Arthrosis is a pathological process in the joints that can have various 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 supervision by a qualified orthopedist.
What is osteoarthritis?
The basis of the disease is the progressive loss of cartilage, which usually covers the adjacent bone areas and ensures their sliding relative to each other.Under the influence of various reasons, the cartilage tissue begins to break down, immature stem cells are activated in the underlying bone, it thickens and cavities (cysts) and growths (osteophytes) are formed in it.
The gap between the articular surfaces gradually narrows and then completely disappears, and the limb stops moving.In osteoarthritis, all joint tissues are affected, including the nearby muscles, ligaments and joint capsule.That is why the treatment of joint arthrosis is a difficult task, and in the later stages only surgery can help the patient.
The most common form of pathology is deforming arthrosis, affecting the large joints of the lower limbs, as well as the hands.
Causes of arthrosis
Possible reasons for the development of arthrosis:
- endocrine diseases - diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, acromegaly, obesity;
- injuries, both large (bone fractures, as a result of which their articular surfaces are displaced from the normal axis), and microscopic, but permanent (during heavy 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 length of limbs;
- genetic defects in the structure of collagen, for example, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
- neuropathies of different origins: diabetic, alcoholic;
- hemophilia with frequent hemorrhages in the joint cavity.
For the successful treatment of 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 complaints and external signs:
- aching pain and impaired mobility in one or more joints;
- painful sensations intensify after training, often at night, and in severe stages of arthrosis become permanent;
- a dangerous complication is the immobility of the joint, the inability to move and take care of itself.
Common forms of the disease:
- damage to the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and the base of the thumb, they may increase, swell, sometimes become painful and inflammation may develop in them;
- arthrosis of the hip joint: more often 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 squatting position;
- arthrosis of the spine: accompanied by the formation of bone spikes that press on the nerve roots, which leads to pain, weakness, impaired sensitivity of the limbs and constant pain in the lower back.
There are such degrees of arthrosis:
- 1st degree: slight limitation of mobility.
- Grade 2: significant limitation of mobility, crunching during movement, moderate atrophy of nearby muscles.
- 3rd degree: deformation of the joint with almost complete lack of movement in it.
Depending on the degree of dysfunction and the stage of the pathology, doctors from different profiles are involved in the treatment of the disease - therapists, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, neurologists and orthopedists.
Treatment of arthrosis
The goal of treatment is to eliminate risk factors and pain and restore joint function.Various impact methods are used for this:
- non-pharmacological: informing the patient about his illness and preventing complications, physiotherapy, weight loss, physiotherapy, use of aids (ortheses, canes, crutches);
- drugs for arthrosis: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially their new generation - selective COX-2 inhibitors;To relieve chronic pain, taking atypical antidepressants is indicated;symptomatic slow-acting drugs have only auxiliary value, since their effect in 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 allows you to get rid of 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 an 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 - artificially creating immobility in a joint (most often ankle) to free the patient from constant pain;
- endoprosthetics - removal of damaged joint ends of bones and their replacement with an artificial joint.
Prevention
There is no guaranteed way to prevent the disease.Prevention of arthrosis involves removing excessive load on the joints and 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 pain in the joints.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 arthrosis appear, it is recommended to consult a doctor immediately.