Joint pain can make life unbearable.After visiting the doctor, a record of diagnosed arthrosis or arthritis will appear in the outpatient card.
People who are far from medicine have little idea about the difference between arthritis and arthrosis, and mistakenly consider them to be the same disease.
In fact, these are two completely different pathological processes that can occur simultaneously.
Arthrosis
Arthrosis refers to a degenerative-inflammatory process and develops due to age-related changes in the structure of cartilage tissue.
It affects the moving joints of large bones, and less commonly, the joints of the fingers.
The appearance of joints with arthrosis
The main cause of pathological changes is a metabolic disorder in the cartilage.Violation of cartilage trophism leads to irreversible loss of proteoglycans and loss of tissue elasticity.
Dystrophic changes in the cartilage require pathological changes in the structure of the articular surface of the bone.Over time, the degeneration process spreads to the periarticular tissue.
Types of arthrosis
Based on their origin, they distinguish between primary and secondary arthrosis.
The primary form affects previously healthy joints and is the result of age-related changes and insufficient 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 the age of 45 were considered at risk, but now there is a steady trend toward earlier incidence.The disease mainly affects women, but with age, the dependence on gender gradually smooths out.
Secondary arthrosis develops against the background of previous injuries or certain different diseases, including:
- autoimmune process;
- metabolic disorders;
- endocrine dysfunction;
- pathology of bone joint structure;
- genetic diseases;
- inflammatory process.
Secondary arthrosis is not associated with the aging process and can occur at any age.
There are three stages in the development of this disease.
In the first stage, changes in joint fluid occur.Cartilage nutrition is disrupted, and its resistance to stress is reduced.Roughness appears on the surface of the cartilage, and inflammation develops, accompanied by pain.
When the disease progresses to the second stage, pain becomes a habit, and the course of the accompanying inflammation becomes like a wave.The cartilage begins to deteriorate, and compensatory bone growth forms at the edges of the articular area.Periarticular muscles are involved in the pathological process.
The third stage is characterized by severe reduction 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 ligament apparatus is disturbed, abnormal mobility appears in the affected joint against the background of limited natural mobility.
According to the location of the wound, they are distinguished:
- gonarthrosis,
- coxarthrosis,
- Spondyloarthrosis,
- Arthrosis of the interphalangeal joint of the hand.
Other pathological localizations are relatively rare.
Gonarthrosis, arthrosis of the knee joint
Risk factors for the development of this disease include hereditary predisposition, overuse or occupational knee injuries.
According to statistics, arthrosis lesions in the knee joint are more often diagnosed in women.
In the early stages of development, this disease manifests itself as discomfort in joint pain and affected pain.Depending on the cause of the lesion, several forms of gonarthrosis are distinguished.
Some of them are characterized by long-term deficiencies;The patient's condition remained stable for several decades.However, there are also those that grow rapidly and cause loss of mobility of the affected limb.
Coxathrosis, arthrosis of the hip joint
With this disease, the clinical clinical picture of arthrosis is observed.
The first symptom of coxarthrosis is discomfort in the hip joint after physical activity.
With progressive coxarthrosis, increased pain, stiffness and limited movement appear.
Patients with a severe form of coxarthrosis release the affected limb, avoid stepping on it, and while stationary, choose a position where the pain is felt the least.
Spinal arthrosis, spondyloarthrosis
Spondyloarthrosis refers to pathology that develops against the background of degenerative processes in the intervertebral disc.
The first and main symptom of developing arthrosis of the spine is pain when bending from side to side or back.
When a person takes a horizontal position, the pain gradually decreases.
Over time, if there is no adequate treatment, the movement of the affected part of the spine may be completely lost.
Without proper treatment, arthrosis of the spine can trigger intervertebral hernia and joint deformation.In severe cases, the patient loses the ability to perform normal movements and becomes disabled.
Arthrosis of the interphalangeal joint of the hand
This disease mainly affects women.Among the early symptoms of arthrosis is pain when contacting cold water and when submerging a finger.Over time, the joint becomes deformed due to the compaction of adjacent tissues and the formation of features of the spine.
The disease has a wave-like course, in the acute stage the joints swell, partially lose mobility, and touch sensitivity may be affected.
Treatment of arthrosis
It is impossible to cure arthrosis completely with modern medicine.However, timely diagnosis and complex therapy aimed at preventing the destruction of cartilage tissue help stabilize the condition of the affected joints and 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 important to lose weight.
In the treatment of arthrosis drugs, the following are used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, internally in the form of injections or tablets and externally as part of an ointment.The form and regimen of use are determined depending on the patient's condition;
- drugs from the group of chondroprotectors to maintain the condition of cartilage tissue;
- Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of intra-articular injections.Prescribed in severe cases;
- Hyaluronic acid preparations to improve joint mobility.
In addition, heating and ointments, drugs that activate blood circulation and metabolic processes, antioxidants and microelement-vitamin complexes with selenium are used, and physiotherapy treatment is prescribed.In severe cases, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
During the period of remission, the patient is recommended a course of exercise therapy, selected according to the characteristics of the disease.
Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that occurs as an underlying disease, concomitant pathology, or as a complication of a previous infectious disease.
Appearance of joints with arthritis
Among the common causes of inflammatory processes in the joints:
- metabolic disorders in the body;
- vitamin deficiency;
- injury;
- autoimmune diseases;
- Infectious lesions of various etiologies.
Unlike arthrosis, the pathological process in arthritis affects the periarticular tissue.The appearance of pain does not depend on physical activity and body position, and often bothers you at night.
Noise in the joints characteristic of the early stage of arthrosis is rarely observed.A general blood test shows the presence of an inflammatory process;When examining the joints, characteristic degenerative changes in the cartilage are rarely detected.
The common symptom of both diseases is pain.Any unusual and unpleasant sensation in the joints is a good reason to consult a doctor.The success of treatment largely depends on timely detection and treatment.
Types of arthritis
Based on their occurrence, arthritis is divided into several types:
- Infectious arthritis.They develop as an independent disease due to wound infection (primary infectious arthritis) or when pathogens enter 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 microtraumatization of the cartilage surface by uric acid salt crystals formed in the joint capsule;
- Traumatic arthritisdevelops in response to trauma, but may develop several years after its consequences have been eliminated;
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritisaffecting children under the age of 16.The cause of this disease is not yet known.This course is chronic, progressive.
The course of arthritis can be acute or chronic.In the acute course, the disease develops rapidly, with severe swelling, severe pain in the affected area, increased local or general temperature.
With chronic arthritis, symptoms increase gradually, and the disease can develop over many years.With insufficient or inappropriate treatment, acute arthritis can become chronic.
According to the characteristics of the lesions, 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 treatment strategy for arthritis depends on the causes of the disease and the severity of the patient's condition.For infectious arthritis, the patient is 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 ointments or gels.
In addition, drugs from the group of chondroprotectors, antihistamines, and general rehabilitation can be prescribed.In some cases, patients are prescribed drugs that increase blood circulation.
In addition to drug treatment, the patient is prescribed a course of physiotherapy procedures and, in the remission period, a set of exercise therapy exercises.
In severe and advanced cases, surgery may be necessary.
Without specialist help, arthritis and arthrosis can cause disability.
Self-medication for joint diseases is contraindicated;In the majority of cases, the patient's condition worsens.
Any change in joint function is a reason to visit a doctor.
Preventive measures
To avoid arthritis and arthrosis, it is important to optimize physical activity, avoiding loads.People diagnosed with this disease, as well as those at risk, need to adjust their diet in favor of healthy foods, reduce alcohol consumption and stop smoking.
People prone to obesity are advised to maintain a normal body weight, as increased load on the musculoskeletal system can cause or accelerate pathological changes.
For timely detection of diseases in the early stages, it is important to undergo regular preventive examinations.