro and macro elements with food.
Development mechanism
The mechanism of development of arthrosis is well known. Cartilage, which ensures normal contact between the two bones, is naturally smooth, without irregularities or roughness, which helps maintain normal joint movement. With the disease, the cartilage structure changes, it becomes rough, defects appear that reduce the effectiveness of the natural sliding.
Due to the acquired unevenness, the cartilage is gradually damaged, in some places it begins to calcify and in others it ossifies. In that case, it is possible to separate small particles that end up in the joint fluid and can injure the surrounding tissues.
As the pathology worsens, the joint may enter a state of chronic subluxation, which significantly impairs its motor function.
Degrees
Doctors divide arthrosis into three main degrees:
- I grade.It is characterized by the absence of a clear clinical picture. The patient may have rare complaints of pain in the affected joint, but usually does not consult the doctor. At the same time, changes occur in the ligament-muscular apparatus and in the joint fluid, but there are still no visible deformities.
- Grade II.The symptoms of arthrosis become more pronounced. The pain is characterized as bearable, but it occurs regularly. The patient goes to the doctor, as he notes a decrease in quality of life. A characteristic click can be heard in the affected joint. Changes are observed in the nearby muscle structures, since nerve conduction is disturbed.
- Grade III.Characterized by pronounced signs. The articular cartilage is very thin, it can be found cysts, foci of calcification or ossification. The ligamentous apparatus becomes shorter, which leads to increased 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 will need to clarify the diagnosis of the attending physician. This is due to the specificity of the disease course, which is characterized by stages of remission and exacerbation, which are replaced alternately.
Pain during illness
Pain in arthrosis is the most common complaint that patients make to the doctor. Its characteristic is the connection with the time of day, climate, physical activity.
In most patients, pain is exacerbated when walking, running or other physical activity directed at the affected joint. As soon as the load stops, the pain gradually subsides. Its development is explained by the fact that cartilage is no longer able to perform its shock-absorbing functions.
At night, discomfort occurs most often as a result of blood stagnating in the veins. Another reason is the increase in intraosseous pressure in this period.
One of the main diagnostic criteria is the presence of the so-called initial pain that bothers the patient at the moment when he has just started the active movement. Initial pains generally subside if physical activity continues. Its occurrence is explained by the presence of joint deposits (debris) that irritate the nerve endings. As soon as these deposits move away from the nerves, the pain disappears.
Symptoms
In addition to pain, doctors identify other signs of arthrosis, for which pathology can be suspected.
This includes:
- Pain and crunchy sound.Lomota appears mainly when a person has hypothermia. At first you will barely hear the crack, but as the disease progresses without therapy, it will become audible to the people around you.
- Decreased movement ability. In an early stage of the development of the pathology, there is no decrease in mobility. However, the longer the disease remains untreated, the stronger the limitation of movement in the joint becomes. This is explained by the narrowing of the joint space and spasm of the nearest muscular 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 osteoarthritis?
Who treats arthrosis? In most cases, several specialists are involved in the therapy. First, an arthrologist, a joint specialist, is involved. In addition, the patient will also need to visit an orthopedist. If the disease is the result of an inflammatory process, it is also recommended to consult a rheumatologist.
If necessary, other specialists may be involved during the treatment period. Most of the time, you have to turn to the services of traumatologists, physiotherapists, massage therapists, surgeons.
Diagnosis
Treatment of joint arthrosis does not begin until the diagnosis is confirmed and the degree of pathology has been established. First, the doctor interviews the patient in detail and performs an examination. The presence of characteristic complaints and deformities suggests that there is a disease.
Radiography of the affected joint is a mandatory way to confirm the diagnosis. If the disease affects the knee, then a picture of the knee is taken, if the pathology is found in the hand, then the radiological signs of the disease are searched specifically there.
X-ray diagnostics do not always provide sufficient results to diagnose the patient. In this case, it can be sent for magnetic resonance imaging (this will allow assessing the state of the soft tissues and their involvement in the pathological process) or computed tomography (this will allow drawing conclusions about the state of the bone and cartilaginous structures, the involvement of the nearest anatomical structuresin 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 selects the therapy regimen after assessing the general condition of the patient and the course of the disease. Conservative and surgical treatment methods can be used.
Medication
How to treat a disease if you prefer not to surgery, but to use medication?
Conservative therapy is suitable for patients only in the early stages of pathology formation and will include the use of three main groups of drugs:
- glucocorticosteroids- hormonal drugs that effectively relieve the inflammatory process during an exacerbation, are injected into the joint cavity;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,which are mainly injected and injected into muscles near the joint or directly into a vein. But doctors can also recommend pills, although this option of taking NSAIDs is undesirable because of the negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract;
- chondroprotectors- drugs in this group can reduce the destruction of cartilage tissue and increase regeneration, they are especially effective in the early stages of disease formation.
Surgical
How to cure arthrosis, if the disease has advanced enough? In that case, conservative therapy will be ineffective and doctors can only recommend surgery to the patient.
Today, joint replacement is performed in most cases. During the operation, the real joint is replaced by a prosthesis, which has all the functions of a healthy joint.
In some cases, palliative therapy options are provided, the main task of which is to reduce the load on joint surfaces.
Exercise
In the early stages of the disease, she is treated not only with medication, but also with physical therapy exercises. Exercise is an important stage of therapy that helps maintain joint functionality and reduces the likelihood of disease progression.
Depending on the severity of the condition and the individual characteristics of the patient, the set of exercises is selected individually. The doctor must take into account the location of the arthrosis, which allows the most effective effect on the affected tissues.
Self-study without medical supervision is not recommended, especially at an early stage. Exercises should be selected so that they are as smooth as possible, without sudden movements.
Exercise therapy classes are effective only if the patient dedicates a little time to the recommended complex every day.
Traditional methods
Many people who suffer from arthrosis refuse to use medication or surgery until the very last moment. In that case, alternative medicines are used as substitutes for medicines.
The plants most commonly used in therapy are:
- Kalanchoe; ginger;
- hell; bay leaf
- ;
- cinnamon;
- mackerel and others.
They are used in the form of tinctures, decoctions, poultices for the affected area. It is important to remember that a complete treatment of the disease with only homemade recipes is impossible. It is best if traditional therapies are combined with traditional medicine.
Prevention
What to do to reduce the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis in old age? Simple preventive measures are available for everyone.
Recommended:
- moderate daily physical activity: walking, cycling, doing simple exercises like loading and so on;
- adherence to the basic principles of healthy eating: eating frequently, but gradually, avoiding fast food, eating too much, heavy and fatty foods, eating too many spices;
- weight control: weight gain leads to greater stress on the joints, which can cause osteoarthritis;
- timely treatment of chronic diseases that lead to metabolic disorders;
- the use of vitamin and mineral complexes, if the amount of nutrients provided with the food is considered insufficient.
Difference between arthritis and arthrosis
Many people confuse arthritis with arthrosis due to the similarity of the sound. However, these are completely different diseases.
Arthritis is not called dystrophy and degeneration in the tissues of the joints, but any inflammatory reaction that can develop in the joint cavity, regardless of the cause. Inflammation generally affects not only the joint, but also the muscles near it, bone and ligament structures. Arthritis pain is not associated with physical exertion, it can bother the patient even at rest and there is no compression in the joints.
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 for each of the pathologies.
It is preferable to entrust the attending physician with the establishment of an accurate diagnosis so as not to make mistakes in the subsequent treatment and prevention of the disease.
Arthrosis is a serious condition that can lead to 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 select the most appropriate treatment.
If you can catch the disease at an early stage of development, you will probably be able to do it even without surgical intervention, limiting yourself to conservative treatment only.