Osteoarthritis is a pathological process of the joints that can have various causes.All result in disruption of the function and structure of one or more joints.This disease is the most common cause of chronic joint pain.This affects millions of people.In each case, the symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis are individual and require observation by a qualified orthopedist.
What is osteoarthritis?
The basis of the disease is the progressive loss of cartilage, which normally lines adjacent bone sections and ensures their sliding relative to each other.Under the influence of various reasons, the cartilage tissue begins to collapse, immature stem cells are activated in the underlying bone, it becomes denser and cavities (cysts) and growths (osteophytes) are formed in it.
The gap between the joint surfaces gradually narrows and then disappears completely, and the limb stops moving.With osteoarthritis, all joint tissues are affected, including neighboring muscles, ligaments and the joint capsule.Therefore, treatment of joint osteoarthritis is a difficult task, and in later stages only surgery can help the patient.
The most common form of pathology is deforming osteoarthritis, affecting the large joints of the lower limbs as well as the hands.
Causes of osteoarthritis
Possible reasons for the development of osteoarthritis:
- endocrine diseases - diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, acromegaly, obesity;
- injuries, both significant (bone fractures, as a result of which their joint surfaces are displaced from the normal axis), and microscopic, but permanent (during heavy work, constant professional or sports load);
- inflammatory processes: infectious arthritis, gout, rheumatoid diseases;
- metabolic disorders in the body: Paget's disease and Wilson-Konovalov disease;
- congenital developmental anomalies, for example different limb lengths;
- genetic defects in collagen structure, for example Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
- neuropathies of various origins: diabetic, alcoholic;
- hemophilia with frequent hemorrhages in the joint cavity.
To successfully treat osteoarthritis of the joints, it is necessary to eliminate the cause that caused it.
Symptoms and stages of osteoarthritis
The disease is accompanied by the following complaints and external signs:
- aching pain and reduced mobility in one or more joints;
- painful sensations intensify after exercise, often at night, and in severe stages of osteoarthritis, they become permanent;
- a dangerous complication is joint immobility, the inability to move and take care of oneself.
Frequent forms of the disease:
- damage to the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and the base of the thumb, they can enlarge, swell, sometimes become painful, and inflammation develops there;
- hip osteoarthritis: more common in men, associated with heavy physical work;the main cause of this disease in women is obesity;
- osteoarthritis of the knee joint: more often associated with professional activities in a kneeling and squatting position;
- osteoarthritis of the spine: accompanied by the formation of bone spurs that pinch the nerve roots, leading to pain, weakness, impaired sensitivity of the limbs and constant pain in the lower back.
There are the following degrees of osteoarthritis:
- 1st degree: slight limitation of mobility.
- 2nd degree: significant limitation of mobility, crunches during movements, moderate atrophy of neighboring muscles.
- 3rd degree: deformation of the joint with almost total absence of movement thereof.
Depending on the degree of dysfunction and the stage of the pathology, doctors of various profiles - therapists, physiotherapists, rheumatologists, neurologists and orthopedists - are involved in the treatment of the disease.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
The goal of treatment is to eliminate risk factors and pain and restore joint function.For this, different methods of influence are used:
- non-pharmacological: informing the patient about their illness and preventing complications, physiotherapy, weight loss, physiotherapy, use of functional devices and accessories (orthoses, canes, crutches);
- medications for osteoarthritis: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially their new generation - selective COX-2 inhibitors;To relieve chronic pain, taking atypical antidepressants is indicated;slow-acting symptomatic drugs have only auxiliary value, since their effect on slowing down the destruction of cartilage has not been proven;
- in case of concomitant inflammation and severe pain, traumatologists perform intra-articular injections of glucocorticoid hormones;
- The most effective method is surgery, which allows you to get rid of pain and regain mobility.
Different types of surgery can be performed:
- arthroscopy - examination of the inner surface of the joint using a small video camera (endoscope), removal of cartilage fragments blocking the joint;
- arthroplasty – replacement of the cartilage surface with an artificial material;
- osteotomy - cutting or removing part of the bone to restore the normal axis of the joint;
- arthroscopic surgery – surgical restoration of cartilage integrity;
- arthrodesis – artificially creating immobility in a joint (most commonly the ankle) to relieve the patient of constant pain;
- endoprostheses - removal of damaged joint ends of bones and replacement of them with an artificial joint.
Prevention
There is no guaranteed way to prevent the disease.Prevention of osteoarthritis involves eliminating excessive load on the joints and timely treatment of diseases that contribute to the destruction of cartilage.Treatment of osteoarthritis with folk remedies does not slow down the progression of the disease, but helps to temporarily relieve joint pain.It can only be considered as a complement to traditional drug therapy or surgery.
Time is a negative factor for a patient suffering from osteoarthritis.The earlier the treatment or surgery is started, the better the results.Therefore, if symptoms of osteoarthritis appear, it is recommended to consult a doctor immediately.