Arthrosis is an articular degenerative pathology, accompanied by a process of cartilage tissue dystrophy. As the disease progresses, articular bags, ligament devices, synovial membranes and nearby bone structures are also involved in the process of destruction.
Prevalence of arthrosis
The majority of people with arthrosis are the elderly. Diseases after the age of 65 are not only the most frequently diagnosed joint pathology, but also the leading cause of disability with subsequent deformities. Moreover, in old age, most women are sick, but among young people, most sick people are men.
In different countries, the incidence of osteoarthritis is very different. It is still not possible to determine the reason for the widespread distribution of statistical data.
Causes and risk factors
Osteoarthritis is a disease that can be primary or secondary. If there is no objective reason for the development of pathology, they talk about the main type. If it is possible to identify the cause of arthrosis, they talk about the secondary type.
Secondary arthrosis can be triggered by the following negative factors:
- articular joint trauma of various properties (frequent falls, sprains, bruises);
- Chronic congenital tissue dysplasia;
- pathological changes in metabolic processes;
- various autoimmune pathologies;
- nonspecific inflammatory processes in the joint area;
- some organ pathology of the endocrine system;
- degenerative-dystrophic processes, occurring chronically;
- various diseases, accompanied by excessive joint movement, coupled with weak ligament apparatus;
- presence of hemophilia;
- certain types of inflammatory processes.
In addition to the direct cause, the action that causes the development of arthrosis, there are also predisposing factors that do not cause the disease itself, but can increase the risk of its development.
This includes:
- is over 55 years old;
- overweight, due to increased load on articular joints;
- excessive load on one joint or group in case of improper sports training, specialized occupations requiring long stay in one position;
- history of joint surgery;
- descent;
- hormonal changes in the female body at postmenopause;
- persistent hypothermia;
- untreated spinal pathology;
- inadequate intake of micro and macro elements with food.
Development Mechanism
The mechanism of development of arthrosis is well known. Cartilage, which ensures the normal contact of the two bones, is naturally smooth, without deviations and roughness, which helps maintain normal movement in the joint. With disease, the structure of cartilage changes, it becomes rough, defects appear on it, which reduces the effectiveness of natural sliding.
Due to the inequality obtained, the cartilage is gradually injured, in places that begin to whitewash, and in places that are ossified. In this case, it is possible to separate the small particles that end up in the joint fluid and can injure the surrounding tissue.
As the pathology worsens, the joint can develop a condition of chronic subluxation, which will significantly impair its motor function.
Degrees
Doctors divide arthrosis into three main degrees:
- Degree.This is characterized by the absence of a clear clinical picture. Patients may experience rare pain complaints in the affected joint, but generally do not see a doctor. At the same time, there are changes in the ligament-muscle apparatus and articular fluid, but no defects have yet been seen.
- degree II.Symptoms of arthrosis become more pronounced. Pain is characterized as bearable, but frequent. The patient goes to the doctor, as he sees a decline in quality of life. Characteristic cramps can be heard in the affected joint. Changes are observed in adjacent muscle structures, as nerve conduction is disrupted.
- grade III.Characterized by spoken signs. Articular cartilage is very thin, cysts, calcification or oscillation foci can be found in it. The ligament apparatus becomes shorter, resulting in increased mobility in the affected area, which is accompanied by obstruction due to a significant inflammatory process. The surrounding tissue metabolism suffers, which can lead to muscle dystrophy.
However, the patient needs to clarify the diagnosis from the attending physician. This is due to the specificity of the course of the disease, which is characterized by levels of remission and exacerbation, alternately replacing each other.
Pain during pain
Pain in arthrosis is the most common complaint where a patient goes to the doctor. Their characteristic features are related to time, weather, physical activity.
In most patients, the pain is exacerbated by walking, running, or other types of physical activity directed at the affected joint. Once the load stops, the pain gradually subsides. Their development is explained by the fact that cartilage can no longer perform its function as a shock absorber.
At night, discomfort most often occurs due to stagnation of blood in the veins. Another reason is the increase in intraosseous stress during this period.
One of the main diagnostic criteria is the presence of initial pain that bothers the patient when he or she has just started active movement. Starting pain usually subsides if physical activity continues. Their occurrence is explained by the presence of articular deposits (detritus) that irritate the nerve endings. Once this deposit is away from the nerves, the pain disappears.
Symptoms
In addition to pain, doctors identify other signs of arthrosis, from which one can suspect the presence of pathology.
This includes:
- Pain and crisp voice.Lomota appears especially when a person has hypothermia. The damage was initially barely audible, but when the disease went on without therapy, the disease would be audible to those around it.
- Decreased ability to move. In the early stages of pathological development, there is no decrease in mobility. However, the longer the disease is untreated, the stronger the movement limit on the joint. This is explained by narrowing of the joint space and spasms of nearby muscle structures.
- Joint defects.This is a feature of end-stage arthrosis, but is also an important indicator of the course of the disease. During this period, it is already very difficult to cure this disease.
Which doctor treats arthrosis?
Who treats arthrosis? In most cases, some specialists are involved in therapy. First of all, an arthrologist, a joint specialist, is involved. In addition, patients should also visit an orthopedic specialist. If the disease is caused by an inflammatory process, then it is recommended to visit a rheumatologist as well.
If necessary, other specialists may be involved in the treatment period. Often, you should use the services of a traumatologist, physiotherapists, masseurs, surgeons.
Diagnostics
Treatment of joint arthrosis begins only after the diagnosis is confirmed and the pathological stage is determined. First of all, the doctor interviews the patient in detail and conducts an examination. The presence of complaints and characteristic defects indicates that there is a disease.
X-ray of the affected joint is a mandatory way to confirm the diagnosis. If the disease strikes 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 specifically sought there.
Diagnostics using radiography do not always provide sufficient results to diagnose patients. In this case, he can be sent for MRI (this will make it possible to assess the condition of soft tissues and their involvement in pathological processes) or CT (this will make it possible to draw conclusions about the state of bone and cartilage structure, involvement of nearby anatomical formations in pathological processes).
Treatment
How to treat joint arthrosis? The selection of appropriate therapeutic techniques depends on the severity of the symptoms and the degree of the disease.
The doctor chooses a therapeutic regimen after assessing the patient's general condition and course of illness. Conservative and surgical treatment methods can be used.
Medicine
How to treat a disease if it is better not to have surgery, but to use medicine?
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- an effective hormonal drug that relieves inflammatory processes during exacerbations, injected into the joint cavity;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,which are mainly injected and injected into muscles near the joints or directly into the veins. But doctors can also recommend pills, although the option to take this NSAID is undesirable because of the negative effects on the gastrointestinal tract;
- chondroprotectors- drugs from this group can reduce the destruction of cartilage tissue and increase regrowth, very effective in the early stages of disease formation.
Surgery
How to cure arthrosis, if the disease is far enough away? In this case, conservative therapy will not be effective, and the doctor may only recommend surgery to the patient.
Today, endoprosthetics are performed in most cases. During surgery, the actual joint is replaced with 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 the articular surface.
Exercises
In the early stages of the disease, it is not only treated with medications, but also with physiotherapy training. Exercise is an important level of therapy that helps maintain joint function and further reduces the likelihood of developing the disease further.
Depending on the severity of the pathology and the individual characteristics of the patient, the training set is selected individually. The doctor must take into account the localization of arthrosis, which allows the most effective effect on the affected tissue.
Self-study without medical supervision is not recommended, especially in the early stages. Exercise must be chosen to be as smooth as possible, without sudden movements.
Exercise therapy classes are only effective if the patient spends some time to the recommended complex each day.
Traditional methods
Many people who suffer from arthrosis refuse to use medication or surgery until the last minute. In this case, alternative medicine is used as a substitute for the drug.
The most commonly used plants in therapy are:
- Kalanchoe;
- halia;
- hell;
- laurel leaves;
- garlic;
- cinnamon;
- ponytails and more.
They are applied in the form of tinctures, decoctions, poultices to the affected area. It is important to remember that complete treatment of the disease using only homemade recipes is impossible. It is better if traditional therapy is combined with traditional medicine.
Prevention
What should be done to reduce the chances of developing arthrosis in old age? Simple preventive measures are available to anyone.
Recommended:
- moderate daily physical activity: walking, cycling, doing moderate exercise as a charge, etc . ;
- adhere to the basic principles of a healthy diet: eat regularly, but little by little, avoid fast food, overeating, heavy and fatty foods, eat lots of spices;
- weight control: weight gain causes increased pressure on the joints, which can lead to arthrosis; Timely treatment of chronic diseases leading to metabolic disorders;
- use of vitamin and mineral complexes if the amount of nutrients supplied with food is considered insufficient.
The difference between arthritis and arthrosis
Many people confuse arthritis and arthrosis because of the similarity of sound. However, this is a completely different disease.
Arthritis is not a dystrophy and degeneration of the joint tissue, but an inflammatory reaction that can occur in the joint cavity, regardless of the cause. Inflammation most often affects not only the joints, but also the muscles closest to it, the bone and ligament structures. Pain in arthritis is not associated with physical activity, it can bother the patient even at rest, and there are absolutely no cracks in the joints.
In most cases, it is impossible to distinguish arthritis from arthrosis independently, because the main symptom is pain, and patients rarely have an idea of its characteristics for each pathology.
It is better to entrust an accurate diagnosis to the attending physician so as not to make mistakes with the treatment and prevention of subsequent diseases.
Arthrosis is a serious pathology that can cause disability if the patient does not see a doctor on time. At the first signs of the disease, it is advisable to contact a specialist to confirm the diagnosis and choose the most optimal treatment.
If you successfully develop the disease in the early stages of development, you will probably be able to do without surgical intervention, so you can only undergo conservative treatment.