From the old Greek "arthrosis", it is an joint disease ("Arthr-"-Articulate, "-is" -Dissease). Sometimes it is also called osteoarthritis or deformed osteoarthritis (from the former Greek "osteon" - bone).
It will be wrong to call disease arthrosis - this is the name of an entire group of states, which includes many diagnoses.
Any disease of any articulation, regardless of the cause, may be called arthrosis, but this will give nothing to the doctor or patient: the word "arthrosis" is not associated with the cause of the disease or treatment, but only with some symptoms.
The word "arthrosis" is very similar to another term - "this is arthritis". Both describe joint damage, are usually associated with joint pain, but have significant differences.
Normally, arthritis is an illness associated with inflammation in the joint: infection, hereditary diseases or autoimmunes lead to the beginning of arthritis. Its main manifestations include pain, color change, swelling in the inflamed joint area.
With arthrosis, the manifestations are less visible and the causes are completely different.
How the articulation works (knee and others)
The musculoskeletal system needs a person for active movements in space. Bones are a rigid structure, muscles - their driving force and joints - the place of the mobile connection of the bones.
In the articulation structure, there are always two ends of neighboring bones that can move in relation to each other with the help of the muscles and a small gap between them. This joint gap is filled with a special lubricant - synovial liquid. It is necessary for cartilage nutrition: there are no pots inside it, so it takes all the nutrients from Sinovia.
The joint end of each bone is covered with cartilage to protect bone tissue from friction. Cartilage also helps "extinguish" vibration and a clear mechanical load: for example, the knee and joints of the foot during the walk lead most of the energy of the blow to the floor.
The restoration of these cartilage is a long and complex process that does not always end successfully.
All joints are limited by a capsule - a movie that keeps the liquid joint, does not allow it to spread. Almost all joints are supported by ligaments that do not allow neighboring bones to move too much and in the wrong direction.
Why and how arthrosis develops
There are many reasons for the beginning of arthrosis, in some cases it is a combination of factors and sometimes it is impossible to establish the cause.
There are three main causes and more than one additional dozen. The most popular:
- joint injury;
- Congenital joint abnormalities (dysplasia);
- The consequence of inflammation (arthritis) of any reason;
- age (usually over 50 years);
- Violation of metabolism (tracking elements), obesity;
- Excessive load in the joint.
The development of osteoarthritis is divided into three stages:
- Initial. There are no obvious signs, it is difficult to find it. The composition of synovial fluid is changing, its function worsens.
- Pain. Complaints and structural changes appear in the form of bone growth - osteophytes.
- Severe arthrosis. A significant decrease in joint function is added: movements are reduced or completely disappear; The joint is deformed and the appearance of the limb changes.
First, the cartilage structure is disturbed: it is thickened due to a change in the composition of Synovia or for another reason. The swelling of the cartilage tissue worsens its nutrition, so over time, the cartilage begins to become thinner.
Then, in the most loaded parts of the joint, the cartilage almost disappears or is too tight. In return, bone growth begins - the appearance of osteophytes (bone peaks ").
At the end of the disease, bone growth is so pronounced that it limits the movement to ankylosis - complete joint immobility.
Arthrosis symptoms
Initial manifestations: periodic pain after significant physical activity. So morning stiffness comes together - after waking up for several minutes (up to 30), the joint appears to be connected by an elastic bandage: the movements are possible but difficult.
Subsequent symptoms:
- Palpation in the palpation of the joint;
- bone thickening in the joint;
- Movement restriction;
- Increased pain during less significant physical activity;
- Limb deformation.
Most of the time, arthrosis is a disease of large joints of the legs (knee, hip) and hands (shoulder). The foot joints are less common.
Degenerative processes in the joint can still manifest in the form of unusual sounds during movement: crispness, cracking, shock.
Diagnosis
As with any other disease, it begins with the collection of an anamnesis - the history of the disease.
It is especially important for the doctor to find out if there was the presence of risk factors (injuries, arthritis, congenital defects, chronic diseases).
After talking and inspecting the joint, additional methods will be required: tests and instrumental examination.
The main study in the diagnosis of arthrosis is radiography.
The image will clearly see the main changes in the joint: reduction of joint gap, bone growth, deformation. In the early stages, small osteophytes can be seen along the edge of the joint and, in the end, the unequal growths of the bone along the entire joint gap will be visibly.
Ultrasound (ultrasound) is an additional method that will help determine cartilage thickness in the early stages of arthrosis. Arthroscopy is less common: a surgeon puts a small camera directly in the joint gap and receives the image of the cartilage.
Treatment of arthrosis
It is impossible to completely heal arthrosis and return the joint to the original state. The correct combination of various methods will only slow down the development of osteoarthritis, but "to return youth" will not work.
The main tasks of the treatment of deformed knee or hip articulation: hip treatment:
- Moderate physical activity (running, walking, sitting position);
- Special Exercises, Exercise Therapy (Physiotherapy Exercises);
- diet;
- drug treatment;
- Surgical treatment.
With the articulation of the shoulder joint or other location, the principles do not change except the correction of the specific joint load.
Physical activity and exercises are selected in each case with an orthopedic traumatologist by a doctor. The diet usually includes the enrichment of the unsaturated fatty acid diet, a variety of proteins, moderately limits carbohydrates (especially simple ones, they are "fast").
The rejection of bad habits (smoking, taking alcohol in any quantity) significantly decreases the development of arthrosis. The diet also depends on the cause of the disease, chronic diseases. You do not need to take food supplements.
DRUG THERAPY - Analgesics. Of the NSAIDs -Non -esteroid anti -inflammatory drugs are used more often. The choice of appropriate depends on the presence of chronic diseases and the planned duration of management. Less commonly used are corticosteeroids (glucocorticoids, steroid drugs).
Often doctors prescribe chondoprotectors - medicines that contain some of the molecules important for cartilage. In the vast majority of cases, these medications have no effect on the joint, especially in the shapes and ointments of the tablet.
It is extremely rare that these medications can really be needed and give a real effect: by examining intra -articular fluid, you can check the amount of them and with the lack of injected directly into the joint (intraarticular injection).
Conclusions
Arthrosis is a degenerative joint disease associated with cartilage mechanical damage and bone tissue growth. It usually develops in people over 50, after joint injuries or a long -term surplus load.
It is manifested by pain after load, morning stiffness and crisis.