Arthritis, more correctly called osteoarthrosis, is a chronic disease of a dystrophic nature caused by the destruction of the cartilage tissue in the joint, which is why the treatment of arthrosis of the joints is extremely necessary.When such a disease occurs, irreversible inflammatory processes begin at the ends of the bones and surrounding tissues, leading to their degeneration.In addition, arthrosis refers to a number of additional degenerative joint diseases, which are characterized by many similar causes of occurrence and mechanisms of progression.
Arthrosis, according to various statistics, affects up to 80% of the inhabitants of our planet, which makes it the most frequently diagnosed joint disease.And among all diseases it is in 3rd place.
The older a person gets, the greater the chance of developing osteoarthritis.Both sexes are equally susceptible to it, except that arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints most often occurs in women.The working population over 30 is the most affected.From year to year, the proportion of patients only increases.
Arthritis causes a painful joint
The development and causes of arthrosis are accompanied by deterioration of the metabolism in the joint, due to which the cartilage tissue loses its elasticity.The reason for this can be the complete or incomplete loss of proteoglycans in the cartilage, which most often occurs due to severe cracks in the cartilage.Loss of these complex proteins can also occur due to disruption of their production by joint cells.
According to experts, the destruction of cartilage can occur due to: hormonal imbalance, deterioration of blood circulation in the joint, deterioration of metabolism, due to hereditary reasons, due to old age, injury and other diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and lichen planus.The most important cause of arthrosis, however, is the excessive load on the joints at a time when they are most vulnerable.
Additional causes of osteoarthritis of the joints include the following:
- previous injuries;
- excessive body weight;
- inflammation due to the development of a severe form of purulent arthritis;
- poor daily diet;
- hypothermia;
- Libman-Sachs disease;
- intoxication of the whole body;
- frequent colds;
- syphilis, tuberculosis, purulent inflammation of the urinary tract, spring-summer tick-borne meningoencephalitis;
- diseases of the thyroid gland;
- chronic bleeding (hemophilia);
- osteochondropathy of the femoral head.
The causes of osteoarthritis are genetic:
- arthrosis of bones and fingers, can be hereditary;
- dysplasia - as a result of abnormal processes during the development of joints and ligaments, which occurs in the womb - leads to wear and tear of the joints and arthrosis;
- pathogenic change in collagen type 2 - in case of damage to the fibrillar protein of the connective tissue.
People who have the following professions or hobbies are most susceptible to the disease: mason, fisherman, blacksmith, loader, athlete.
Symptoms of arthrosis for various reasons
The symptoms of arthrosis can be divided into four groups:
- Painful in nature.The appearance of pain indicates first of all the initial symptoms of arthrosis.The pain can be caused by various reasons, but in arthrosis it is special.First, the pain is characterized by acute manifestations, and a person may feel some discomfort when moving.The pain goes away with rest.At night, the pain can be felt only when turning from one side to another.At rest, the pain becomes constant only in severe forms of the disease.In the initial stages of the disease, pain is felt only with heavy load or palpation.As the condition worsens, the pain intensifies and more and more interruptions are needed to remove it. In severe forms, the pain becomes unbearable, osteophytes appear due to thinning of the cartilage and exposed bone.Bad weather and a full moon increase the pain.
- The appearance of crunch.This type of symptom is also very important in diagnosis.It occurs due to friction between rotating bones, the ends of which have lost their softness and elasticity.Crackling may indicate other diseases or not be accompanied by them at all, but in arthrosis it has a special character, distinguished by its "dryness".This causes pain.
- Deterioration of motor functions of the joint.This symptom is characteristic of an advanced stage of arthrosis and occurs due to the appearance of bone tumors in the joint, which cause spasms and almost completely fill the joint gap.The result is partial immobilization of the joint.
- Joint deformity.The change in the shape of the joint is due to the growth of osteophytes on the bones and the entry of synovial fluid into the joint.This symptom is characteristic of the most advanced forms of the disease.
Arthrosis can successively pass from a state of exacerbation to a state of remission, which significantly interferes with the diagnosis of the disease itself.For this reason, it is recommended to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis.
Thanks to X-rays, the doctor will be able to determine signs indicating one of the four stages of arthrosis:
- Stage 1. The joint lumen can be slightly reduced;no osteophytes are observed.
- Stage 2. Lumen reduction may be more pronounced and osteophytes begin to form.
- Stage 3. A narrowing of the lumen and the presence of a large number of osteophytes are clearly observed.
- Stage 4. The joint lumen almost completely disappears and a pathological change in the shape of the joint begins due to many osteophytes.
Methods of treating arthrosis
It is best to start the treatment of arthrosis at the initial stage of its development, and it should be comprehensive and pathogenetic in nature.Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the causes that worsen the disease.In addition, it will be necessary to eliminate the pathogenic changes caused by inflammation and restore the functionality of the joint.
The integrated approach to the treatment of joint diseases consists of the use of drugs and physiotherapeutic measures.It is possible to prescribe sanatorium-resort therapy, since in some cases the climate, mineral waters and mud have an effective effect.
The treatment of joint arthrosis consists of several basic principles:
- diseased joints should not experience excessive stress and during treatment they should be practically absent;
- follow the orthopedic order;
- participate in recreational physical education;
- conducting physiotherapy, consisting of laser, shock wave, electro- and magnetic therapy;
- at least once a year to be treated in resorts according to a doctor's prescription;
- oxygen therapy - supplying the inside of the joint with oxygen;
- drug treatment;
- method of intraosseous administration of drugs and decompression of the metaepiphysis;
- establishing proper nutrition.
Drug therapy consists of the use of the following drugs:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.Thanks to the integrated approach, you can not only stop the development of the disease, but also to some extent make your life easier.In part, drug treatment is aimed at eliminating pain and inflammation inside the joint.Nonsteroidal drugs are used for this purpose.Experts advise not to use the oral method of administering these drugs, as they can cause quite severe stomach pain.In this regard, based on a specific drug, intravenous or intramuscular injections are used.Additional means, such as ointments, are practically not used, as their effectiveness is extremely low.
- Hormonal corticosteroids.Such drugs are prescribed in case of exacerbation of the disease.Medicines are injected into the joint.For external use, use a patch, tincture or ointment.
- Chondroprotectors.It is prescribed to restore cartilage tissue and improve the quality of the synovium structure.Among these drugs, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are most often preferred.The duration of this course can be considerable until improvement occurs.However, if the required result is not observed within six months, then such drugs should no longer be taken.In addition, along with chondroprotectors, it is recommended to inject drugs into the joint with the addition of hyaluronic acid.Such drugs support the formation of articular cartilage cells.
In particularly severe cases, the prescription of narcotic analgesics is not excluded.But such drugs are prescribed very rarely, only in cases where other drugs have not had the desired effect.
Proper nutrition in arthrosis
An important role in the aggravation of the disease should be given to proper nutrition.It must be balanced.You can not eat a little, but you should not overeat.Due to excess weight, the load on the joints will increase, and with malnutrition, the cartilage tissue will lack important trace elements, as a result of which it will break down.However, the main thing is to create a diet that will help you lose extra pounds.You will have to give up fast carbohydrates, which are contained in sweets and flour.In addition, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially beer, is prohibited.
Fish dishes are welcome, there are practically no restrictions.Only fatty varieties should be avoided - due to their high calorie content, you can gain excess weight again.
Jellied meat is especially valued in the treatment of arthrosis.It may seem strange, but all doctors without exception recommend using it, because it contains a huge amount of various trace elements.The collagen contained in jellied meat is useful because it is an integral part of connective tissue, so in this case it is able to fill the missing amount in the body.As a result, the joints acquire better mobility, and the cartilage tissue becomes more resistant and elastic.
Vitamins, especially group B, play an important role for the body as a whole in this disease.It is this group that allows the normalization of metabolic processes in the body.A properly functioning metabolism will keep your joints feeling great.Thiamine, after entering the body from beans or peas, will accelerate the synthesis of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
To increase hemoglobin, you need pyridoxine, which you can get from bananas, nuts, potatoes and cabbage.It is recommended to pay attention to vegetables and beans - they contain folic acid.The body also needs liver, mushrooms, eggs and fermented milk products.The whole list of vitamins, of course, is contained in vitamin complexes, but it is no secret that natural elements are absorbed better, which means that the healing process will be much faster and more effective.
When eating, you should follow the basic simple rules:
- Before going to bed, you should not eat hard-to-digest foods, as they can provoke an attack of arthrosis;
- food should be taken more often, but in small portions;
- Monitor your body weight all the time so that it does not increase, otherwise large loads on the joints will be ensured, buy a good weight loss and weight control product;
- during periods of relief of the disease after eating, take walks;
- the daily diet should be balanced and drawn up together with the doctor.
It is very important to seek help from a doctor in time.By following certain of his instructions, you can not only stop the progression of osteoarthritis, but also reverse it, allowing you to enjoy your normal life again.