Arthrosis is an articular degenerative pathology, accompanied by processes of dystrophy of cartilaginous tissues. As the disease progresses, the articular bag, the ligamentous apparatus, the synovial membrane and the nearest bone structures are also involved in the destructive process.
Prevalence of arthrosis
The majority of people with arthrosis are the elderly. The disease after the age mark of 65 years is not only the most frequently diagnosed joint pathology, but also the main reason for disability with subsequent disability. Moreover, in old age, mostly women are sick, but among young people, most of the sick are men.
In different countries, the incidence of osteoarthritis varies greatly. It has not yet been possible to establish the reasons for the wide spread 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 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 articular joints of various nature (frequent falls, sprains, bruises);
- chronic congenital tissue dysplasia;
- pathological changes in metabolic processes;
- various autoimmune pathologies;
- nonspecific inflammatory processes in the joint area;
- some pathologies of the endocrine system organs;
- processes of the degenerative-dystrophic type, occurring chronically;
- 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 arthrosis, there are also predisposing factors that do not cause the disease in themselves, but can increase the risk of its development.
These include:
- is over 55 years old;
- excess weight, due to which the load on the articular joints increases;
- excessive load on one joint or group in case of improper sports training, specific work that requires a long stay in one position;
- history of joint surgery;
- heredity;
- hormonal changes in the female body in postmenopause;
- constant hypothermia;
- pathologies of the spine that are not treated;
- insufficient intake of useful micro- and macroelements with food.
Development Mechanism
The mechanism of development of arthrosis is well known. The cartilage, which ensures the normal contact of the two bones, is naturally smooth, without irregularities or roughness, which helps to maintain normal movement in the joints. With a disease, the structure of the cartilage changes, it becomes rough, defects appear on it, which reduce the effectiveness of natural sliding.
Due to the acquired unevenness, the cartilage is gradually injured, in places it begins to calcify, and in places it ossifies. In this 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 can go into a state of chronic subluxation, which will significantly impair its motor function.
Degrees
Doctors divide arthrosis into three main degrees:
- I degree.It is characterized by the absence of a clear clinical picture. The patient may present rare complaints of pain in the affected joint, but generally does not consult a doctor. At the same time, there are changes in the ligamentous-muscular apparatus and in the articular fluid, but there are no visible deformities yet.
- II degree.The symptoms of arthrosis become more pronounced. The pain is characterized as bearable, but occurs regularly. The patient goes to the doctor, as he notes 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, since nerve conduction is disturbed.
- III degree.Characterized by pronounced signs. 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.
The patient will in any case need to clarify the diagnosis from the attending physician. This is due to the specificity of the course of the disease, which is characterized by stages of remission and exacerbation, alternately replacing each other.
Pain during illness
Pain in arthrosis is the most common complaint with which patients go to the doctor. Their characteristic feature is their connection with the time of day, weather, physical activity.
In most patients, pain is exacerbated by walking, running or other type of physical activity directed at the affected joint. As soon as the load stops, the pains gradually subside. Their development is explained by the fact that the cartilage is no longer able to perform its shock-absorbing functions.
At night, discomfort most often occurs as a result of stagnation of blood in the veins. Another reason is the increase in intraosseous pressure during this period.
One of the main diagnostic criteria is the presence of so-called starting pains that bother the patient at the moment when he just started active movement. Starting pains usually subside if physical activity continues. Their occurrence is explained by the presence of articular deposits (detritus) that irritate 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 by which pathology can be suspected.
These include:
- Aches and crunchy sound.Lomota mainly appears when a person has hypothermia. The crunch will at first be barely audible, but as the disease progresses without therapy, it will become audible to the people around.
- Decreased ability to move. At an early stage of the development of 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 muscle structures.
- Joint deformity.It is characteristic of the late stage of arthrosis, but 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 arthrosis?
Who treats arthrosis? In most cases, several specialists are involved in therapy. First of all, an arthrologist, a joint specialist, is involved. Additionally, the patient will also need to visit an orthopedist. If the disease is a consequence of an inflammatory process, then it is recommended to visit a rheumatologist as well.
If necessary, other specialists may be involved during the treatment period. Most often, you have to resort to the services of traumatologists, physiotherapists, masseurs, surgeons.
Diagnostics
Treatment of arthrosis of the joints begins only after the diagnosis is confirmed and the degree of pathology is established. First of all, the doctor interviews the patient in detail and conducts an examination. The presence of characteristic complaints and deformities suggests that there is a disease.
X-ray of the affected joint is an obligatory 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.
Diagnostics using radiography does not always give sufficient results to diagnose the patient. In this case, he can be directed to MRI (this will allow assessing the state of soft tissues and their involvement in the pathological process) or CT (this will make it possible to draw conclusions about the state of bone and cartilaginous structures, the involvement of the nearest anatomical structures in the pathological process).
Treatment
How to treat arthrosis of the joints? 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 patient's general condition and the course of the diseaseBoth conservative and surgical methods of treatment can be used.
Medication
How to treat a disease if it is preferable not to surgery, but to use medications?
Conservative therapy is suitable for patients only at an early stage 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 close to the joint or directly into a vein. But doctors can also recommend pills, although this option for taking NSAIDs is undesirable due to the negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract;
- chondroprotectors- drugs of this group can reduce the destruction of cartilage tissue and enhance regeneration, are especially effective at the initial stages of the formation of the disease.
Surgical
How to cure arthrosis, if the disease has gone far enough? In this 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 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 surfaces.
Exercise
In the early stages of the disease, it is treated not only with medication, but also with physiotherapy exercises. Exercise is an important stage of therapy that helps maintain the functionality of the joint and reduces the likelihood of further progression of the disease.
Depending on the severity of the pathology and the individual characteristics of the patient, the set of exercises is selected individually. The doctor must take into account the localization of arthrosis, which allows the most effective effect on the affected tissues.
Self-study without medical supervision is not recommended, especially at the initial stage. Exercises must be selected so that they are as smooth as possible, without sudden movements.
Exercise therapy classes are effective only if the patient devotes a little time to the recommended complex every day.
Traditional methods
Many people suffering from arthrosis refuse to use medications or surgery until the last moment. In this case, alternative medicines are used as substitutes for medicines.
The most commonly used plants in therapy are:
- Kalanchoe;
- ginger;
- hell;
- laurel leaf;
- garlic;
- cinnamon;
- horsetail and others.
They are used in the form of tinctures, decoctions, poultices to the affected area. It is important to keep in mind that a complete treatment of the disease using 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 arthrosis in old age? Simple preventive measures are available to anyone.
Recommended:
- moderate daily physical activity: walking, cycling, doing simple exercises as a charge, and so on;
- adherence to the basic principles of healthy eating: eat often, but little by little, avoid fast food, overeating, heavy and fatty foods, eating a lot of spices;
- weight control: weight gain leads to increased stress on the joints, which can lead to arthrosis;
- timely treatment of chronic diseases leading 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 arthrosis
Many people confuse arthritis and arthrosis due to the similarity of sound. However, these are completely different diseases.
Arthritis is not called dystrophy and degeneration in the joint tissues, 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 closest to it, bone and ligamentous structures. Pain in arthritis is not associated with physical activity, it can bother the patient even at rest, and there is no crunch in the joints at all.
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 features for each of the pathologies.
It is better to entrust the establishment of an accurate diagnosis to the attending physician in order not to make mistakes with the subsequent treatment and prevention of the disease.
Arthrosis is a serious pathology 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 optimal treatment.
If it is possible to catch the disease at an early stage of development, then for sure it will be possible to do even without surgical intervention, limiting itself only to conservative treatment.