From ancient Greek "arthrosis" is a joint disease ("Arthr-"-joint, "-ointment"-giving). It is also sometimes called osteoarthrosis or deformation of osteoarthrosis (from ancient Greek "osteon" - bone).
It will be wrong to call arthrosis the disease - this is the name of a whole group of conditions that involves many diagnoses.
Any disease of any joint, regardless of the cause, may be called arthrosis, but it will not give the doctor or patient: the word "arthrosis" is not associated with the cause of the disease or treatment, but only to some symptoms.
The word "arthrosis" is very similar to another term - "this is arthritis". Both describe joint damage, often both associated with joint pain, but have significant differences.
Usually arthritis is a disease that is associated with inflammation in the joint: infection, hereditary or autoimmune diseases lead to the onset of arthritis. Its main manifestations include pain, color change, swelling in the area of the inflamed joint.
With arthrosis, the manifestations are less noticeable and the causes are completely different.
How does the joint work (knee and others)
The musculoskeletal system needs a person for active movements in space. The bones are a firm frame, muscles - their driving force and the joints - the place of the mobile bone connection.
There are always two ends of the adjacent bones in the structure of the joint that can move against each other with the help of muscles and a small gap between them. This joint void is filled with a special lubricant - synovial fluid. It is necessary to feed the cartilage: there are no vessels inside it, so it takes all the nutrients from the son.
The article end of each bone is covered with cartilage to protect bone tissue from friction. Cartilage also helps to "extinguish" the vibration and a sharp mechanical load: for example, the knee and joints of the foot while walking take the greater part of the energy from the impact of the foot of the earth.
The restoration of this cartilage is a long and complex process that does not always end successfully.
All joints are limited by a capsule - a film that holds the joint fluid, does not allow it to spread. Almost all joints are supported by connections that do not allow the adjacent bones to move too much and in the wrong direction.
Why and how arthrosis develops
There are many reasons for the onset of arthrosis, in some cases it is a combination of factors, and sometimes it is impossible to determine the cause.
There are three main reasons and more than a dozen additional. The most popular:
- joint injury;
- Congenital joint abnormalities (dysplasia);
- The consequence of inflammation (arthritis) of any reason;
- age (usually more than 50 years);
- Impaired metabolism (trace elements), obesity;
- Excessive joint load.
The development of osteoarthritis is divided into three stages:
- Originally. There are no obvious signs, it's hard to find it. The composition of the synovial fluid changes, its function deteriorates.
- Pain. Complaints and structural changes occur in the form of bone growths - osteophytes.
- Severe arthrosis. A significant reduction in joint function is added: movements are reduced or completely disappear; The joint is deformed and the appearance of the limbs changes.
First, the structure of the cartilage is disturbed: it thickens due to a change in the composition of the son or for another reason. The swelling of cartilage tissue worsens its diet, so over time the cartilage begins to become slower.
Then, in the most loaded parts of the joint, the cartilage almost disappears or becomes too tight. In return, bone growth begins - the appearance of osteophytes (bones "spikes).
At the end of the disease, bone growth is so pronounced that it limits movement to ankylosis - the complete immobility of the joint.
Symptoms of arthrosis
Initial manifestations: periodic pain after significant physical activity. Then the morning stiffness joins - after waking up for a few minutes (up to 30), it seems that the joint is associated with an elastic bandage: the movements are possible but difficult.
Late symptoms:
- Palpation pain of the joint;
- bone thickening in the joint;
- Movement limitation;
- increased pain during less significant physical activity;
- Deformation of the limb.
Most often, arthrosis is a disease of large joints of the legs (knee, thigh) and arms (shoulder). The joints of the foot are more common.
Degenerative processes in the joint can still manifest in the form of unusual sounds during movement: crunching, cracking, shock.
Diagnostics
As in the case of any other disease, it begins with the collection of anamnesis - the history of the disease.
It is especially important for the doctor to understand if there are risk factors (injuries, arthritis, congenital defects, chronic diseases).
After the conversation and inspection of the joint, additional methods will be required: tests and instrumental examination.
The main study in the diagnosis of arthrosis is radiography.
The picture will clearly see the main changes in the joint: reducing the joint gap, bone growth, deformation. In the initial stages, small osteophytes can be seen along the edge of the joint, and in the late uneven growths of the bone throughout the gap of the joints will be noticeable.
Ultrasound (ultrasound) is an additional method that will help determine the thickness of the cartilage in the most stages of arthrosis. Arthroscopy is more common: the surgeon puts a small camera directly into the joint gap and receives the image of cartilage.
Arthrosis
It is impossible to completely cure arthrosis and return the joint to the original state. The right combination of several methods will only slow down the development of osteoarthritis, but "returning the ex -young man" will not work.
The main tasks for the treatment of deformation of osteoarthrosis of the knee or hip joint:
- moderate physical activity (running, walking, sitting);
- special exercises, exercises (physiotherapy exercises);
- diet;
- treatment with drugs;
- Surgical treatment.
With arthrosis of the shoulder joint or other localization, the principles do not change, except for the correction of the load on the specific joint.
Physical activity and exercises are chosen in each case with an orthopedic-traumatologist from a doctor. The diet usually involves the enrichment of the diet with unsaturated fatty acids, various proteins, moderately restricting carbohydrates (especially simple, they are "fast").
The rejection of bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol in all quantities) significantly slows down the development of arthrosis. The diet also depends on the cause of the disease, chronic diseases. You do not need to take nutritional supplements.
Drug therapy - painkillers. NSAIDs -more often, non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs are used. The choice of suitable depends on the presence of chronic diseases and the planned duration of administration. Corticosteroids (glucocorticoids, steroid drugs) are less commonly used.
Very often, doctors prescribe chondroproprotectors - medicines that contain some of the molecules that are important for cartilage. In the greater part of the cases, such drugs have no effect on the joint, especially forms of tablets and ointments.
It is extremely rare that such medicines can really be needed and have a real effect: when examining intracelable fluid, you can also check their quantity with the lack of injection directly into the joint (intra -institutional injection).
Conclusions
Arthrosis is a degenerative disease of the joints associated with mechanical damage to the cartilage and bone growth. It usually develops in people over 50 years of age after injury to the joints or long -term excess load.
It manifests itself from pain after loading, morning stiffness and crunching.