Arthritis of the joints is a chronic joint disease that develops due to metabolic disorders. As a result, degenerative, dystrophic changes and the destruction of cartilage tissue occur.
It happens imperceptibly, but often develops very quickly. A person begins to feel pain in the joints when moving, there is stiffness and reduced mobility, especially in the morning, while still "not in opposition". If discomfort appears and periodic pain occurs during movements or heavy load, then it is very important to understand that this will not go away and without intervention the situation will only worsen.
Symptoms of arthrosis
Arthrosis of large and medium joints seriously changes a person's lifestyle, worsens the quality and imposes limitations. The development of the disease is like an avalanche and the treatment is most often accompanied by unbearable pain and this is a clear sign of joint wear.
The symptoms of arthrosis of the joints depend on how much the joints, cartilage tissue and nearby tissues are affected.
In the initial stages, arthrosis can be determined quite accurately, the treatment in this case is economical and does not require serious interventions and expensive drugs for the treatment of arthrosis.
Types of arthrosis
Arthrosis of the joints is classified according to several criteria. Depending on the degree of arthrotic changes in the cartilage tissue, 4 stages of arthrosis are distinguished. Arthrosis is also divided into primary and secondary. The cause of the development of primary arthrosis is age-related changes. Secondary arthrosis occurs due to joint injuries and diseases (for example, traumatic arthrosis or rheumatoid arthrosis). The disease can also develop slowly over years or lead to joint destruction in just a few years (progressive osteoarthritis).
There is alsoTypes of arthrosis depending on the affected area:
- – arthrosis of the knee joint – arthrosis of the hip joint
- Uncovertebral arthrosis - arthrosis of the cervical vertebrae
- Vertebral arthrosis - damage to the spine
- Patellofemoral arthrosis is a type of gonarthrosis that affects the patella and part of the femur.
The degree of the disease is determined by the degree of damage to the cartilage tissue.
Grade 1 arthrosis - cartilage tissue is slightly damaged, the person does not feel discomfort;
Arthrosis of the II degree - osteophytes appear, the space between the cartilages decreases, the pain of the situation appears with awkward movements;
III degree arthrosis - the cartilage tissue is destroyed in places and exposes the bone tissue, the gap between the cartilages decreases, the pain is frequent and strong;
IV degree arthrosis - a significant part of the cartilage tissue is destroyed up to 60%, there is no gap between the bones, patients experience constant, severe pain, hyperthermia of the area above the joint appears.
- A characteristic creak during movements and a slight pain in the background;
- Limitation of joint mobility, discomfort during full physical activity;
- Blood pressure indicators "jumping";
- Headache and dizziness;
- Convulsive syndrome and often muscle spasm;
- Visually observed deformation of the joint;
- Swelling, hyperthermia or redness of the skin area over the diseased joint;
- Violation of motor function.
Why does the disease appear?
Arthrosis of the joints can appear in any of the departments, but more often patients return when arthrosis of the knee or hip joint makes itself felt. In the professional field, with a special, specific load on the hands, arthrosis of the shoulders is observed.
Lesions differ in males and females.The strong half often suffers from temporomandibular, wrist, ankle and lumbar arthrosis. Women complain more about the chest and cervical regions, as well as the joints of the fingers and thumbs.
The type of disease is determined by the location of the lesion. There are the following types:
- arthrosis of the hip joint - coxarthrosis;
- arthrosis of the knee joint - gonarthrosis;
- damage to the patella and part of the femur - patellofemoral arthrosis (a type of gonarthrosis);
- spine disease - vertebral arthrosis;
- damage to the cervical spine - uncovertebral arthrosis.
The main reasons are:
- inflammatory process;
- professional sports;
- overweight;
- non-standard professional load, for example, squatting or kneeling;
- previous joint injuries (post-traumatic);
- hypothermia;
- inheritance;
- age changes.
Arthritis can appear as an independent disease, or it can be the result of an already ongoing disease, so it is important to know a person's history.
Diagnosis of joint arthrosis
Osteoarthritis of the joints is detected by X-ray. The X-ray image shows how the joint is deformed and how narrow the joint space is. It may also be necessary to undergo an MRI or arthroscopy, but only in particularly complex and unclear cases. X-rays of the joints are usually sufficient to diagnose the disease.
In order to understand the presence of the disease, its severity, as well as what disorders led to the disease, a comprehensive diagnosis is performed.
First, with helpx-ray in different projectionsget information about the degree of damage to the joint.
Tomography (magnetic resonance or computerized) helpsexclude tumor processes.
Third, you needtake teststo understand whether arthrosis is an independent disease or a complication, as well as to determine the general condition of a person.
The complex of studies is the most informative and gives a clear idea of degenerative-dystrophic changes and helps to choose the optimal treatment plan.
Treatment of arthrosis
As discussed above, arthrosis can develop due to many factors, and the treatment plan is developed based on the understanding of the underlying causes and drugs for the treatment of arthrosis are selected accordingly.
Treatment should be developed individually, based on the results of the diagnosis. Be sure to take into account the person's condition, his existing diseases.
Restoration of the articular surface and cartilage tissue is not fast. Effective drugs that have side effects have been prescribed. And taking drugs to get the desired result takes up to 6 months. It is therefore important to protect your health as much as possible from side effects.
Medical treatment of arthrosis
The main goal of such therapy is to remove the manifestations of arthrosis. Drug treatment of joint arthrosis includes:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With arthrosis, a person experiences pain, the joint becomes inflamed. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms and stop inflammation, this group of drugs is prescribed.
- Hormonal injections into the joints. Corticosteroid drugs are administered more often in the acute phase of arthrosis.
- Chondroprotectors. The main task of these drugs is to stop the degenerative processes in the cartilage tissue to prevent its further destruction.
- Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid preparations are similar to synovial fluid, which provides smooth, free movement in joints. With arthrosis, synovial fluid is not secreted enough, so orthopedists often prescribe injections of hyaluronic acid (injections into joints with arthrosis).
- Biological therapy of arthrosis (PRP and cytokine therapy). A new innovative method of arthrosis therapy, which has recently entered practice, but is gaining popularity. This is the use of drugs based on the patient's blood plasma enriched with platelets. Thanks to the biological therapy, the blood supply to the joint is activated, the production of intra-articular fluid is activated and the cartilage tissue is supplied with nutrients.
Important!Drug treatment of arthrosis is effective in the early stages of the disease. Also, experts emphasize that drug therapy is not able to restore a damaged joint, but it will make it possible to eliminate symptoms and slow down the progression of arthrosis.
Physiotherapy and other conservative treatments for arthrosis
Physiotherapy is also used in the fight against arthrosis. Various procedures (laser, phonophoresis, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, UVT) and exercise therapy are prescribed to improve metabolic processes and blood circulation, muscle strengthening.
In addition, with arthrosis, you just need to make some adjustments in your lifestyle:
- Avoid overloading - it is important to evenly distribute the activity and take breaks so as not to overload the joint
- Take care of food and monitor weight - since excess weight only worsens the problem with joints, you should review your diet and reduce body weight.
- Remember to be careful and avoid injury as much as possible
- Use additional support for movement - in the later stages of arthrosis, independent movement becomes doubtful, so you need to use a cane or crutches. For more comfortable walking, you can also use orthopedic insoles - they will reduce the load on the joints.
There are also many folk recipes that "will help defeat arthrosis. "However, treating arthrosis at home also does not always bring results. In addition, the use of all types of creams and ointments of their preparation most often only provokes allergic reactions and does not affect the health of the joint.
Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis
How to treat arthrosis if all the above methods do not work? In this case, surgical treatment of osteoarthritis is prescribed. Depending on the degree of joint damage, the individual characteristics of each patient, a type of operation is chosen.
Joint arthroscopy is a low-trauma intervention, an intra-articular operation through several micropunctures in the joint. With arthrosis, it is used as a temporary measure for "cleaning the joint": remove parts of cartilage, osteophyte growths that interfere with free movement. Such treatment reduces the pain in the joints, but it is not a solution to the problem of arthrosis.
Osteotomy is an operation to connect the axis of the joint. The fact is that with arthrosis, as a rule, one part of the joint suffers more (there is a large load). As a result of the osteotomy, the load on the joint is redistributed. It should be noted that arthrosis is a progressive joint disease. Therefore, osteotomy is a way to delay further treatment, but not to avoid it.
Joint arthroplasty is an effective method and in some cases the only method for treating joint arthrosis. The essence of the operation is to remove a joint destroyed by the disease and place an artificial endoprosthesis in its place. The artificial joint is selected individually, ideally suited to each patient and fully complements the functions of the damaged joint after a period of rehabilitation.
Contraindications for arthrosis
What you should pay attention to in arthrosis of the joints:
Shared burdens- with arthrosis, you should abandon weight lifting, excessive static loads. A cane can be used to unload the joint. Shoes – Properly fitted shoes reduce stress on the ankle. It is advisable to avoid high-heeled shoes.
Weight- obesity is another factor in the progression of arthrosis. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet.
SPORTSalso needs to be reviewed. With arthrosis, it is necessary to exclude sharp sharp movements (contact sports, wrestling), running long distances, lifting weights. But this does not mean that physical activity should be stopped altogether. Moderate activity will only benefit the joint.
In addition to medical treatment, physiotherapy is actively used. These are magnetotherapy, electrotherapy, thermotherapy. Physiotherapy exercises are also recommended to strengthen the muscles around the affected joint and improve blood supply.
A radical method for the deformation of arthrosis, which led to a deterioration in the quality of life, is often surgical intervention. In this case, either arthroscopy or arthroplasty is performed.
Arthroscopy is a procedure in which the worn, upper layer of a joint is removed and a partial prosthesis is placed in its place. This allows you to get rid of pain and restore mobility.
Endoprosthetics is the replacement of a joint with a prosthesis. It is suitable for heavy destruction, when the node itself does not make sense to save. The prosthesis has artificial cartilage, which anatomically fully corresponds to human cartilage.
Treatment of the disease in the initial stage is the provision of high-quality nutrition for cartilage tissue. For this purpose, the use of chondroprotectors, preferably of natural origin, flavonoids is recommended. The motor load is also necessary to improve the blood supply to the bones and perichondrium.
Deforming arthrosis of the knee
Deforming arthrosis of the knee joint(gonarthrosis, DAK) is a chronic progressive disease of the articular cartilage. It is characterized by the destruction of articular structures, which is accompanied by pain, inflammation and a characteristic curvature of the limbs ("wheel legs" or X-shaped deformity).
Causes of deforming arthrosis of the knee
Without proper lubrication, the joint "dries up", cracks and loses height, exposing the heads of the bones. In this case, the closing plate of the articular surface of the bone remains unprotected; re-irritation of the many nerve endings located in it causes pain and discomfort.
The following factors or their combination can become the cause of deforming arthrosis of the knee:
- the presence of joint (and knee - in particular) diseases in relatives;
- genetic disorders associated with the formation of abnormal, unstable cartilage cells or their accelerated death;
- congenital and acquired malformations of the musculoskeletal system (flat feet, joint hypermobility, dysplasia, scoliosis, kyphosis and others);
- excessive professional, household or sports loads;
- microtraumas and injuries of the knee joint and meniscus, operations on it, leg fractures;
- blood circulation disorders (varicose veins, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other vascular diseases), their consequences (dissecting osteochondritis), as well as other causes of prolonged leg spasms;
- inflammatory diseases of joints and periarticular tissues (synovitis, bursitis, tendinitis, arthritis), incl. autoimmune nature (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic);
- metabolic disorders (gout, diabetes mellitus);
- age-related processes of joint aging and calcium leaching from bones;
- hormonal disruptions and changes in the hormonal background (for example, associated with a lack of estrogen in women);
- hypovitaminosis;
- excess weight (observed in ⅔ patients);
- physical inactivity.
But the main reason that deforming arthrosis of the knee is so common lies in its structure. The knee joint has only one axis (plane) of movement. Therefore, the scope of permitted movements is very limited. A difficult turn can damage the periarticular tissues and cause arthritic changes - after all, the injured knee will be subjected to daily stress.
Symptoms of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint
Gradually increasing pain in the area of the knee joint. At first, the pain is noticed only when moving - for example, with a sharp direction or bend of the leg, there is a feeling that "unfortunately stepped on the foot. "In the early stages, the pain may be episodic or so mild as to be perceived as discomfort. Then the pain intensifies after physical exercises or long standing in the same position. The skin also becomes painful - it reacts sensitively to any touch, incl. and clothes.
There are 3 specific types of pain in deforming arthrosis of the knee joint:
- onset (lasts 15-30 minutes after the node emerges from a long resting state);
- mechanical (visible during physical activity and disappears after rest);
- blockade (sensation of a sharp squeeze in the knee).
Symptoms of deforming arthrosis of the knee, as a rule, grow slowly due to the fact that the disease is not characterized by rapid progress. This is the secret of arthrosis - gradually getting used to the inconvenience of the disease, the patient "gets used" to the pain, does not notice the deterioration and postpones the visit to the doctor.
Treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint
The treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint consists of the complex use of medications, a dosed load on the joint, physiotherapy procedures and the use of orthopedic devices.
In the treatment process, it is extremely important to alternate loading and unloading to prevent static loading of the knee. Orthopedic insoles, specialized shoes, canes, crutches, walkers, ergonomic chairs for work and rest also help to slow down the disease. Particularly effective are orthoses with a variable stiffener, which make it possible to model the physiological axis of the foot and compensate for the deformity.
In the early stages of deforming arthrosis of the knee, the goal of treatment is to restore the destroyed joint and ligament apparatus, relieve pain and increase the range of voluntary movements. In the last - in the relief of the patient's condition. For this, remedial arthroscopy (washing with antiseptics) is performed when part of the osteophyte is removed, corrective osteotomy (correction of a curved bone), endoprosthetics (joint replacement).
In addition to orthopedists, physiotherapists and chiropractors, specialists in exercise therapy and therapeutic massage and surgeons will show you how to treat deforming arthrosis of the knee joint.
Physiotherapy
Among other physiotherapeutic methods for the treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, the following are used:
- laser and magnetic therapy;
- microwave therapy;
- shock wave therapy;
- amplipulse;
- ultrasound therapy;
- electrophoresis with analgin, novocaine, chymotrypsin, etc. ;
- phonophoresis with glucocorticoids;
- paraffin and ozocerite applications;
- cryotherapy;
- acupuncture;
- joint traction and kinesitherapy;
- balneotherapy.
Massage for deforming arthrosis of the knee joint
Therapeutic massage and lymphatic drainage for deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, as well as manual therapy, are performed by a specialist after the inflammation in the joint has been relieved. For self-massage at home, stroking and rubbing, as well as movements aimed at stretching muscles and ligaments, a deep warm-up (performed last, after a warming effect) are recommended. Self-massage goes well with topical irritants and essential oils. Remember that with deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, the massage is performed on both joints, even if only one of them is affected.
Exercises for the deformation of arthrosis of the knee joints
Therapeutic gymnastics (exercise therapy) for deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint is performed in a sitting or lying position, water gymnastics is also effective. An individual set of exercises for osteoarthritis of the knee joint is compiled by an instructor. Below we offer you a short warm-up aimed at strengthening the leg muscles.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, place your hands behind your back. Bend and straighten your toes.
- The starting position is the same, slowly bend the leg, at the end of the movement resting your toe on the floor. Repeat with the other leg.
- Continue in the same starting position, lift the leg extended in front of you, the toe towards you.
- Without changing the starting position, we pull our hands up to our straight toes.
- Sitting on the floor, hug your bent knee and try to lift the other leg off the floor.
- Sitting on the floor, spread your feet shoulder-width apart. Turn your feet alternately so that the toe moves 180 degrees.
- Sitting on the floor, legs bent. Roll your foot from heel to toe, feeling the work in the back of your thighs.
Excellent! Perform exercises for deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint at least 3-6 times a day.
Medicines for knee arthrosis deformity
Drug treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint allows you to quickly stop acute pain, reduce inflammation and swelling, and improve joint nutrition. Therefore, the drugs are used in all stages of the disease and help to restore the mobility of the knee.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectors in the form of tablets, capsules, bags and injections are used for the regeneration and maintenance of synovial cartilage.
Anti-inflammatory
Steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat deforming arthrosis of the knee joint. They are prescribed in the form of tablets, injections, sachets, creams, ointments and other products for external and internal use.
Anti-inflammatory drugs can be used along with anesthetics, which are injected into the joint cavity as a block.
Antispasmodics
The removal of the spasm is necessary to return the patient to normal activities and the normal supply of tissues with nutrients.
Angioprotectors
Preparations based on horse chestnut and others are used for deforming arthrosis of the knee joint.
Heating agents
Among the heating agents, it is worth highlighting preparations based on natural ingredients: snake and bee venom, hot pepper, mustard.
All these drugs improve the blood supply to the tissues and divert attention from the pain.
Nutrition for deforming arthrosis of the knee
A healthy diet for osteoarthritis of the knee joint includes dishes with a reduced content of trans fats and "fast" carbohydrates. Preference should be given to lean meat and fish, seafood and vegetables, steamed, in foil or boiled under the lid. Also useful are fruits, berries and drinks rich in antioxidants - wild plants, blueberries, blackberries, blueberries, green tea and high-quality coffee. You can also eat whole grains, legumes.
But potatoes, white bread, sweets, convenience foods, fast food and alcohol should be excluded.
If you are overweight with degenerative knee osteoarthritis, consider low-carb diet options.