Arthrosis is a pathological process in the joints that can have different causes.All of them lead to disturbances in 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 normally covers adjacent bone parts and ensures their sliding relative to each other.Under the influence of various reasons, cartilage tissue begins to collapse, immature stem cells are activated in the lower bone, it becomes denser and cavities (cysts) and growths (osteophytes) are formed in it.
The space between the joint surfaces gradually narrows and then disappears completely, and the limb stops moving.In arthrosis, all joint tissues are affected, including the nearby muscles, ligaments and joint capsule.Therefore, treating 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, both large (bone fractures, due to 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-Konoval disease;
- congenital developmental anomalies, for example, different limb lengths;
- genetic defects in the structure of collagen, for example, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
- neuropathies of different origins: diabetic, alcoholic;
- hemophilia with frequent bleeding into 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 reduced mobility in one or more joints;
- painful sensations intensify after exercise, 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 oneself.
Common forms of the disease:
- damage to the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and the base of the thumb, they can increase in size, swell, sometimes become painful and inflammation develops in them;
- 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 kneeling and squatting positions;
- arthrosis of the spine: accompanied by the formation of bone spurs that pinch the nerve roots, resulting in pain, weakness, impaired sensitivity of the limbs and constant pain in the lower back.
There are the following degrees of arthrosis:
- 1st degree: mild limitation of mobility.
- Grade 2: significant limitation of mobility, creaking during movement, moderate atrophy of nearby muscles.
- 3rd degree: deformation of the joint with almost complete absence of movement in it.
Depending on the degree of dysfunction and the stage of the pathology, doctors of various profiles participate in the treatment of the disease - therapists, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, neurologists, orthopedists.
Treatment of arthrosis
The goal of treatment is to remove risk factors and pain and restore joint function.Different influence methods are used for this:
- non-pharmacological: informing the patient about his illness and prevention of complications, physiotherapy, weight loss, physical therapy, use of aids (orthoses, canes, crutches);
- drugs for arthrosis: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially their new generation - selective COX-2 inhibitors;Taking atypical antidepressants is indicated for alleviating chronic pain;symptomatic slow-acting drugs have only auxiliary value, because 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 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 that block 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 – artificial immobilization of the joint (most often the ankle joint) in order to relieve the patient of 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 includes removing excess 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 it 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 consult a doctor immediately.