Arthrosis is a pathological process in joints that can have different causes.All of them cause one or more joints to break their function and structure.This disease is the most common cause of chronic joint pain.It affects millions of people.In each case, the symptoms and treatment of arthrosis are individual and require observation by a qualified orthopedist.
What is arthrosis?
The basis of the disease is the progressive loss of cartilage, which normally sells adjacent bone sections and provides them 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 outside it (osteophytes) are formed.
The space between the articular surfaces gradually narrows and then disappears completely, and the limbs stop moving.With arthrosis, all joint tissues are affected, including nearby muscles, ligaments, and the joint capsule.Therefore, the treatment of joint arthrosis is a difficult task, and only surgery can help the patient in the later stages.
The most common form of pathology is 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;
- both large and large (bone fractures, as a result of which the articular surfaces are displaced from the normal axis) and microscopic, but permanent (permanent professional or sports load during heavy work);
- Inflammatory processes: infectious arthritis, gout, rheumatoid diseases;
- Metabolic disorders in the body: Paget's disease and Wilson-Konovalov disease;
- congenital developmental anomalies, for example, different lengths;
- Genetic defects in collagen structure, for example, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
- Neuropathy of various origins: diabetic, alcoholic;
- hemophilia, which enters the joint cavity with frequent bleeding.
In order to successfully treat arthrosis of the joints, it is necessary to eliminate the cause.
Symptoms and stages of arthrosis
The disease is accompanied by the following complaints and external symptoms:
- pain and impaired mobility in one or more joints;
- Painful sensations often intensify after exercise, often at night and in severe stages of arthrosis;
- A dangerous complication is joint immobility, the inability to move and take care of oneself.
Frequent forms of the disease:
- Damage to the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and the joint of the thumb, growth, swelling, sometimes painful and inflammation may develop;
- 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;
- Spinal arthrosis: accompanied by the formation of bone spurs resulting in pinching of the nerve roots, pain, weakness, and sensitivity in the limbs.
Arthosis has the following degrees:
- Grade 1: slight limitation of mobility.
- 2nd degree: mobility, a significant limitation of muscles during movements, 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, different profiles, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, neurologists, neurologists, 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.Various influence methods are used for this:
- Pharmacological: To prevent and prevent disease and complications, physiotherapy, weight loss, physical therapy, auxiliary devices (ortosh, boxes, balots);
- Medicines for arthrosis: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially their new generations - selected COX-2 inhibitors;Taking atypical antidepressants to relieve chronic pain;Symptomatic slow-acting drugs have only an auxiliary value, because they have not been proven to slow down the destruction of cartilage;
- In the face of inflammation and severe pain, traumatologists perform fine 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 - through a small video camera (endoscope), removal of pieces of cartilage obstructing the joint, examination of the inner surface of the joint surface;
- Arthroplasty - replacement of 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 - artificial creation of immobility of a joint (most often in the ankle) to relieve the patient of constant pain;
- endoprosthetics - removing the damaged articular ends of the bones and replacing them with an artificial joint.
Prevention
There is no guaranteed way to prevent the disease.Prevention of arthrosis includes elimination of debris overload and timely treatment of diseases that contribute to the destruction of cartilage.Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies slows down the progression of the disease, but helps to temporarily relieve joint pain.It can only be taken as an adjunct to traditional drug treatment 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.