Osteoarthritis: symptoms, treatment

Osteoarthritis is a and on the other hand, degenerative disease of the joints that is characterized by a slow and progressive destruction of guided intra-articular cartilage. Osteoarthritis includes a group of joint diseases destructively-of an inflammatory nature, which have different causes and similar mechanisms of development.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world, which occupies the position of leadership of women and men over the age of 30 years, and with age the risk of developing the disease is on the rise.

The causes of the pathology it is

Osteoarthritis develops as a result of the infringement of exchange processes in the joints, the bottom of which guided intra-articular cartilage begins to lose water and it is not elastic. Scars factors such changes in the cartilage can be internal and external causes:

• the hormonal changes;
• the features of age;
• the genetic predisposition;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• the excessive load on the joints;
• dragged by the injury – sprains, fractures, heavy bruising, rupture of the ligaments;
• metabolic changes in the interior of the joint, related to obesity, diabetes;
• the supercooling;
• defective and food is a little balanced, causing the body does not get the calcium, omega 3 and 6, fats, and proteins;
• process of inflammation in the joint;
• the violation of the vascularity of the femoral head – perthes disease;
• problems of disorder of blood coagulation, inherited diseases;
• autoimmune diseases – systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis.

Cause the development of osteoarthritis can be disease-specific, that have nothing to do with the joints, namely:

• gonorrhea;
• syphilis;
• hyperthyroidism.
• the thyroiditis.

In the group of risk are people here who are engaged in heavy manual labor, constantly SuperCool and experience the increased load on the locomotor – miners, blacksmiths and athletes, the chargers, and pregnant women.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis

The first symptom of osteoarthritis is pain in the lower load in the joint, which passes quickly, as soon as the joint left in peace. Osteoarthritis is characterized by 4 major clinical signs:

1. The sensations of pain – the pain of osteoarthritis has some features unlike the painful sensations to the chance of joint injury or inflammatory process in the same. First of all, you have to pay attention to the appearance of discomfort and pain with the movement and the load on the affected joint. Worth the person to stop moving and remove the burden, as the pain immediately passed, that is not an injury or inflammation of the joint. On the night of the day of the collapse of the joint practically does not cause discomfort to the patient, the pain is only possible when you change the position of the body, but pass quickly. When expressed the progression of the destructive ways of the processes in the interior of the joint of the night may occur in sharp shooting pain, which with time become more strong and make their adjustments in life-style. The acute pain will occur with the change of weather, change of phases of the moon, the smaller of the loads.
2. Rustling – this sound appears as a result of the reduction of the smoothness of rotation of the bones around the joint, which leads to the friction of the bones to each other and are accompanied by a characteristic crackling. With the progression of degenerative processes in the joint crunch becomes more pronounced and is accompanied by pain.
3. Limitation of mobility, joint with guided – in the initial phase of the development process patalgico expresses the limitations of the mobility does not, but as it progresses the destruction of the joint from the inside of the sick person increasingly difficult to perform simple activities. Finally, the affected joint becomes completely immobilized.
4. The deformation of the joint surface of the bones begin to grow osteophytes and accumulates the liquid. The deformation of the joint is observed in the execution of the degree of injury in the process.

Degenerative processes in the joint are not developed quickly, so the disease are characteristic of the phase of exacerbation and remission, that patients do not rush to seek medical attention, thereby contributing to the progression of the destructive processes in the interior of the joint.

The stage of

The stage of progression of the lesion of a process of articulation is determined by the radiographic examination. Release 4 of the phase of the disease:

1. The first is characterized by negligible shrinkage and of the articulation of the slot, without any pathological growths in the bone;
2. The second has a slight narrowing of the joint cleft, in the surface of the bone to form osteophytes;
3. The third joint of the slit of colmar, on the surface of the bones of multiple osteophytes, it is observed the deformation of the joint;
4. Fourth – of the joint of the slit are almost not present multiple osteophytes, expressed in terms of the deformation of the joint.

The degree of

Osteoarthritis is expressed in the form of a and other-destructive processes in the joint, as a result of which it affects the cartilage, develop changes in the capsule and the synovial lining of the joint, as well as in the ligaments around bone and structures. Depending on the severity and the expressiveness of the destruction of these are divided into 3 degree of osteoarthritis.

The first degree of the

Expresses the deformations or changes in the joint no, but it alters the composition of the synovial fluid – this leads to the lack of safety of the tissues of the joints of nutrients, water and micronutrients, in consequence, the cartilage quickly becomes non-elastic and are not adapted to a load. Over time, this causes inflammation and is accompanied by pain with the movement and the load on the joint.

In the first grade of the osteoarthritis none of their patients do not seek attention, he could see the discomfort and pain in a harmful position during sleep, the tiredness, the bad style of life. Sometimes, the patient may notice the characteristic snapping in the area of the affected joint, however, this is not accompanied by severe pain, and only discomfort, in which again no one pays considerable attention.

If the osteoarthritis is accidentally diagnosed in the first stage, a disease is easily treatable.

The second degree of

In this phase of the disease is accompanied by a devastating processes of cartilage within the joint. On the surface of the bones grow vigorously osteophytes, and the more the load on the area of defeat, rather than unequivocal will progress the destruction.

When a patient complains of pain persistent whining and shooting of the nature, which happen periodically for themselves and can be a long time not to publicize. Then the disease progresses again. At the bottom of this pathological process in the muscles around the sore joint, gradually lose their functions, from which the patient quickly tires vasti and can't cope with the workload of physical, that without a job endured before. The second degree of the osteoarthritis, the patient gradually progresses, the deformation of the cartilage and the joint.

Third grade

It is the most heavy. Guided Intra-articular cartilage of the affected joint decreases and is destroyed, which causes clearly visible deformation and the violation of the functions of the affected limb. Next to the ligaments of the joint and missty lack of nutrients and oxygen, and gradually atrophy, which is accompanied by a marked loss of mobility. When this sick all the time suffers from acute pain, which increases with any attempt to change the position of the body, with the changes of the climatic conditions and the phases of the moon and gradually leads to the total loss of the ability.

Types of osteoarthritis

Depending on what the cause is caused by a pathological process in the interior of the articulation distinguish primary osteoarthritis, secondary and idiopathic.

Main develops, as independent of the disease, the secondary, as a result of undergoing an injury or infection, and idiopathic cause, the form is not known. In addition to the classification of the disease, depending on the cause pathological process distinguish it from osteoarthritis of the place of location of the destructive ways of the changes:

1. Knee osteoarthritis is the most common type of pathology is characterized by the defeat of the joints of the knee. Often knee osteoarthritis identified to overweight people, chronic diseases of exchange of substances in the body, low immunity. Osteoarthritis of the knee goes a long time and gradually leads to a complete loss of motor function.
2. Osteoarthritis of the ankle, one of the main causes of the development of degenerative processes in the area of the ankle joint are transferred injuries, dislocations, sprains, fractures of bones. In some cases, the development of the pathological process can lead to an autoimmune disease – rheumatoid arthritis. Ankle osteoarthritis vulnerable to the dancers, the women who wear high heels, the athletes.
3. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, the primary cause of degenerative processes in this section are the congenital anomalies of the development of the shoulder joint or an excessive burden in this area, for example, if you put heavy luggage on the shoulders.
4. Dysplastic or hip osteoarthritis, the main cause are the changes of age in the tissues of the joint. In the group of risk people over the age of 45 years.
5. Encountres or cervical osteoarthritis – causes are injuries to the neck, progressive osteochondrosis, obesity, sedentary lifestyle. In the risk group people who work on the computer, in the office. In addition to the expressed pain in the neck the patients are observed expressed vertigo, depression of consciousness, the violation of the memory and fatigue quickly. These symptoms are based on compression of the vertebral artery, through which the brain get nutrients and oxygen.
6. Spondiloarthrosis – deconstructive destruction of the subject of the cloth of the spine, i.e. lumbar of your department. In the risk group than women in the period of menopause, as well as spondiloarthrosis progresses in the background of deficiency of female sex hormones.
7. Osteoarthritis of the fingers – is developed for the same reason that spondiloarthrosis.
8. The polyarthrosis – is characterized by the defeat of the multiple joints with progressive degenerative processes in them, while in the process they are involved ligaments, muscles and joints of the fabric.

Possible complications

In the absence of a timely diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis is underway, spread to other joints, to promote the development gruzevich protrusions, and the development of the polyarthrosis.

Complications of osteoarthritis are the conditions:

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

All of these complications are a major reduction in the quality of life of the sick, of the accession of the comorbidities and of the violations, fully immobilize the patient.

The methods of diagnosis

For the diagnosis of the disease, the patient must go to the orthopedic surgeon orthopedic. To differentiate osteoarthritis from other pathologies of the joints and of the musculoskeletal system is prescribed x-ray in 2 projections. This study allows to determine exactly the variation of the plots of the tissues adjacent to case the joint, the presence of the destruction of the bones and ligaments, osteopenia, expansion.

If necessary, the doctor may prescribe a magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography imaging, arthroscopy. In some cases, produce a puncture of the joint to the sampling of synovial fluid.

The treatment of osteoarthritis

The treatment of osteoarthritis is better in the early stages, then the disease best lends itself to conservative techniques of therapy. It is important to establish the cause of the destructive changes in the joint and the time to cut off these factors.

The treatment of the arthrosis is performed in an integral way and consists of the elimination of the inflammatory process, relief of the pain syndrome, halt progression of the injury process and the capacity of recovery of the lost function of the joint. Conservative treatment includes the selection of the prepared medicated and physiotherapy methods of treatment.

The pharmacological treatment

The treatment of osteoarthritis differently in different places of the location of the injury process:

1. Osteoarthritis of the fingers and the palms – sick to reduce the pain syndrome are prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of ointment, cream, gel,. For the prevention of the progression of the lesion shows the process of reception of chondroprotectors. After the outrage of an acute inflammatory process, is prescribed massage and physical therapy methods of therapy.
2. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint – on the inside of the joint ill are introduced injection for pain medications and non steroidal. It is given orally can make an appointment for an anti-spasmodic medication, which will relax the muscles and various to reduce the intensity of the pain. After the outrage of the acute inflammation and the pain shows therapeutic exercise and massage.
3. Osteoarthritis of the knee – are prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs topically in the form of compresses, ointments, gels. In the area of the affected joint shows the physiotherapeutic methods of therapy.
4. Osteoarthritis of the hip in the area of the defeat put compresses impregnated with a cream or gel from a group of nsaid, and in the interior of the joint is injected pain medication injection.
5. Osteoarthritis of the knee in the area of the defeat put creams and gels that have an analgesic effect, and after the outrage, the pain and the inflammation shown physical therapy methods of treatment.
6. Ankle osteoarthritis – patient is recommended strict bed rest with the maximum of the kiss of the wind of the affected joint. As remission of the acute inflammatory process is allocated physical therapy procedures, baths, massages.

Physiotherapy

A physical therapy methods frequently used for the various grades of severity of osteoarthritis are:

• Shock wave treatment – effectively removes the diseased growths osteophytes, eliminating the pain and limitation of mobility, joint with guided;
• The stimulation of the muscles around the affected joint the current – this procedure is very effective for patients with reduced mobility and allows you to improve the circulation of blood in the joint, accelerate regenerative processes, improve muscle tone;
• Ozone therapy – in the cavity of the affected joint is introduced, the mixture of gas, thanks to the patient, reduces pain, normalizes the mobility of the joint, disappearance of signs of inflammation. To maximize the effect of ozone therapy is performed of the change;
• Phonophoresis – the impact on the area of the defeat of ultrasonic waves with the use of medications. This method is the use of drugs much more efficient, because the ultrasound waves delivered the medication directly in the focus of the injury.

In addition to this, physiotherapy treatment include physical therapy, massage, chiropractic, mecanoterapia.

Dietary food

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

The diet must be excluded from the flour products and "fast" carbohydrates, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, pork, fat, and the excitement of the kitchen.

The surgical treatment

If conservative treatments have not yielded the expected results, or osteoarthritis was diagnosed after the start of the phase in which they are expressed by the degenerative changes of the joint with limitation of motion, the patient is prescribed in surgery.

The surgical treatment of osteoarthritis is done in several ways:

1. The puncture of the affected joint – this method is both diagnostic and therapeutic. The extraction of the sample of the synovial fluid allows to determine with precision the nature of the origin of the disease and effective to pick up the medication. In the course of the operation at the time of the puncture of the joint cavity enter the corticosteroids and various anti-inflammatory drugs, which relieves immediately the pain and relieves the load on the joint.
2. Arthroscopy – in the cavity of the joint to insert the arthroscope to a thorough examination of the joint on the inside. During the operation, the doctor immediately can remove tumors in the bones and the different neoplasms.
3. Osteotomy during the surgery of the bones of the joint a little bit of editing and special tools to fix in the correct position, which allows not only to recover motor function, but also rid the patient of discomfort and severe pain.
4. Prosthesis-joint – destroyed the joint is removed and in its place establish a prosthesis of high quality material, which is to fully assume the functions of the loss of the joint, ensures full mobility of the limbs and release the pain of the patient.

The prevention of the

The prevention of osteoarthritis is the in the long run:

• the management of the healthy diet and an active lifestyle;
• the management and nutrition;
• the exclusion of the habits;
• prevention of injury and damage in the joints;
• the treatment of the inflammatory processes.

The people of risk groups, have to be especially careful with the smallest change in the functioning of the joints and the onset of pain, the crunch, and the crunch of the immediately consult to the orthopedic surgeon orthopedic.