Arthritis and osteoarthritis

Arthritis is a group of diseases caused by infection, improper metabolism, disorders in the immune system, in which there is an inflammatory process in one or more joints. In this case, swelling, redness of the skin and an increase in temperature in the affected area are observed. The process can take place in acute or chronic form. In the first case, the patient has sharp pain in the knee or other joint, in the second case, the disease develops slowly due to insufficient treatment of the pathology in the acute phase. The most common types of arthritis are:

• osteoarthritis - damage to cartilage and adjacent bone tissue and muscle fibers;
• rheumatoid is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that causes irreversible changes in the wrists, phalanges of the fingers and toes, and leads to systemic damage to the body.
• dystrophic - degenerative destruction of joints caused by metabolic disorders, vitamin deficiency, hypothermia or physical exertion;
• traumatic - an inflammatory process that occurs in large joints (knee, elbow, shoulder) after injury;
• Gout (gout) - a systemic disease caused by increased levels of uric acid in the blood and a violation of purine metabolism, most often occurs in men.

Causes of arthritis

Each type of arthritis has its own cause, and the most common are:

• transmitted viral, parasitic, urogenital, fungal diseases;
• the presence in the body of foci of infection in the form of phlegmon, abscesses, ulcers, tuberculosis, caries and others;
• injuries resulting in joint damage;
• excessive physical activity;
• allergy;
• hereditary predisposition;
• metabolic disease;
• unbalanced diet, insufficient amount of vitamins and microelements in food;
• bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, taking illegal drugs);
• overweight.

arthritis symptoms

The causes of the disease can be different, but there are a number of characteristic symptoms that occur in all patients. Seek medical attention if you experience:

• severe joint pain when moving or touching the skin in the joint area;
• stiffness of movement in the morning after waking up;
• swelling around the affected joint, periarticular tissue and ligaments;
• local skin hyperemia, accompanied by fever;
• characteristic creaking of the joints when performing sudden movements;
• feeling tired quickly when doing simple work;
• permanent joint deformity.

Bitan!

If you ignore the first symptoms and do not start the treatment of arthritis, the disease will progress and significantly reduce the quality of life of the patient. In that case, the process can become irreversible and lead to disability!

Stages of disease development

When determining the stage of the disease, the clinical manifestations of the pathology are taken into account:

• First - there is a slight limitation of joint mobility, the ability to self-care and professional activities is preserved.
• Second - the mobility of the joints is significantly limited, there is a squeak when moving, pain in the legs increases when walking and at night.
• Third - deformity of the joints is noticeable, stiffness and severe pain are noticed, working ability is partially lost.
• Fourth - there is a deformation of the joints and loss of mobility, the cartilage is completely destroyed, severe pain creates a psycho-emotional burden, the patient loses the ability to self-care.

Methods of treatment

There is an orthopedic department in specialized clinics, where traumatologists-orthopedists of the highest qualification category treat arthritis. The doctor chooses the treatment option depending on the severity of the diagnosis. In stages I and II of the disease, conservative treatment is carried out:

• drug therapy, including intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid and drugs;
• SVF-therapy - treatment using cells of the stromal-vascular fraction obtained from adipose tissue of the patient;
• PRP therapy is the treatment of joints, tendons and ligaments with injections of plasma obtained from the patient's blood and enriched with platelets.

In the acute period, periarticular blockades and courses of anti-inflammatory drug therapy are performed. During remission, exercise therapy and physiotherapy were prescribed. According to the indications, surgical treatment is prescribed:

• corrective osteotomy of the bones of the lower leg, femur, knee joint in order to restore the axis of the lower extremity;
• therapeutic and diagnostic arthroscopy (LDA), which includes chondroplasty and microfracture to eliminate cartilage tissue defects.

Stage III arthritis is treated surgically. The mobility of the hip joint is restored with the help of arthroplasty (total, unipolar, bipolar). When replacing the knee joint, a total prosthesis is made.

Arthritis prevention

To prevent the development of the disease and consolidate the results of treatment, follow the doctor's recommendations:

• avoid heavy loads on the joints;
• perform physical stretching exercises as well as joint gymnastics;
• organize a proper diet, eat more fish, fresh vegetables and fruits;
• watch your weight, wear comfortable shoes, protect your joints from exposure to cold;
• give up bad habits;
• occasionally take a course of preventive massage;
• strengthen immunity.

What is osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a disease in which there is a deformation and destruction of the cartilage tissue that covers the adjacent joints. As a result, the bone tissue inside the joint becomes dense, cavities and pathological growths (osteophytes) are formed on it. Gradually, the gap between the joints narrows and grows, and they lose mobility.

The disease most often develops in people aged 45 to 50 and older. The most common form of pathology is deforming arthrosis, which affects the hip, knee and ankle joints, wrists and hands.

Causes of osteoarthritis

Bitan!

The main cause of arthrosis is a mismatch between physical activity and the ability of the ankle joint to withstand this load. The transition from acute to chronic arthrosis will lead to deformity and destruction of the joint.

Possible causes of pathology can be:

• diseases of the endocrine system - diabetes, obesity, hyperthyroidism, excessive secretion of pituitary hormones and parathyroid glands;
• various injuries: fractures with displacement of joint surfaces relative to the normal axis, bruises, dislocations, torn ligaments;
• inflammatory processes in the body;
• metabolic disease;
• congenital pathologies - flat feet, different lengths of limbs, dysplasia;
• peripheral neuropathy due to diabetes or alcohol abuse;
• hypothermia and others.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

The disease develops gradually, so the signs of pathology appear after the destruction of the joints begins. Patients cite the following as their main symptoms:

• creaking that occurs when moving;
• joint pain during strenuous physical exertion;
• increased stiffness in the morning after waking up;
• deterioration of joint mobility;
• deformity of the fingers and toes due to bony outgrowths;
• excruciating pain when changing weather conditions and atmospheric pressure, as well as pain at night.

Stages of arthrosis

In the absence of treatment, there are three stages of osteoarthritis:

• Stage I - joint mobility is slightly limited, the amount of nutrients in the synovial fluid is reduced, the load on the joint causes pain.
• Phase II - joint mobility is significantly limited, cartilage begins to disintegrate, creaking and pain appear during movement.
• Phase III - destruction of the cartilage structure and deformation of the joint site, osteophytes are formed on the bone tissue, the joint practically loses mobility, the pain syndrome becomes permanent.

Methods of treatment

Osteoarthritis treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease, relieving pain and regenerating cartilage to restore joint mobility..For this, the patient is prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. In the first and second phase are also carried out:

• injection therapy with the introduction of hyaluronic acid into the joint;
• SVF therapy, based on the ability of the stromal-vascular fraction of adipose tissue to stimulate the regeneration of damaged joints;
• PRP-therapy with the introduction into the joint cavity of drugs that eliminate inflammation and reduce pain;
• periarticular blockade with the introduction into the periarticular tissues of drugs that restore joint mobility.

In cases of prolonged pain, surgical treatment is performed:

• corrective osteotomy to restore destroyed joints (knee, hip, ankle and others);
• therapeutic and diagnostic arthroscopy, including chondroplasty and microfracture to eliminate cartilage defect.

In the period of remission, physiotherapy, physical therapy and massage are recommended.

In the third stage of arthrosis, hip arthroplasty (total, bipolar, unipolar) and total knee replacement are performed.

Prevention of osteoarthritis

To prevent the development of osteoarthritis, experts recommend:

• avoid heavy loads on the joints;
• eat right, include foods that contain collagen and omega-3 in your diet;
• perform regular stretching exercises, preferably visit the pool;
• do not catch a cold;
• wear comfortable shoes;
• reject bad habits;
• control weight.

It is impossible to talk about what is more dangerous: arthritis or arthrosis, because if they are not treated, in both cases there is a complete immobility of the joints, which can lead to their destruction and disability. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that with timely treatment in the clinic, the patient can count on a favorable prognosis.