Arthrosis is a pathological process in the joints, which can have different causes.All of them lead to disruption of the function and structure of one or more joints.This disease is the most common cause of chronic joint pain.It affects millions of people.In any case, the symptoms and treatment of arthrosis are individual and require observation by a qualified orthopedist.
What is osteoarthritis?
The basis of the disease is the progressive loss of cartilage, which normally lines adjacent bone sections and ensures their sliding relative to each other.Under the influence of various reasons, cartilage tissue begins to break down, immature stem cells are activated in the underlying bone, it becomes denser and cavities (cysts) and growths (osteophytes) are formed in it.
The gap between the articular surfaces gradually narrows and then disappears completely, and the limb stops moving.With arthrosis, all joint tissues are affected, including the adjacent muscles, ligaments and joint capsule.Therefore, the treatment of arthrosis of the joints is a difficult task, and in the later stages only surgery can help the patient.
The most common form of pathology is deforming arthrosis, which affects the large joints of the lower extremities, as well as the hands.
Causes of arthrosis
Possible reasons for the development of arthrosis:
- endocrine diseases - diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, acromegaly, obesity;
- injuries, large (bone fractures, as a result of which their articular surfaces are displaced from the normal axis), and microscopic, but permanent (during hard work, constant professional or sports load);
- inflammatory processes: infectious arthritis, gout, rheumatoid diseases;
- metabolic disorders in the body: Paget's disease and Wilson-Konovalov's disease;
- congenital anomalies of development, for example, different lengths of limbs;
- genetic defects in the structure of collagen, for example, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
- neuropathies of various origins: diabetic, alcoholic;
- hemophilia with frequent hemorrhages in the joint cavity.
To successfully treat arthrosis of the joints, it is necessary to eliminate the cause that caused it.
Symptoms and stages of arthrosis
The disease is accompanied by the following external complaints and symptoms:
- aching pain and impaired mobility in one or more joints;
- painful sensations intensify after exercise, often at night, and in severe stages of arthrosis they become permanent;
- a dangerous complication is the immobility of the joints, the inability to move and take care of oneself.
Frequent forms of the disease:
- damage to the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and the base of the thumb, they can enlarge, swell, sometimes become painful and inflammation develops;
- arthrosis of the hip joint: more common in men, associated with heavy physical work;the main cause of this disease in women is obesity;
- arthrosis of the knee joint: more often associated with professional activities in a kneeling and sitting position;
- arthrosis of the spine: accompanied by the formation of bony bushes that press on the nerve roots, resulting in pain, weakness, impaired sensitivity in the limbs and constant pain in the lower back.
There are such degrees of arthrosis:
- First degree: slight limitation of mobility.
- Second degree: significant limitation of mobility, jerking during movements, moderate atrophy of nearby muscles.
- 3rd degree: deformity of the joint with almost complete lack of movement in it.
Depending on the degree of dysfunction and the stage of the pathology, doctors of different profiles - therapists, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, neurologists and orthopedists - are involved in the treatment of the disease.
Treatment of arthrosis
The goal of treatment is to eliminate risk factors and pain and restore joint function.For this, different methods of influence are used:
- non-pharmacological: informing the patient about his illness and preventing complications, physiotherapy, weight loss, physiotherapy, use of assistive devices (orthoses, canes, crutches);
- drugs for arthrosis: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially their new generation - selective COX-2 inhibitors;To relieve chronic pain, taking atypical antidepressants is indicated;slow-acting symptomatic drugs have only auxiliary value, since their effect on slowing cartilage destruction has not been proven;
- with accompanying inflammation and severe pain, traumatologists perform intra-articular injections of glucocorticoid hormones;
- The most effective method is surgery, which makes it possible to remove pain and restore mobility.
Different types of operations can be performed:
- arthroscopy - examination of the inner surface of the joint using a small video camera (endoscope), removal of cartilage fragments blocking the joint;
- arthroplasty – replacement of the cartilage surface with artificial material;
- osteotomy - cutting or removing part of the bone to restore the normal axis of the joint;
- Arthroscopic surgery - surgical restoration of cartilage integrity;
- arthrodesis – the artificial creation of immobility in the joint (most often the ankle) to relieve the patient from constant pain;
- endoprosthetics - removing damaged articular ends of bones and replacing them with an artificial joint.
Preventing
There is no guaranteed way to prevent the disease.Prevention of arthrosis includes the elimination of excessive load on the joints and the timely treatment of diseases that contribute to the destruction of cartilage.Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies does not slow down the progression of the disease, but helps to temporarily relieve joint pain.It can only be considered as an adjunct to traditional drug therapy or surgery.
Time is a negative factor for a patient with arthrosis.The sooner therapy is started or surgery is performed, the better the results.Therefore, if symptoms of osteoarthritis appear, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor.