Possible causes and treatment of arthrosis

Arthrosis is a pathology in which the joints are gradually deformed. In the initial stage, cartilage and ligaments are destroyed. The process progresses slowly, so the disease is detected at a late stage of development. In the future, this can lead to loss of mobility and disability.

The risk of developing osteoarthritis increases with age. The disease affects both men and women.

Symptoms

Joint pain during movement is the main symptom of the disease, which is why many people consult a doctor in time. The discomfort manifests itself during a long walk or strong physical exertion.

What is arthrosis, the doctor will tell you during the diagnosis of the disease. Pathology can be suspected if the following symptoms appear:

• night pains resulting from stagnation of venous blood and increased pressure inside the joint;
• the appearance of a crunch due to the friction of collapsing cartilage;
• increased pain during heavy loads, this is especially expressed in arthrosis of the knee during squatting, sports (running, jumping, weight lifting), carrying weights;
• meteorological dependence, when the affected joints begin to ache when the weather changes, especially rain or heavy snow, before a cold onset;
• morning stiffness.

The difference between arthrosis and osteoarthritis, the doctor's answer

A doctor and a popular health television host say that the terms "arthrosis" and "osteoarthritis" refer to a disease in which cartilage is damaged and bone tissue grows.

During arthrosis, the cartilaginous tissue of the surface of the joints is destroyed, the mobility of the limb is limited, and severe pain occurs. The pathology is diagnosed in men and women over 40 years old (in women, the main reason is the onset of menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the body).

Osteoarthritis is manifested as a result of deformation of the articular cartilage and affects the bone tissue, affecting the entire joint, which leads to disability.

Other diseases with similar symptoms

There are many diseases whose symptoms are similar to arthrosis:

1. Humeroscapular periarthritis, cervical osteochondrosis, osteoporosis and arthritis of the shoulder joint.
2. Elbow epicondylitis, deforming osteoarthritis, hand rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Coxarthrosis.
4. Rheumatoid and infectious arthritis in children.

Types of arthrosis according to localization

The types of the disease vary depending on where the diseased joint is located. The mildest type of pathology is the shoulder. Osteoarthritis can be diagnosed:

• neck region;
• knee joint (affects both legs, but develops to a different extent);
• ankle;
• hip joint (pathology characteristic of the elderly).

Causes of the disease

The disease can develop without any reason (idiopathic or primary). Pathological processes in the body often trigger a secondary form of pathology. Causes of arthrosis:

• injuries (dislocations, bruises, fractures, ligament tears, damage to the meniscus);
• congenital abnormalities in the development of joints (dysplasia);
• metabolic disease;
• autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus);
• inflammatory processes (acute purulent arthritis);
• infectious diseases (tuberculosis, encephalitis, gonorrhea, syphilis);
• pathology of the endocrine system (thyroid disease);
• bleeding;
• age-related changes in the body;
• frequent hypothermia.

Diagnostics

There are several diagnostic methods:

• x-ray examination;
• arthroscopy (examination with a video camera inserted into the joint through a 4-5 mm incision);
• blood analysis;
• histological examination of synovia (in case of arthrosis, the integumentary cells do not regenerate, atrophic villi appear, the number of blood vessels decreases).

Degree of damage to the joint

Classification is used, including 4 degrees of development of the disease.

The first stage (the disease does not affect the ability to work):

• slight restriction of joint movement in only one direction;
• there is no bone growth on the X-ray;
• cartilage surfaces are uneven;
• the narrowing of the joint space begins.

The second stage (affects the ability to work):

• average movement restriction;
• a strong crack when changing the position of the limb;
• partial atrophy of nearby muscles;
• bone growths, osteophytes;
• the lumen of the slit is 2-3 times smaller than the norm.

Third stage (disability):

• joint deformity;
• movement is limited;
• pain during movement and at rest (relieved by painkillers);
• no joint space;
• muscles atrophied;
• ossification of the joint surface.

Fourth stage:

• severe pain that does not go away after taking painkillers.
• complete destruction of the joint.

Basic treatments

Arthrosis therapy includes several methods. To achieve a positive result, you need to take medicines and control your weight. Physiotherapy and kinesitherapy are prescribed. In severe cases, surgical treatment is performed.

medical

The main task of treating arthrosis is to eliminate pain. For this, drugs belonging to different groups are prescribed:

1. Non-steroidal drugs in the form of tablets, suppositories, ointments, gels, injections. Long-term use of these drugs adversely affects cartilage tissue.
2. Corticosteroids. In severe cases, they are used for pain relief, they do not slow down the development of the disease. In case of uncontrolled use, the cartilage becomes thinner.
3. Pain relievers, antispasmodics. It weakly relieves inflammation, but is effective in pain relief.
4. Chondroprotectors. These are the main drugs for the treatment of arthrosis, they supply cartilage tissues with nutrients and stimulate cell regeneration. They do not have a quick effect, the condition of the joints gradually improves. It is effective even in stage 3 of the disease.
5. Vasodilator drugs. It is necessary to improve blood circulation and eliminate spasms of small blood vessels. Improves the effect of chondroprotectors.

Physiotherapy

In the case of arthrosis, physiotherapy is used effectively. Procedures include heating the joints. Dry heat slows down the destruction of bone and cartilage tissue, reduces pain and improves the general condition of the patient.

The following methods are used to treat the disease:

1. ultrasound effect. High-frequency sound affects the tissues of the body, causing many beneficial effects. With micromassage, the muscles warm up, blood flow in the capillaries improves, and metabolic processes accelerate.
2. Electrophoresis. Medicines are injected into the problem area under the influence of a low-voltage current without affecting other parts of the body.
3. magnet therapy. Application of the method helps reduce inflammatory reactions, strengthens blood vessels, improves blood flow and accelerates cell regeneration in the problem area.
4. Radiation exposure (use of infrared, ultraviolet or laser radiation). As a supplement to other physiotherapy methods or if there are contraindications to their use.

Surgical

In the absence of positive dynamics, surgical methods are used in the treatment of arthrosis:

1. Operative interventions. There are 4 types: joint preservation, joint replacement, joint resection, joint strengthening. The choice depends on the degree of development of the disease, the intensity of the pain, and the individual characteristics of the patient.
2. Thrust. It is performed in case of progressive arthrosis. It performs 2 functions: relieves pain in the damaged joint and relieves tension in the capsule, removes substances from it that destroy cartilage tissue. This is an informative diagnostic method. During the procedure, drugs are injected into the joint after local anesthesia.
3. Arthroscopy. It is often performed on an outpatient basis. During the intervention, sections of cartilage or bone can be removed from the joint, the meniscus can be treated, the ligament apparatus can be reconstructed, and joint surfaces deformed during arthrosis can be cleaned. It is performed under general or local anesthesia.
4. Arthrotomy. The opening of the joint is performed when arthroscopy did not give a positive result. It is indicated for long-lasting swelling of the joint and constant severe pain that is not relieved by medication. It is useful if you want to remove large fragments of cartilage or bone.

Operations to change the position of the joint are performed in cases where it is necessary to improve the position of the bones with structural defects of the joints in order to prevent arthrosis.

exercise therapy

Physiotherapy exercises can help in the initial stages of the disease, when the joint is not yet deformed. Active movements slow down the course of the disease, but in the case of joint damage, when the disease has reached a later stage, physical exercises can contribute to the development of aggravation and destruction of tissues in the problem area.

You should do this only after consulting a specialist, who will help you choose exercises and master the implementation methodology. The first training must be done under the supervision of an instructor.

When performing the exercises, you must follow the rules:

1. Avoid stressing the injured joint.
2. Exercising at a moderate pace does not cause damage to the joints.
3. Rest and training should be balanced.
4. Heavy loading and high-intensity movement increase the pain and cause the joint to swell.
5. In any position of the body, it is necessary to remember the correct posture.

Regular exercise therapy helps to increase the range of motion, relax the muscles, and improve the general condition of the patient.

Manual therapy

In the treatment of arthrosis, manual therapy methods are used in combination with drugs, which increase the mobility of damaged joints, prevent muscle atrophy, and have a positive effect on the patient's entire body.

During the session, the following manipulations are performed:

1. Relaxation (complete relaxation) of the muscles involved in the work of the diseased joint.
2. Low-frequency mobilization of the articular surface to extend the range of motion of the joint to its limit of mobility.
3. Acupressure according to the Schwartz method to relax the muscles.
4. Application of laser and device therapy.

ethnoscience

Folk remedies are actively used in the treatment of arthrosis to activate the production of collagen - the basis of tendons and cartilage. They also reduce joint swelling and pain. Recipes include herbs such as thyme, cinquefoil, dandelion (root), strawberry and birch leaves, and willow bark.

There is a simple but effective way to use birch leaves. For this, you need to choose comfortable clothing that fits tightly to the area affected by arthrosis (high socks or stockings for the ankles, tight stockings for the treatment of the knees, leggings closed to the hip joint). At night, you should cover the affected joint with leaves and wear appropriate clothing. The material cannot be wrapped in polyethylene.

The leaves extract salts, toxins and cholesterol deposits from the diseased joint, the skin becomes smooth and velvety after the procedure. The cure consists of 6-7 procedures, a medical consultation is required before use, because. there may be contraindications during use.

In folk medicine, ointments, infusions, freshly squeezed fruit juices, and poultices are used to combat arthrosis, which doctors often recommend in combination with medications. All non-traditional remedies aim to reduce pain and swelling of damaged joints, restore tissues and improve the general condition of the patient.

But you cannot engage in self-medication, otherwise complications may occur.

Is it necessary to revise the diet

In the case of arthrosis, it is necessary to modify the diet, the purpose of which is to improve metabolic processes, if necessary, to reduce body weight, to strengthen connective and cartilaginous tissues and ligaments. No special diet. In order to achieve good treatment results, the following rules must be followed:

1. Consider the caloric content of meals to remain stable in normal weight patients and return to normal in overweight patients.
2. Fatty, smoked foods, semi-finished products containing flavor enhancers, dyes and preservatives are prohibited.
3. The products must be natural: low-fat fish and meat varieties, seafood rich in minerals and vitamins, fresh fruits and vegetables, durum cheese, butter, low-fat cottage cheese, nuts, chicken eggs, rye and bran bread, rich in high-quality unsaturated fatty acidsvegetable oil .
4. Daily salt intake should be limited to 8 g.
5. Drink at least 2-2. 5 liters of water a day.
6. Include in your diet foods that contain natural chondroprotectors: lean chicken, cartilage, red fish, hard cheese. Increase the use of gelatin, which normalizes the structure of cartilage tissue and strengthens it. For this, it is necessary to add various jellies, jellies, fish with aspic, small jellies to the menu.
7. You have to spend 2-3 unloading days per week (cottage cheese, kefir, fruit and vegetable days).

What are the risks in different stages of the disease

At the initial stage of the disease, arthrosis is manifested by periodic joint pain and partial limitation of mobility. The danger of the disease is that if you ignore the first symptoms, then in the further stages of development, the pathology leads to the destruction of joint tissues. Consequences - complete loss of mobility. Depending on the degree of development of the disease and the condition of the joints, the patient is assigned a disability group.

Prevention

Prevention of arthrosis is as follows:

1. Weight control.
2. Proper balanced nutrition.
3. Moderate physical activity.
4. Avoid hypothermia of the joints.
5. Wearing comfortable shoes.
6. Healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion

The danger of the disease is that a person can completely lose mobility. Knowing the symptoms of the disease, the causes of its development and the methods of struggle, you can get rid of the pathology at an early stage.