Osteoarthritis: symptoms, treatment

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which is characterized by slow and progressive destruction of articular cartilage. Arthritis includes a group of common diseases, destructive inflammatory nature, and which have different causes and development of tourism in terms of mechanisms.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world, occupying the leading position in men and women over 30 years of age, and with age the table of developing the disease increases unnecessary.

The causes of pathology

Osteoarthritis develops as a result of violation of metabolic processes in the joints, against which the intra-articular cartilage begins to lose its water comes and flexible. Contributing factors, such as changes in cartilage can be internal of external causes and:

• the hormonal changes;
• age features;
• genetic predisposition;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• excessive load on the joints;
• trauma and injuries, sprains, fractures, bruises, torn ligaments;
• changes in metabolism within the joint, obesity, diabetes;
• hypothermia;
• an inadequate unbalanced and nutrition, allowing the body to lose calcium, omega-3 and 6-ny-fat proteins;
• the inflammatory process in the joint;
• violation of the blood supply of the femoral head – Perthes disease;
• problems blood the son of clotting, a hereditary disease;
• autoimmune diseases – lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis.

Trigger the development of osteoarthritis can also specific diseases, which have nothing to do with the joints, namely:

• gonorrhea;
• syphilis;
• hyperthyroidism;
• thyroid inflammation.

At risk are people who engage in heavy physical labor, forced hypothermia, the experience and the stress increased musculoskeletal system - miners, Smiths, athletes, movers and pregnant women.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis

The first symptom of osteoarthritis is pain at the slightest stress on the joint, which passes quickly, as soon as left alone common. Osteoarthritis is characterized by 4 major clinical symptoms:

1. Pain – pain when osteoarthritis is the some of the features, unlike the pain of an accident or joint inflammation in. First of all, a man should pay attention to, the occurrence of, and any discomfort pain movement and connection of the load affected. There is a person, stop the movement and remove the strain, because of the pain less pois, which is not possible in trauma or inflammation of the joint. At night, collapsing the joint almost does not cause patients and discomfort pain is possible, when you change the position of the body, but quickly they passed by. In severe progression of destructive processes in the joints at night may experience sharp shooting pains that comes and eventually stronger to make changes in lifestyle. Acute pain is manifested in a change in the weather, changing moon phases, even the slightest exertion.
2. Crunch – the sound is the result of the calculated softness of the rotation of the bones around the joint, which leads to rubbing of bones against each other and is accompanied by the characteristic crunch. The progression of the degenerative processes in the joint, the crunch intensifies and is accompanied by pain.
3. Limitations of joint mobility – early stages of development of the pathological process, the expressed restriction of mobility of the there, but because of the progression of the destruction of the joint inside the patient harder to do simple actions. Eventually the affected joint is completely immobilized.
4. Deformation of the joint, the bone surfaces are beginning to grow and osteophytes synovial fluid. Deformation of the joint is detected running on the extent of the pathological process.

Degenerative processes in the joint do not develop rapidly, the disease is characterized by stages of exacerbation and remission, what patients are reluctant to seek medical help, thereby contributing to the progression of destructive processes within the joint.

Step

Step the progression of the pathological process is determined by using x-rays. Share in vain 4 stages of the disease:

1. The first is characterized by a slight narrowing of the joint space, which is not there in the pathology of tumors of the bone;
2. The second is a slight narrowing of the joint space on the surface of the bone osteophytes are formed;
3. Third – the joint space is narrowed, the surface of the bone multiple osteophytes, is the deformation of the joint;
4. Four – articular slits are almost there, there are multiple osteophytes, severe deformation of the joint.

Degree

Osteoarthritis is expressed in the form of degenerative destructive processes and joint which affects the cartilage, the development and changes in the capsule of the synovial membrane and joint ligaments of the bone structures in and around the. Depending on the severity of the intensity of the damage and these is accepted to allocate 3 ° osteoarthritis.

Published for the first degree

Expressed deformation of the connection or the other, but the disturbed synovial fluid – this leads to inadequate supply of joint tissue nutrients, water and minerals, causing the cartilage to become fast and flexible are not adapted to the load. Over time and this causes the inflammation is accompanied by pain with movement and joint stress.

Published for the first degree of osteoarthritis in one of their patients do not seek medical treatment, and writing the poi discomfort and pain in an uncomfortable position during sleep, fatigue, an unhealthy way of life. Sometimes the patient may notice a characteristic crunch in the affected joint, but this is not accompanied by severe pain, but no discomfort, again, no one paid much attention to.

If osteoarthritis is diagnosed, coincidentally, in the first stage of the disease is easily treatable.

Secondary

At this stage, the disease is associated with destructive processes in the cartilage tissue in the joints. The surface of the bone to persevere growth of osteophytes, and the load the more intense the affected area, the more pronounced the advancing destruction.

The patient complains of This pain and constant aching shooting character, which will be held regularly for a long time and it can make it feel. Then the disease progresses again. The underlying pathological process of the muscles that surround the inflamed joint, gradually lose their functions, when you get tired easily and the patient can withstand physical stress, which easily lasts, before. Secondary osteoarthritis, the patient gradually progressive deformity of the cartilage and joint.

Third degree

Is the most serious. Intra-articular cartilage affected by thinning hard and the joint breaks, which leads to a clear and visible shape changes in the dysfunction of the limbs. Next to joint ligament missty shortage of nutrients oxygen and and gradually atrophy, which involves the difficult exercise capacity. In this case, all of the patient at the same time suffer from acute pain, which grows to change all the companies in the position of the body, becomes, when the weather and moon phases and gradually leading to a complete loss of function.

Arthritis

Depending on what the cause trigger of the pathological process in the joint is primary osteoarthritis, secondary and idiopathic.

The primary develops as an independent disease, the secondary consequences of trauma or infection, and the cause of idiopathic form is not known. In addition, the classification of the disease depending on the cause of the pathological process distinguish osteoarthritis of the site localization of destructive changes:

1. Gonarthrosis is the most common pathology characterized by lesions of the knee. Osteoarthritis most often observed in people with obesity, chronic diseases of metabolism in the body, weak immune system. Osteoarthritis of the knee progresses for a long time and gradually leading to complete loss of motor activity.
2. Osteoarthritis ankle – the main reasons of development of degenerative processes of the ankle injuries, sprains, strains, fractures. In some cases, the pathological process can trigger autoimmune disease, disease – rheumatoid arthritis. Ankle osteoarthritis is exposed to dancers, women wearing high heels, athletes.
3. Shoulder joint osteoarthritis is the main cause of degenerative processes are at this stage congenital abnormalities of the shoulder joint or excessive load region, for example, when carrying heavy luggage on shoulders.
4. Coxarthrosis, or arthrosis of the hip joint – are the main cause of the appearance of age-related changes in the tissues of the joint. In danger people are over 45 years old.
5. Encountres or osteoarthritis of the cervical spine – the causes are injuries to the neck, progressive low back pain, obesity, lack of exercise. Danger man working on computer in the office. In addition, the expressed pain in the neck in patients with marked dizziness, depression of consciousness, memory impairment and fatigue. These symptoms are caused by compression of the vertebral artery, through which the brain and get the nutrients oxygen.
6. Spondiloarthrosis – destructive destruction of the affected tissues of the spine, i.e. the lumbar spine in his Department. Risk group of women during menopause, such as spondylosis progresses on the background of lack of female sex hormones.
7. Osteoarthritis of the fingers – develops for the same reason that the spondylosis.
8. It polyarthrosis – characterized by involvement of multiple joints with progressive degenerative processes in them, when the pathological process of the ligaments, muscles and tissues around the joint.

Possible complications

In the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis of the proceeds to get the other joints, promote gruzevich protrusions of the development and a total of polyarthrosis.

Complications of osteoarthritis of the modes are as follows:

• the destruction of the integrity of the joint;
• shape deformation;
• restriction;
• disability of the patient.

These All lead to complications decreased significantly the quality of life of the patient, the pay-related diseases and disorders, fully immobilize the patient.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis of the disease, the patient should ask for help the traumatologist-the orthopedist. In order to distinguish osteoarthritis other diseases of the joints and musculoskeletal system is prescribed in the x-ray in 2 projections. This research will help you locate modified parts of the tissues adjacent to the affected joint, English damage, and the bones of ligaments, osteopenia sprawl.

If necessary, the doctor may also prescribe an MRI, CT scan and arthroscopy. In some cases, produce a puncture of the joint for specimen collection synovial fluid.

Treatment of osteoarthritis

Treatment of arthritis is best done in the early stages, then the disease will respond better to conservative treatments. It is important to establish the cause of progressive destructive changes and joint in time to arrest these factors.

Osteoarthritis treatment is complex, and it involves the removal of the inflammatory process, relieve pain, halt progression of the pathological process and the functions of the restoration of the lost connection. Conservative treatment includes Ah drug methods of occupational therapy and treatment.

Medication

Osteoarthritis treatment varies in different places of localization of the pathological process:

1. Osteoarthritis of the fingers and hands – the patient to reduce pain prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of lotions, cream, gel. To prevent the progression of the pathological process is shown receiving chondroprotectors. Kun the relief of an acute inflammatory process prescribed massage and physiotherapy treatments.
2. If osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint joint injections, painkillers and the patient non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Oral can schedule an appointment with antispasmodic drugs that relax the muscles and reduce the intensity of pain. Relief of acute inflammation and pain shown to therapeutic exercise and massage.
3. Osteoarthritis of the knee – given the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs topically in the form of compresses, lotions, gels. The affected joint shows, occupational therapy treatments.
4. Osteoarthritis of the hip joint – the affected area apply compresses soaked in cream gel or NSAIDS-a group of inside the joint is injected with painkillers by injection.
5. Osteoarthritis of the knee affected area apply creams and gels analgesic effect, and after the pain and the relief of acute inflammation shown physical methods of treatment.
6. Ankle osteoarthritis – the patient is advised strict bed rest as possible rest the affected joint. With the subsiding of the acute inflammatory process is prescribed occupational therapy, massage and spa.

Occupational therapy treatment

Effective physiotherapeutic method is often used in different severity of osteoarthritis are:

• Shock wave effectively relieve the patient's treatment growths osteophytes, removal of pain and limit joint mobility;
• Stimulation of the muscles around the affected joint electrical currents, this procedure is very effective in patients with severe and helps to improve the mobility of the blood supply to the joint, accelerating the regenerative processes, improves muscle tone;
• Ozone -, the cavity of the affected joint gas mixture is introduced, thereby reducing patient pain, normal joint flexibility, fade the signs of inflammation. For maximum effect, ozone therapy courses are conducted;
• Phonophoresis – the impact on the affected area ultrasound waves, which drug. This is a method medications much more effective, because the ultrasonic waves provide the drug directly to the lesion.

In addition, occupational therapy treatment includes occupational therapy, massage, manual therapy, mekanoterapia.

Diet

Diet osteoarthritis should be rich and contains a balanced content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, trace elements. It is recommended to include in the diet of fresh fish, vegetable oils, cheese, dairy products, meat, vegetables and fresh fruit.

The diet should flour and close the poi "fast" carbohydrates, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, pork, fatty and spicy dishes.

Surgical treatment

If conservative treatment has not led to the expected result or osteoarthritis diagnosed at a late stage, when there are dystrophic changes in the joint, with severe movement restriction, then the patient is prescribed surgery.

Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis is performed in several ways:

1. Puncture of the affected joint – this is the method and as well as diagnostic therapeutic. Specimen collection synovial fluid allows to accurately determine the origin of the disease nature and to choose an effective medicine. During the operation of the puncture of the joint cavity of corticosteroids are given and various anti-inflammatory drugs, which ease and as soon as pain relieves the load on the joint.
2. Arthroscopy of the joint cavity, the arthroscope in-depth examination of common inside. During the operation, the doctor can remove bone tumors and various growths.
3. Osteotomy – operation of the joint bones a little adjusting special tools attached and in the correct position, which allows to recover not in vain in the motor skills training, but also to relieve the patient's pain and severe pain.
4. Artificial joint surgery has destroyed the joints is removed, in its place and installed a prosthesis of high quality material, which has fully assumed the functions lost the connection, give full mobility to the patient and the limb to save the pain.

Prevention

Prevention of osteoarthritis is the integrated campaign:

• maintain a healthy and active lifestyle;
• rational and adequate nutrition;
• the removal of bad habits;
• prevention of injuries and damage to the joints;
• timely treatment of inflammatory processes.

People in risk groups should be especially attentive to the slightest changes in the joints and the appearance of pain, crunching creaking immediately and seek the advice of traumatologist-orthopedist.