arthrosis

The surfaces of the bones that make up the joint are covered with a special, hyaline cartilage - smooth, which provides the least force of friction during the motor abilities of the joint surfaces. If arthrosis is diagnosed, it means that the cartilage is in the process of destruction.

As it progresses, the destructive process spreads to the bones and then to the joint capsule.

The disease has a universal code for microbe 10 - M15-M19, classifying it as a class of pathologies of musculoskeletal and connective tissue.

According to medical statistics, 12% of the world's population suffers from osteoarthritis, most of whom are elderly, over 65 years of age. However, every year there is an alarming trend of increasing the number of cases among young people.

The diagnosis is not fatal, but arthrosis is insidious with its recurrences and the threat of complete disability.

Mechanism of origin

The disease develops gradually, we can conditionally distinguish four stages:

1. Initially, an area of cartilage that is poorly supplied with blood or damaged appears at the site of cartilage. Gradually, in the presence of traumatic factors, the area does not recover, but, on the contrary, grows.
2. The body, trying to rebuild collapsed cartilage, replaces damaged areas with mineralized tissue that lacks a clear structure. Such tissue is, in general, an inferior substitute for smooth, slippery, and elastic hyaline cartilage.
3. Gradually, the surface of the cartilage becomes covered with scars and bone growths - osteophytes.
4. Healthy areas of multiplied load wear out very quickly, and as a result, the entire cartilage tissue turns into one big scar.

If the pathological process is not stopped, the joint will experience the following harmful changes:

• bones are involved in the process of destruction;
• the synovial membrane becomes inflamed;
• the joint capsule becomes thicker, loses elasticity;
• the lumen of the joint space decreases rapidly;
• bones, unable to withstand friction, deform, as does the joint as a whole;
• joint tissues are reborn, completely losing the ability to move.

Types of arthrosis

This disease affects absolutely every joint surface! At the same time, despite the same mechanism of pathology, it is classified into several types.

So, depending on which joints are diseased, they differ:

• arthrosis of the knee joint or patellofemoral arthrosis (abbreviated gonarthrosis);
• arthrosis of the hip joint (abbreviated coxarthrosis);
• arthrosis of the shoulder joint;
• interphalangeal arthrosis;
• ankle osteoarthritis;
• arthrosis of the hand;
• cervical arthrosis;
• arthrosis of the jaw;
• arthrosis of the metatarsophalangeal joint;
• arthrosis of the ilium;
• clavicular-acromial arthrosis;
• temporal arthrosis;
• heel arthrosis;
• arch arthrosis affecting the arch processes of the vertebrae (abbreviated as spondyloarthritis);
• arthrosis of the facet articulation of the spinal joints;
• uncovertebral arthrosis;
• osteovertebral arthrosis;
• talonavicular arthrosis.

According to the specifics of the course of the pathological process in the cartilage tissue, there are:

• deforming arthrosis is the name of a disease that has passed into the terminal (final) phase;
• arthrosis, - the presence of a classical inflammatory process is characteristic;
• chronic;
• acute osteoarthritis.

According to the causes of pathology, there are:

• dystrophic arthrosis of the joints associated with a critical metabolic disorder;
• arthrosis of the fracture caused by corresponding injuries;
• posttraumatic arthrosis.

It is important to know! There is no arthrosis of internal organs, for example, arthrosis of the heart is not a type of disease, but a consequence: violation of cardiac activity due to the destruction of the cartilage of the chest.

There is another classification, according to whether the disease is independent or caused by provoking factors:

• primary - occurs on completely healthy cartilage, another name - idiopathic arthrosis, or occurs with senile age-related changes;
• secondary - caused by many reasons.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

There are quite typical signs of arthrosis of all localizations, which, depending on the stage of development of the pathology, differ in severity:

• pain, pain syndrome, exacerbated by high humidity and hypothermia;
• reduced joint mobility;
• cracking, creaking and scraping during movement of joint surfaces;
• external changes in the contour of the joint;
• swelling and edema;
• redness of the skin.

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The most initial signs of the disorder are mild or moderate, short-term pain, which almost never occurs at night, but usually occurs only with the load on the joint surface.

When the inflammatory processes pass into the final phase, the patient begins to feel unbearable, "biting" pain due to blood stagnation and increased pressure in the joint bag. The pain is characterized by longevity, at any time of the day, regardless of whether the affected area is at rest or in motion.

joint stiffness

This symptom is typical of a fairly advanced disease. At the same time, in the early stages, the patient still in the morning, after waking up, feels discomfort when moving in the form of a feeling of some stiffness.

With the progression of destructive reactions, the patient notices:

• limiting the amplitude of normal movements;
• inability to change the position of the limbs at rest, even when trying to manually bend the wrist;
• strong fixation (contracture) in a certain position of the joint, which for a long time was in a state of lack of motor activity.

Finally, in the fourth phase of the pathology, ankylosis is formed in the form of replacement of joint tissues with scars, with complete loss of functionality.

Sounds in the wrist

Crunching can be accompanied by any bone and cartilage dysfunction, not just arthrosis.

However, this disease is characterized by the sound:

• occurs only in the aching joint;
• accompanied by difficulty in movement;
• tends to intensify with the progression of the pathology, and enters the time of formation of ankylosis.

Changing the appearance of the joint

In the later stages, noticeable changes appear. Thus, the axis of the affected limb is bent, and the joint region itself is disfigured - it grows in size, the shape changes ugly.

All this testifies to the irreversible destruction of the joint, within which new, without a specific structure, tissue was formed.

If such a disease-causing process occurs in the knee, then the load on the ankle and metatarsophalangeal joints will increase, which will damage them over time.

If the externally deformed part of the body is swollen or swollen, it means inflammation of the synovial membrane, due to which synovial fluid accumulates in large quantities in the joint sac, causing severe pain.

Causes of osteoarthritis

The pathology can occur in one joint or spread to several. This disease occurs least often at a young age - there is still enough vitality for the body to heal itself.

However, for all age groups, the causes of the occurrence in their direction of exposure are:

• internal - some diseases, bad habits, unbalanced diet, etc. ;
• external, - injuries, professional factor.

Internal causes are factors that cause a negative change in the joint in the form of joint inflammation. There are inflammations of different origins:

• infectious (E. coli and Koch's bacillus, viruses, chlamydia, staphylococci, Treponema pallidum, etc. );
• rheumatism;
• purulent arthritis;
• autoimmune nature;
• gout;
• psoriasis.

In addition, causes of internal exposure include congenital or acquired cartilage disorders and malnutrition, which may be related to:

• genetic defects and mutations;
• anomalies of intrauterine development, including perinatal trauma;
• advanced age;
• osteoporosis, i. e. "leaching" of constituent elements from bone tissue;
• hormonal disorders and overload, including menopause;
• violation of normal metabolism;
• lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet;
• diseases that cause muscle weakness;
• internal prolonged intoxication.

Exacerbation of many musculoskeletal diseases also leads to cartilage degeneration.

External causes of the development of the disease are factors that damage the joint, such as:

• frequent hypothermia;
• dislocations;
• strong blows;
• fractures;
• meniscus injury;
• strong physical activity (lifting weights, for example);
• professional sports;
• joint surgery.

Degrees of arthrosis

According to the clinical manifestations and the process of disease progression, there are four stages of arthrosis:

1. 1st degree arthrosis, this is the initial stage of arthrosis, characterized by latent symptoms in the form of negative changes in the composition of synovial fluid and weakening of muscle fibers, if pain occurs, it is only during physical exertion;
2. 2nd degree arthrosis - this is already a feeling of pain due to the collapse of bone articulation and the formation of osteophytes, reflex neurotrophic regulation is disturbed and audible crunch occurs;
3. grade 3 arthrosis is characterized by significant degenerative changes in the joint, its visible deformation with curvature of the limb axis, ligaments shorten, and the joint becomes pathologically mobile;
4. Grade 4 arthrosis is complete ankylosis, complete contracture and severe pain even at rest.

All four phases take place unevenly: sharp exacerbations and moments of remission are possible during the pathological period.

Treatment of osteoarthritis

It has been clinically proven that treatment and prevention in the form of elimination of provoking factors of hyaline cartilage damage, although they do not alleviate the disease in the initial phase, stop its development and restore joint functionality.

Basically, the disease of small and medium severity is treated by conservative methods. In case of severe destruction of the cartilaginous surface, which led to bone destruction, surgical arthroplasty is indicated.

In this case, the main principles in treatment are:

• an integrated approach involving the use of several therapeutic methods;
• purposefulness, ie the concentration of efforts to eliminate the factors and consequences that cause the disease.

Treatment with folk remedies

Since you are treated comprehensively, but at home, you can additionally reach for the healing recipes of folk healers that offer effective treatment of health problems through medicinal herbs and bee products.

From plants use:

• bay leaf in the form of decoctions, tinctures of vodka and specially prepared oils, which are used externally, directly in the area of inflammation;
• honey arthrosis treatment has established itself as a reliable topical remedy that relieves inflammation in the form of rubbing and nourishes the skin, muscles and cartilage;
• cabbage leaf, - better than white cabbage, - mash it a little, then wrap it around the sore spot, warm it with a woolen cloth and keep it all night;
• aloe juice in the form of compresses and rubbing into the skin;

It also helps to treat osteoarthritis of the knee joint with burdock: the leaf is wrapped in a sore spot that is isolated all night.

It is important to know! Using phytotherapy, it is necessary to increase the effect, forget bad habits and take care of proper nutrition.

Osteoarthritis medications

Drug treatment related to the classical method of therapy is divided, depending on the dosage form, into drugs:

• external use, in the form of ointments for osteoarthritis, rubbing, lotions;
• injections;
• Arthrosis tablets;
• capsules.

Fats

The pharmaceutical industry produces medical ointments based on natural, highly active ingredients:

• heparin ointment.

A medicine containing 1% diclofenac helps well: the gel is applied to the skin.

Injections

Injections have proven very good in treatment, not only intravenously and intramuscularly, but also directly into the affected area, for example, with nonsteroidal drugs.

Thus, intra-articular injections are injected into damaged joint tissues:

• glucocorticoids, which improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue, relieve inflammation and increase elasticity;
• chondroprotectors and intraarticular fluid analogs;
• hyaluronic acid as a lubricant and painkiller.

Preparations in the form of tablets and capsules

A special group in drug therapy are the so-called chondroprotectors for arthrosis, which contain structural elements of hyaline cartilage and thus restore it.

These drugs are available in the form of tablets and capsules intended for oral administration through the gastrointestinal tract (orally).

In addition, patients are prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - anti-inflammatory drugs for osteoarthritis of the nonsteroidal group, stopping acute pain and relieving exacerbations.

Painkillers are also used in the form of novocaine blockade.

In addition, complex vitamins are prescribed for osteoarthritis.

From natural preparations of local action, medical bile is recommended, which is applied in the form of a coating on the skin.

Exercises for osteoarthritis

Special exercises and corrective gymnastics (LFK) have proven to be excellent, the complex of which gives physical activity to an unhealthy part of the body in a mild, dosed way.

Dr. Bubnovsky and Evdokimenko developed their own sets of therapeutic exercises.

It is important to know! Exercise helps to restore health very effectively, but only if you resort to it at the very beginning of the development of the disease!

Massage for osteoarthritis

It has a very beneficial effect on treatment and medical massage, which improves microcirculation and nutrition of deep tissues.

Diet for arthritis

In this condition, it is important to adhere to a proper, rational diet in order to improve the patient's condition a little. Recommended abstinence from overeating, exclusion of animal fats and fried foods.

It is important to know! In addition, in the fight for healthy cartilage, it is necessary to use physiotherapy in the form of magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, paraffin and therapeutic mud wraps.

Which doctor treats arthritis

First of all, with complaints of joint pain, you should go to a therapist. He is the one who, after summarizing the patient's history and asking him in detail, will give a referral to the necessary narrow specialist.

These can be, depending on the cause of the disease and its type, doctors of profiles such as:

• orthopedist;
• traumatologist;
• surgeon;
• rheumatologist.