Arthrosis (osteoarthrosis) is a disease of the joints that causes their destruction.It affects 10% of the world's population.
When osteoarthritis is diagnosed, the symptoms are severe and the treatment of the disease must be comprehensive.
It is necessary to reduce stress, normalize nutrition, remove inflammation and relieve muscle spasms.What are the characteristics of arthrosis, how to determine its occurrence and what treatment to choose?
Arthrosis - what is it?
Arthrosis of the joints is degenerative changes in the structure accompanied by pain and visible deformation.The second name of the disease used in the international classification is osteoarthritis.Let's look at the reasons why this happens and how to diagnose it.Osteoarthritis - what is it?
The disease begins with the nutrition of the cartilage and its destruction.The inner layer of cartilage becomes thinner, the joint loses strength, and the bone tissue is filled with salt and growths (to compensate for the strength).
That's why arthrosis is called deforming arthrosis - as it develops, the joint takes an ugly "twisted" shape.
Deforming arthrosis has three stages of development:
- Osteoarthritis of the 1st degree - has no noticeable symptoms, except for a little feeding and periodic pain when moving;
- Osteoarthritis of the 2nd degree - the appearance of growths, the appearance of noticeable pain, increased muscle weakness;
- Grade 3 arthrosis is called the acute form of the disease.Acute arthrosis is accompanied by the appearance of joint deformations and limited mobility.
What joints does arthrosis affect?
Deformation and inflammation most often affect the joints of the lower extremities - hips, knees, toes (usually the big toe).Less - ankles and fingers.
However, it is possible for the disease to develop in other parts of the body.
With coxarthrosis, the hip joints are affected (often the cause of coarthrosis is untreated congenital dysplasia).The destruction of the vertebral joints is called spondyloarthrosis, and the destruction of the knee joint is called gonarthrosis.Damage to several joints is called polyntrosis.
Symptoms of polyneurosis are the severity of the general condition, the spread of the process, curvature and pain in several joints (legs, arms, fingers, back), the spread of the process.
In polynthrosis, inflammation spreads asymmetrically, affecting different bone joints in different ways.Once polyarthritis is diagnosed, the duration of treatment varies.
Causes of arthrosis
The formation of arthrosis is promoted by two reasons - lack of adequate nutrition and deficiency of vitamins and minerals for tissue regeneration.Everyone's joints are under stress.For athletes and dancers, the load on their legs during physical work is greater, which means that bone joints wear out faster and require high-quality nutrition.With a quiet lifestyle, the supporting apparatus wears out more slowly, but also requires periodic tissue renewal.
Therefore, the main condition for the destruction and deformation of the joints is nutrition and absorption of useful components, which often occurs due to metabolic disorders.
We list the factors that contribute to the deterioration of joint joints and metabolic disorders:
- Muscle weakness and improper joint opening.Weakness of one or more muscles increases the joint load and distributes it unevenly in the joint.Also, improper opening of muscles occurs with flat feet and scoliosis, so these "harmless" diseases, age of cartilage tissue and arthrosis appear.
The probability of arthrosis increases with intense physical activity.
If daily loads exceed the capabilities of bone tissue, they are formedmicrotraumas.Thickenings appear in the areas of damage that grow from time to time and deform the joint;
- Metabolic disorders (gastrointestinal diseases - cholestasis, dysbacteriosis, gastritis, cholestasis, pancreatitis, metabolic disease - diabetes);
- Psychosomatic causes - Arthosis' psychosomatics confirm that a negative emotional state is also the cause of the disease.Stress-induced muscle spasms, constant stress disrupts the nutrition of all tissues (internal organs, bones, joints);
- Heredity (metabolism and its possible disorders are inherited, muscle weakness or improper structure of the bone apparatus, for poor digestion, this is the basis for the development of arthrosis in old age).
Arthrosis is a disease of worn-out joints that lose a significant supply of minerals and their capacity for stress and destruction.
Therefore, the susceptibility to the disease increases with age.After 70 years, arthrosis is diagnosed in every second retiree.Since the maximum load falls on the legs (a person moves - walks, stands, works, jumps), this is where the first signs of this form of arthrosis appear.
Symptoms of arthrosis
Joint disease can be diagnosed by a number of painful symptoms - pain, swelling, creaking.
Symptom #1: pain
The main symptom of the disease is joint pain.Its appearance is associated with the deformation of joint capsules and the formation of growths.
If arthrosis is present, pain symptoms will decrease with movement and rest.
Or it appears in an uncomfortable position and disappears when choosing a comfortable position for the foot and joint.In this way, arthrosis is different from arthritis, on the contrary, it hurts less at night, at rest, at rest, when a person "walks".
At the beginning of the disease, pain appears periodically (with movement or an uncomfortable position).As the disease progresses, the pain becomes more frequent and intensifies.It reaches the point where rest does not bring comfort, and the joints suffer from rest.Since this time, the joint becomes "sensitive" to weather changes ("bending", hurts), since blood circulation is already impaired.
Symptom #2: Crunching
Impingement occurs due to the loose mutual adjustment of the bones in the diseased joint against each other.
But in healthy joint capsules (with weak ligaments, heretibi mobile joints) a slight creak is also possible.
The arthrosis crisis is characterized by growth.Over time, it becomes stronger, louder and different.
Symptom No. 3: Joint deformation and reduced mobility
This symptom appears as the disease progresses.It progresses along with increasing pain and is associated with the growth of salt deposits that prevent the joint from fully bending and straightening.Deformation is noticeable in the later stages of the disease.First, swelling of the joint appears, then "twisting", an unhealthy curve is formed, "twisting" of the joint capsule.
Treatment of joints with osteoarthritis
Treatment of arthrosis (osteoarthrosis) is based on two postulates - to eliminate stress and provide joints with adequate nutrition.How can osteoarthritis be treated to achieve sustained growth and stop the destruction of bone tissue?Deformation arthrosis treatment uses a complex approach.The patient was prescribed tablets and injections, compresses and physiotherapy.
When osteoarthritis is diagnosed, treatment cannot be unilateral.
You can not only nourish the cartilage tissue or relax the muscles with chondroprotectors.One-sided measures will not help to cope with such a serious disease.
How to treat arthrosis correctly?Several areas of therapy are selected during treatment:
- Drug therapy: pills, injections, blockades.For arthrosis, treatment with tablets, powders and capsules supplies the body with chondroprotectors.Preparations with chondroitin increase the synthesis of collagen, which nourishes and restores cartilage tissue.These are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.It is produced in the form of tablets for arthrosis, capsules or powders.They help in the initial stages of the disease and lose their effectiveness in advanced conditions when the cartilage is almost completely worn out or destroyed.In this case, the patient undergoes an operation (endoprosthetics) that replaces the operation with artificial tissue.Injections with anti-inflammatory and analgesic components - blockades are also prescribed.And injections into the joint.In the case of arthrosis, with their help, gels, extramural fluid, as well as painkillers and anti-inflammatory substances are also simulated and presented to the bone joint.
Joint injections ensure that the drug reaches the center of inflammation.
The use of such injections allows to reduce the number of tablets for arthrosis.Also, vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed to nourish tissues;
- Therapy.For arthrosis, the attending physician chooses a set of sports to perform independently at home.You can learn how to perform them in exercise therapy classes at the clinic.
Gymnastics for arthrosis helps to restore muscle tone and remove one of the causes of the disease - the weakness of muscle fibers;
- Physiotherapy treatment.It includes shock wave therapy (destroys large salt deposits, destroys blood flow, activates the synthesis of own collagen, oxygen therapy (saturation of the joint with oxygen), massage (discharge of joints), electrotherapy, wave techniques;
- Eating a diet.When osteoarthritis is diagnosed, the course of the disease depends on nutrition.Diet for osteoarthritis excludes any nocturnal plants (potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants).Also, nutrition for arthrosis is alcohol, sugar, baked goods, sweets;
- Use of additional amplifiers(orthopedic corsets to support joints - orthoses);
- Alternative treatment.These include acupuncture (acupressure on reflex points that activate blood flow in certain parts of the body), homeopathic treatment and hirudotherapy.
To successfully treat arthrosis, it is necessary to apply the entire complex of the listed procedures and for several months (from 4 to 7).
Who treats arthrosis?
Which doctor is a specialist in the treatment of arthrosis?We list specialists who can effectively help you:
- A rheumatologist is a doctor who treats with therapeutic methods (tablets, injections, physiotherapy);
- An arthrologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of joint diseases, the diagnosis and treatment of conservative and surgical methods, unfortunately a rare specialty;
- Orthopedics - most often works with patients on an outpatient basis, but in specialized research institutes, orthopedic surgeons perform surgical treatment;
- Therapist and surgeon are doctors available in any clinic;They are the ones you need to contact to receive an application for initial examination and treatment.
Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies
What can you do yourself?When arthrosis is diagnosed, treatment with folk remedies at home often reduces pain and preserves mobility.
Osteoarthritis is often treated with gelatin (which the body uses to repair cartilage tissue).
Prevention of osteoarthritis
Prevention of deforming osteoarthritis consists of the following measures:
- Download limit;
- Massage after physical activity;
- A complete healthy menu with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and bacteria (fermented dairy products), carbohydrates, fats and proteins;
- Overweight control.
When osteoarthritis is diagnosed, the course of the disease depends on preventive measures, nutrition and physical (emotional) stress.
Disease prevention is recommended for people whose jobs and daily activities put increased stress on the joints.And for those over 45 years old.
Osteoarthritis is easier to prevent than to treat.In a healthy state, it is easier to restore cartilage tissue after the destruction of a partner.