There are more than 180 joints in the human body and they hurt almost everyone. Diagnoses sound different, different treatments are recommended, but the pain does not go away, it only gets worse with age, the relief is temporary.
There is still no consensus in the medical community on this disease, including treatment methods.
What is osteoarthritis of the joints
This is a whole group of diseases of polyetiological nature, in which all parts of the joint are destroyed.
Causes of osteoarthritis
There are many of them and they are not fully understood.
- Osteoarthritis develops after injury. For example, if the knee joint is damaged, osteoarthritis of the knee or gonarthrosis occurs.
- Delayed arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joint. It can be a complication even after ARVI or the result of a specific infection: gonorrhea, tuberculosis, brucellosis, with viral hepatitis, adenoviral infection, rubella, HIV infection.
- High physical activity is a professional problem for athletes. For an ordinary person, any load can become stressful and "start" the process.
- Autoimmune diseases: osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, drug arthropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. For example, dysplasia may be one of the causes of osteoarthritis of the hip.
- Overweight.
- Harmful working conditions.
- Alcohol and bad habits.
The list is incomplete, but already quite impressive.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
The symptoms of osteoarthritis are numerous, but the main one is pain.
Osteoarthritis pain first appears during exercise, decreases during rest. They occur due to microfractures, spasms of the periarticular muscles, irritation of the surrounding tissues by osteophytes. When synovitis develops, the joint swells, the pain appears at the first movements, then disappears and reappears with prolonged exertion.
Necrotic osteophyte (torn piece of articular cartilage) "jams" the joint and causes severe pain, crunch and external changes occur, normal movements are difficult.
Classification Stage one: the movements in the joint are moderately limited, the pain is only with effort, X-rays show insignificant bone growths, the narrowing of the joint space is small. Second stage: the mobility of certain joints is significantly limited, crunch occurs. Pain occurs with the simplest movements. In osteoarthritis of the joints of the legs there is lameness due to shortening of the limb, there is a curvature of the pelvic area, pain in the legs and lower back. The photos show that the joint space is reduced three times, the bone growths are rough, the joint surfaces are damaged. Third stage: the joint is destroyed, with bilateral arthrosis - the movement is possible only with crutches.
Classification
- First stage: the movements in the joint are moderately limited, the pain is only with effort, X-rays show insignificant bone growths, the narrowing of the joint space is small.
- Second stage: the mobility of certain joints is significantly limited, crunch occurs. Pain occurs with the simplest movements. In osteoarthritis of the joints of the legs there is lameness due to shortening of the limb, there is a curvature of the pelvic area, pain in the legs and lower back.
- Third stage: the joint is destroyed, with bilateral arthrosis - the movement is possible only with crutches.
Diagnosis
Osteoarthritis of the knee and osteoarthritis of the hip (coxarthrosis) are the most common diagnoses.
Instrumental examination for osteoarthritis:
- Radiography - to assess the condition of bone tissue.
- Magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography - determines the degree of destruction of the joint and its parts.
- Arthroscopy.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
Conservative treatment (only in the early stages):
- NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-inflammatory and warming ointments, joint orthoses.
- Physiotherapy - to relieve pain and improve blood circulation.
- Chondroprotectors - can be said to be biologically active supplements with a placebo effect.
- Chondroprotectors with NVPS - relief is felt immediately (anti-inflammatory effect), treatment is longer.
- Hormonal drugs
- Hyaluronic acid preparations are a complete "prosthesis" of synovial fluid.
- Plasma treatment - PRP therapy, orthokin therapy.
Surgery
- Endoprosthesis - replacement of joint surfaces.
- Arthroplasty is a method for small and unstressed joints of the hands.
- Arthroscopy.
Prevention
Preventing osteoarthritis, like many complex diseases, is the timely treatment of all infections and careful treatment of your health.