Arthritis arthrosis and their treatment

Osteoarthritis and arthritis - what's the difference?

Arthrosis and arthritis are considered by many to be the same joint disease. But this is not true at all. They have completely different etiologies, features of the course of degenerative processes of joints, symptoms and, of course, treatment methods.

Arthritis is an inflammatory process that occurs in one or more joints. Often, this course of the disease indicates that there are more serious and widespread degenerative changes in the body. This may be autoimmune and infectious processes or problems with metabolism. Less commonly, arthritis of the knee joint can occur as a result of injuries in which the knee joint capsule becomes inflamed without affecting other areas.

Arthritis can be caused by:

Doctors consider reactive arthritis to be a separate group, which occurs as a result of the complicated course of various infectious diseases.

The inflammatory process in arthritis strongly affects the synovial membrane, which leads to the development of synovitis and excess synovial fluid. This liquid substance increases, thereby causing inflammation and swelling in the area of ​​the affected joints.

Also, during the reactive course of the disease, the cartilage tissue that lines the surfaces of the joints is severely affected. Over time, erosion forms on it, leading to exposure of the affected bones.

Arthrosis is a non-inflammatory disease. It leads to pathological deformations of the joints caused by dystrophic changes in the cartilage tissue that covers the bone surface. Often it is the long-term inflammatory process that causes damage and thinning of cartilage.

Arthrosis develops to a greater extent in people who have crossed the sixty-year mark. This pathology is caused by age-related wear and tear of cartilage tissue and osteoporosis, which negatively affects not only the joints, but also the entire musculoskeletal system. This disease can also appear in young people as a result of excessive sports activity and the influence of excess weight.

All symptoms of the disease that worry patients develop as a result of degeneration and thinning of cartilage tissue and its inability to serve as a natural shock absorber. This occurs due to bone friction and compression of cartilage, the formation of osteophytes, and a decrease in the synovial fluid component, which serves to wash and lubricate the articular surfaces.

The answer to this question is very important for patients suffering from one of these ailments, but who do not understand how they differ.

Arthritis and arthrosis can affect any joint, but most often, doctors trace a certain pattern regarding the localization of pathology for each of the above ailments.

So, what is the difference between arthrosis and arthritis?

Arthrosis often affects the lower extremities, or more precisely, large joints represented by the hip, ankle and knee joints. In more rare cases, arthrosis may affect the fingers and toes.

The development of arthrosis can also affect intervertebral discs. And all because all of the above joints are subject to a very large load throughout life, leading over time to destruction.

Arthritis, on the other hand, often affects several joints at once. For example, a patient went to the doctor with problems in the wrist joint, and the next day his knee began to hurt. In addition, the inflammatory process also affects asymmetrical joints, which is not entirely typical for the disease.

In addition to the localization features of the course of the diseases, they have many differences in symptoms:

A dull pain that appears in joints that are at rest at night characterizes arthritis. Arthrosis often manifests itself as pain during physical activity, and during rest the unpleasant sensations completely disappear. Arthritis is characterized by stiffness in the lower and upper extremities, which, as they develop, decreases or disappears altogether.

There are also differences in the appearance of diseased joints. Arthritis causes swelling, redness, and warmth in the affected areas. Joints affected by arthrosis at the initial stage of the disease have a normal appearance, but as the disease progresses, deformation appears as a result of the appearance of osteophytes and modification of the bone joints of the joint. Also, joints affected by arthrosis crackle, and with arthritis, unpleasant sensations are observed.

It should also be noted that patients with arthritis feel worse, they lose weight and periodically develop high fever and other symptoms related to the progression of this disease. Patients with joints affected by arthrosis feel stiffness and pain in the articular joints; there are no other symptoms. It is these signs that distinguish arthrosis from arthritis.

To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary not only to know what arthritis and arthrosis are, but also to prescribe an effective treatment method and conduct a complete diagnosis in order to help the patient overcome the disease or at least alleviate his condition.

The examination for diagnosing these ailments consists of:

General urine and blood tests. Arthritis is indicated by an increased ESR and leukocyte mass. In the presence of arthrosis, these indicators will be absolutely normal.

Blood biochemistry and rheumatic tests for the presence of markers of the inflammatory process.

X-ray examination of the affected joints. An x-ray will reveal all visible abnormalities and make the correct diagnosis.

If controversial cases arise, the doctor may prescribe an MRI or a test of the synovial fluid taken from the joint.

Since these two diseases have different causes and mechanisms of occurrence, the treatment of arthrosis and arthritis is also different. Having identified arthritis, doctors’ actions are aimed at identifying and eliminating the source of inflammation. This is exactly what therapy is aimed at. If the illness is caused by an infection, the patient will be treated with antibiotics. If an autoimmune process is to blame, then hormonal and cytostatic therapy will be prescribed.

When arthrosis is detected, all treatment is aimed at restoring cartilage and restoring mobility to the joint. For this reason, therapy is based on chondroprotectors, therapeutic exercises and manual procedures. In order to relieve pain, the patient is prescribed medications that relieve pain and inflammation. Most often these are ointments.

Treatment of arthrosis and arthritis begins with conservative methods and only if they do not produce results, surgical intervention will be prescribed. Everything will depend on the severity of the disease and the patient’s desire to go under the knife.

Traditional medicine + diet

When diagnosing problems with joints, the disease must be treated immediately. The longer you delay going to the doctor, the more serious the consequences will be. Traditional therapy is usually supplemented by traditional methods of treatment together with dietary nutrition.

Traditional medicine includes taking baths with bay leaves, warming and ice compresses, and using various ointments, decoctions and tinctures. But before using this or that folk method, you need to consult a doctor.

Special nutrition will also help to overcome arthrosis and arthritis or alleviate their course. A diet for arthritis and arthrosis includes foods that are healthy for joints and a complete avoidance of alcohol, tobacco, and highly salted and fried foods. Nutrition should be completely balanced and low in calories. It is better to cook by steaming, avoiding fried and over-salted dishes. You need to eat jelly and jellied meats more often to restore cartilage destroyed by arthrosis. The menu should include vegetables and fruits rich in healthy carbohydrates. Animal fats must be replaced with vegetable ones. It is also worth taking a course of vitamins and calcium that are beneficial for joints. Omega acids and vitamins A and E help relieve inflammation and reduce stiffness. Also don't forget about nuts, turmeric and ginger, they also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Only comprehensive treatment can help in the fight against arthritis and arthrosis, so consult a doctor in time and do not delay treatment until later, as advanced diseases can lead to disability, when the quality of life will differ significantly from the life of a healthy person. Take care of yourself!

Proper treatment of shoulder arthrosis

When various changes in the articular humerus bones and their restructuring occur, it is customary to talk about arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the symptoms and treatment of which are classified into four groups.

What is arthrosis of the shoulder joint

Dystrophic changes in the cartilage and adjacent bone tissue of the shoulder joint are defined in medicine as arthrosis of the shoulder joint by ICD 10-M19.91. Most often, arthrosis occurs in the acromioclavicular joint of the shoulder, which most often experiences constant stress and severe stress during the day.

Under the influence of injuries and various inflammatory processes, cartilage tissue is damaged and gradually weakens, becoming fragile and thin.

Cracks form in the cartilage, in which salts begin to be deposited, accelerating the destructive processes in the cartilage tissues.

As a result of such salt deposits, the bone tissue becomes dense and begins to deform (see photo), and acromioclavicular arthrosis develops.

Arthrosis of the shoulder joint is degenerative changes in the cartilage and adjacent bone tissue of the shoulder joint

This process occurs slowly and is chronic; at the beginning it is asymptomatic, but gradually the manifestations of the disease increase and over time can lead to complete immobility in the joint area.

The following factors can trigger the onset of the pathological process:

Shoulder injuries that have caused the joint to become deformed and cause inflammation.

Insufficient blood supply to the shoulder joint, which lasts for a long time - this condition can be caused by vascular disorders.

Constant high loads on the joints are observed among construction workers, athletes, and loaders.

Congenital joint pathologies.

Poor nutrition and, as a result, metabolic disorders.

Important! The most common form of the disease is post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint, ICD code 10- M19.91.

WE ADVISE! For the treatment and prevention of JOINT DISEASES, our readers successfully use the increasingly popular method of rapid and non-surgical treatment, recommended by leading German specialists in diseases of the musculoskeletal system. After carefully reviewing it, we decided to offer it to your attention.

The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile in humans, which provokes quite frequent injuries to the joint. Even a small injury to a joint that is repeated regularly and over a long period of time leads to the development of arthrosis. Arthrosis of the right shoulder joint is most common, because the majority of the population are “right-handed” and the load on the right side is always higher.

Why does shoulder arthrosis develop?

The impetus for the development of shoulder arthrosis is inflammation in the joint. It can appear for various reasons:

Injuries . Shoulder arthrosis can develop due to a previous shoulder injury, or constant, minor microtrauma to the shoulder, typical of athletes.

Vascular diseases. With vascular pathologies, blood circulation is usually impaired, which leads to insufficient blood supply to the joints. As a result, articular tissues undergo degenerative changes, i.e. arthrosis develops.

Excessive load. This is often associated with the patients’ work activities (loaders, builders).

Hormonal or autoimmune disruptions . Often they significantly affect joint tissues, having a destructive effect on them. These are diseases such as psoriasis, gout, etc.

Heredity . It has been proven that children of parents with arthrosis of the shoulder joint are more prone to developing joint defects than others. This also includes people who were already born with any joint defects. Both of them perceive the usual load placed on their hands as excessive, and therefore the process of wear of the cartilage occurs much faster.

Failures in metabolic processes and the endocrine system . Because of this, salts begin to accumulate in the joints, and cartilage tissues cease to receive proper nutrition (phosphorus, calcium, etc.) and begin to deteriorate.

Joint diseases. A prerequisite for the development of arthrosis can be joint pathologies such as arthritis, bone necrosis, synovitis, etc.

Age. Elderly people (50 and older) are especially at risk, since joint tissues wear out with age, which in itself leads to the development of pathology.

If the disease develops, you need to consult a doctor, undergo diagnostics, and only then proceed to conservative treatment for medical reasons. It is necessary to find out why the joint was able to deform, what preceded this pathological process. The main causes of arthrosis of the shoulder joint are detailed below:

vascular diseases with impaired systemic circulation;

prolonged physical stress on the shoulder joint;

genetic predisposition;

impaired metabolism;

chronic diseases of the endocrine system;

injuries;

extensive joint diseases;

age-related changes in cartilage and bone tissue;

autoimmune diseases.

Arthrosis is characterized by a long development, sometimes not manifesting itself in any way in the initial stages. Therefore, you should be very wary of the slightest symptomatic manifestations. Shoulder arthrosis is usually indicated by:

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! The only remedy for ARTHRITIS, ARTHROSIS AND OSTEOCHONDROSIS, as well as other diseases of the joints and musculoskeletal system, recommended by doctors!

1. Pain is considered the main symptom of the disease. Aching pain often bothers patients in the morning. Pain syndromes are also more possible with sudden changes in weather. If you subject your sore shoulder to any load, for example, lifting something heavy, then the pain will also remind you of itself. The patient feels pain even when feeling the shoulder. With the development of shoulder arthrosis, pain begins to occur even in a quiet position. This fact should be taken into account - with arthrosis of the shoulder joint, pain can occur not only in the affected joint, it can be localized in the arm, elbow or back.
2. Motor dysfunction. Because of the pain, it becomes difficult for the patient to cope with seemingly simple tasks on his own, for example, combing his hair. By the way, this action is one of the test movements for diagnosing arthrosis. Rotational movements and attempts to move the arm back are also difficult. If treatment is not started on time, then gradually the shoulder joint and, accordingly, the arm stop moving altogether, and contracture develops.
3. Painful crunch, creaking in the joint. It usually occurs due to salts deposited in the diseased joint (osteophytes). Initially, a weak, creaking rustle appears in the diseased joint; as the disease progresses, it turns into distinct crunchy clicks, audible even at some distance from the patient.
4. Swelling, increased general temperature and redness at the site of the affected joint. These signs confirm the presence of inflammation in the diseased joint.
5. Hardening of the joint. This symptom appears when the disease is advanced due to bone growths that cover the joint.

Symptoms of the disease

Arthrosis appears in a person after 45 years of age. 4 groups of signs are represented by painful sensations, crunching, decreased range of motion, and deformation of joints.

They have the following manifestations and characteristics:

1. Pain. This is the first thing that indicates possible arthrosis of the joint. They arise abruptly, which is typical for this pathology. When a person performs any movements, he experiences discomfort, and it is precisely the location of the joints that hurts. In a calm state, for example, at night while resting, a person also experiences pain. They also occur with the progression of arthrosis. Morning pain is similar to toothache, when it shoots in a place affected by caries. At the initial stage of the disease there is almost no pain, unless you put pressure on the shoulder. Over time, the condition worsens, and discomfort becomes more and more common in a person’s calm state. Later, when the hyaline cartilage becomes very thin and the bone is exposed, osteophytes begin to grow. Then the person begins to suffer from pain constantly. The greatest suffering comes from bad weather and the full moon.
2. Arthrosis is also characterized by a symptom such as the appearance of a joint crunch. The patient himself hears it because the smoothness of rotational movements is significantly reduced. The bones seem to be grinding, and a specific sound characteristic of arthrosis appears. Normally, a healthy joint can crunch, but with arthrosis this phenomenon has a “dry” sound. As the disease progresses, the crunching intensifies and becomes more audible. If there is a crunch, then there is pain in the shoulder.
3. The mobility of the joint is reduced - this clearly indicates arthrosis. As the disease progresses, bone formations grow. This leads to muscle spasms, and the gap in the joint almost disappears. Therefore, the hands become immobilized.
4. Shoulder joint deformity. This occurs due to the fact that the bones are overgrown with osteophytes, resulting in more synovial fluid. Structural changes appear last.

Where does pathology begin?

Arthrosis of the shoulder joint begins discretely (latently), and many patients may not notice it. The first sign of the disease may be weakness of the upper limbs. Then the following symptoms begin to appear:

6. Shoulder pain that worsens when moving your arms and disappears or decreases after rest;
7. unpleasant sensations can radiate to the neck and upper limbs;
8. pain leads to limited mobility of the joint (this means that it is difficult for a person to lift a limb or rotate it);
9. the muscles around the shoulder girdle atrophy;
10. periodically there may be swelling in the joint cavity, which changes the natural contours of the shoulder;
11. in later stages of degenerative arthrosis and arthritis leads to a cracking sound in the joint when moving.

Note! In the initial stage, grade 1 arthrosis does not cause any symptoms. This is due to the absence of nerve endings in the cartilage tissue, as a result of which the disease begins to manifest itself when the pathological process extends far beyond the joints .

Depending on the nature and extent of damage to bone and cartilage tissue, there are three stages of arthrosis, which are characterized by certain symptoms.

Effective treatment of joints, synovitis, arthritis and arthrosis

Joint pain not only complicates life, but, as a rule, indicates dangerous inflammatory and destructive processes that gradually hinder movement, and if treated incorrectly or not, lead to irreversible deformities and disabilities.

Arthrosis is the second most common cause of disability after cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, arthritis and arthrosis very often affect the working population, that is, people become unable to work - or are forced to constantly overcome pain in order to earn a living.

So why do joint pains occur, and what methods exist today that are available to Russians that will not just temporarily relieve pain, but eliminate inflammation and stop joint destruction?

Author of the article: Candidate of Medical Sciences, orthopedist-traumatologist Akimov G.V.

Military Medical Academy named after. CM. Kirov, St. Petersburg

Disappointing statistics. According to official data alone, in Russia there are more than 10 million patients with arthrosis and about 300 thousand Russians suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (about a third of them have severe forms of disability). The prevalence of arthritis and arthrosis is constantly increasing. So, for the period 2001-2005. the incidence of arthrosis increased by 48%. [1]. Arthrosis occurs in every third patient aged 45 to 64 years and in 60–70% over 65 years [2]. According to WHO, arthrosis of the knee joints is in 4th place among the main causes of disability in women and in 8th place in men.

Arthritis and arthrosis - differences

Arthritis and arthrosis have similar names because both diseases affect the joints. They differ in the nature of changes in the joints.

In arthritis, pain is associated with inflammation of the joint tissue . With this disease, the synovial membrane, in which blood and lymphatic vessels and nerve endings are concentrated, suffers. Accordingly, this affects both the nutrition of the joint and the production of joint lubrication (synovial fluid), which nourishes the cartilage.

Arthritis can develop at any age , including children and adolescents (juvenile arthritis). This disease can affect almost any joints , incl. small (arthritis of the fingers), and multiple joint damage may also occur - polyarthritis .

Long-term arthritis leads to arthrosis , since the joint, in particular the cartilage tissue, suffers for a long time from a deficiency of nutrition, which comes from the synovial fluid. It is important not to “extinguish” inflammatory reactions with anti-inflammatory drugs, but rather to fight the cause of inflammation , for example, using phonation.

With arthrosis , first of all, there is destruction of the cartilage covering the surface of the bone (and, if the process is advanced, the bone tissue itself). The cartilage ceases to cope with the load that is placed on it, and it begins to collapse faster than it can recover. The cartilage tissue softens, the normal sliding of the articular surfaces is disrupted, and any movements are accompanied by pain.

Arthrosis often appears after 40 years . Damage to large joints, such as knees (gonarthrosis) and hip joints (coxarthrosis), is more common and is a cause of disability and disability. Osteoarthritis of the fingers, arthrosis of the big toe, temporomandibular joint, damage to the shoulder, elbow joint, etc. occurs less frequently.

12. synovitis , that is, swelling, increased sensitivity or pain when touched, limited joint mobility;
13. sharp, aching pain, both during movement and at rest;
14. morning stiffness, due to the fact that swelling develops in the joint area during the night. It goes away 40-60 minutes after the start of movement.

With arthritis, general signs characteristic of inflammation may also be observed: fever, chills, sweating, general weakness. May manifest as headaches and weight loss. Symptoms of the disease that caused the inflammation are also observed: damage to the heart with rheumatoid arthritis, lungs and other organs with tuberculosis, etc.

15. pain that occurs during daytime physical activity rather than at rest. For example, pain in the knee and hip joint when walking, running, squats, walking up stairs, etc. Then, when moving, the pain disappears (starting pain). There is severe pain in the knee and crunching when flexing and extending.
16. short-term “starting pains” after periods of rest, associated with the fact that the articular surfaces on which detritus settles (the result of the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue) rub against each other. 15-20 minutes after the start of movement, the pain goes away as the detritus is pushed out.
17. continuous dull pain at night, often at the beginning of the night due to venous stagnation.

Arthrosis is often accompanied by inflammatory reactions. Accordingly, pain and swelling are observed, as with arthritis, and the disease itself is called arthrosis-arthritis .

With long-term arthrosis, limited mobility often occurs due to degenerative changes in muscles and tendons (so-called contractures), and joint deformation . Therefore, the disease is often called arthrosis deformans or osteoarthritis deformans.

Stages and degrees of osteoarthritis

There are several stages of osteoarthritis, which are usually recognized by X-ray images:

• Osteoarthritis of the 1st degree - changes in bone and cartilage tissue are weakly expressed, usually recognized during computed tomography. Pain and swelling occurs after moderate physical activity. Swelling of the joint goes away after rest.
• Osteoarthritis of the 2nd degree - cartilage tissue begins to deteriorate, bone growths (osteophytes) appear along the edges of the joint, the joint space narrows, which leads to constant pain. Swelling and pain become permanent.
• Osteoarthritis of 3-4 degrees – there is extensive destruction of cartilage, as well as bone tissue deprived of protection. There is constant swelling, the functioning of ligaments and muscle function are disrupted, which leads to joint deformation. The axial load in the joint is impaired: “O” or “X” deformation in the joints.

Which doctor should I contact?

If you suspect arthritis or arthrosis, you should consult a doctor for a correct diagnosis. In a regular clinic, this problem is addressed to a rheumatologist or orthopedist-traumatologist, or less often to a surgeon. In large diagnostic centers you can get an appointment with an arthrologist. This is a specialist who deals directly with joint diseases.

Causes of arthritis and arthrosis

Main causes of arthritis:

• Rheumatoid (sometimes called rheumatic) autoimmune disease, when the body's protective immune cells, for some unknown reason, begin to kill the body's own cells, mistaking them for foreign ( rheumatoid arthritis ). The nature of this disease is not completely clear. The disease more often affects women (3-5 times, according to various sources). Also found is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (juvenile idiopathic arthritis), a childhood form that occurs in children and adolescents under 16 years of age.
• Infectious diseases in which symptoms of arthritis are observed, for example, tuberculosis, brucellosis, tick-borne borreliosis, etc.
• Non-infectious disease (psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.)
• Metabolic disorders , for example, gout.

The main causes of arthrosis:

• Trauma is the most common cause.
• Congenital dysplasia (disorder of the articular surfaces of the bones) of the joint (for example, dysplastic coxarthrosis). In this case, the joints are excessively mobile, an increased load is placed on them and wear occurs faster.
• Long-term arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, joint tuberculosis, etc.). Metabolic disorders in synovial fluid lead to insufficient nutrition of cartilage, slow down the renewal processes of dead cells and provoke its destruction.
• Excessive physical activity , in particular when playing professional sports or monotonous industrial operations. It has been noted that seamstresses most often experience arthrosis of the joints of the hands, and workers who use a jackhammer most often experience arthrosis of the elbow and shoulder joints. In other words, the cartilage that suffers first is the one that experiences the maximum load over a long period of time.
• Hormonal disorders. In women, this is often associated with menopause.

Regardless of the specific cause of arthritis or arthrosis, the main problem is an imbalance between the processes of destruction and restoration in the tissues of the joint.

At the cellular level this means that in the joint:

— an excess of damaged and dead cells , which the body does not have time to remove;

— not enough new functional cells are formed , which should replace the dead cells and ensure the proper functioning of the joint.

The difference in the body's reactions during arthritis and arthrosis is explained by the difference in the tissues of the joints that are affected.

In arthritis, damaged cells predominate in the synovium and synovial fluid, and inflammation begins there. Swelling is a necessary reaction of the body to combat excess damaged cells in soft tissues.

In arthrosis, damaged cells predominate in cartilage tissue, where another protection mechanism operates: the replacement of damaged functional cells with connective tissue (scars), which is not capable of performing shock-absorbing functions and does not have the property of elasticity and resilience.

An excess of damaged cells can occur at once due to injury, hypothermia, etc. In other cases, the accumulation of dead cells, a decrease in the functionality of joint tissues occurs gradually due to daily stress (for example, when playing sports, heavy or monotonous physical work), impaired innervation, metabolic, hormonal and other processes. In this regard, understanding risk factors is of great importance in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis.

All risk factors for arthritis or arthrosis are associated with situations when the processes of cell death in the joint begin to prevail over the recovery processes:

• Physical inactivity . A sedentary lifestyle leads to low microvibration of muscle fibers, the development of stagnant processes in tissues, insufficient lymph flow and capillary blood flow, and accordingly leads to increased damage and premature death of healthy joint tissue cells.
• Overweight . Excess body weight increases the load on supporting joints - hips and knees. In addition, the fat layer impedes the flow of blood to the joints, which disrupts the nutrition of the cartilage. It has been observed that overweight women suffer from knee arthrosis 4 times more often than their slender peers. It is generally accepted that reducing body weight by 1 kg reduces the load when walking on each knee or hip joint by 4 kg.
• Spinal diseases (osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia). The spinal column contains the spinal cord, through which nerve impulses pass to the muscles. If the passage of impulses is disrupted, the muscles do not work coherently and do not sufficiently absorb shock when jumping, going down stairs, running and walking. Accordingly, even with natural daily stress, joint cells are damaged and die more often.
• Elderly age . The body's resources are gradually depleted. Tissue aging occurs everywhere, including in joints, at different rates, depending on the action of damaging factors and genetic predispositions.

Infections and non-communicable diseases in most cases serve only as a “trigger”. Arthritis usually occurs in the presence of the above risk factors. Those. inflammation occurs against the background of existing problems - insufficient blood flow, lymph flow, congestion in the joints. Healthy cells tend to be effectively protected from infections and other “attacks.” Therefore, it is important to treat not only the underlying disease that gave rise to arthritis, but also the joints themselves.

From this general understanding, principles for effective joint treatment emerge.

Principles of effective joint treatment

The longer and stronger the destruction processes prevail over the restoration process, the faster the moment of irreversible changes occurs. In this regard, it is important to shift the balance towards recovery as early as possible.

• Cleanse tissues of excess damaged cells formed as a result of injury, infection, autoimmune (rheumatoid, etc.) disorders. To do this, it is necessary to increase lymph flow .
• Improve blood supply to joint tissues, which will lead to a natural improvement in cell nutrition . As a result, the process of premature cell death is stopped, the restoration of cartilage tissue, synovial membrane is stimulated, the composition of synovial fluid is normalized, etc.
• Restore tissue innervation. Impaired conduction of the nerve pathways from the spinal cord to the joint can sometimes be the main cause of the development of the disease.
• Reduce the load as much as possible at the first manifestations of the disease to prevent further premature cell death. Do not wear heels, reduce weight if possible, do not lift heavy objects, walk and descend carefully, often alternate physical activity with complete rest during the day, etc. This is a whole set of measures, which, as a rule, involves a serious change in the lifestyle that has developed over the years.

Let us consider the various types of treatment from the point of view of the first three above principles of effectiveness.

Drug (drug) therapy

In case of inflammation, the following medications are used:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) . The main mechanism of action of these drugs is to inhibit the inflammatory process and eliminate pain. There is no cleansing of dead cells from tissues. They alleviate the patient’s condition, but do not slow down the progression of the process [3]. These drugs are taken almost for life , unless there is intolerance to them. In this case, side effects often occur: they negatively affect the condition of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, and their long-term use is fraught with the development of gastritis, ulcers, and ulcerative bleeding. Some NSAIDs (ibuprofen, etc.) negatively affect cartilage, thus provoking the development of arthrosis [4].
• Hormonal medications , which are usually given directly into the joint as an injection. They are used only according to strict doctor's instructions and in extreme cases in case of severe pain that is not relieved by NSAIDs. Hormonal drugs suppress the immune system, and accordingly the process of removing dead cells from the joints suffers. As a result of treatment, the intensity of inflammation decreases, and the person feels relief. There are side effects: the production of one’s own hormones is reduced, metabolic processes may be disrupted, etc. When administered into the joint cavity, the impact of side effects on the body is generally lower than when taking tablets, however, it is also observed. The cause of the disease is not eliminated.
• Cytostatics are a group of antitumor drugs that disrupt the processes of growth, development and division mechanisms of all cells in the body. When treating rheumatoid arthritis, they reduce the amount of antibodies that kill the body's own cells. However, the processes of formation of other cells, including hematopoiesis, are also disrupted. There is no tissue cleansing.

Thus, anti-inflammatory drug therapy is aimed only at relieving the symptoms of the disease, but not at cleaning or nourishing the joint tissues. The drugs only slow down, “freeze” the protective inflammatory process launched by the body.

Temporary relief of pain is also dangerous because the patient stops “sparing” the sore leg. And this worsens the damage to cartilage and bones. Therefore, the disease inevitably returns, and the pain only intensifies due to the occurrence of additional damage during the period of imaginary “calm.” And soon the only method left is joint replacement.

Joint prosthetics (replacing a joint with an artificial one) is a complex, expensive (at least 150 thousand rubles), surgical intervention in which serious postoperative complications are possible (infection, deep vein thrombosis, inflammation of the nerves, etc.). When infection occurs, osteomyelitis may develop, which requires removal of the prosthesis and affected bone areas. The functionality of the prosthesis is lower than that of a real joint. Falls and careless movements may result in dislocations and fractures of fragments of the artificial joint, which requires repeated surgery. There is a high risk of becoming a wheelchair user .

In order to try to restore cartilage and the composition of synovial fluid, the following drugs are used:

1. Chondroprotectors . Prescribed for the purpose of restoring articular cartilage. These drugs (mostly we are talking about dietary supplements) are widely used in Russia. However, numerous studies (including those published in July 2010 in the British Medical Journal, data from 10 large studies) show no effect even compared to placebo !

2. - an important component of cartilage tissue. A drug based on it can be injected into the joint only after the inflammatory process has been eliminated. The cost of one injection is from 2,000 rubles. up to 16,000 rub. (depending on the concentration of the drug and the manufacturer’s brand), one course involves several injections. The injection of this acid temporarily protects the joint from further damage. However, the artificially administered drug does not stimulate the production of its own acid , so courses must be constantly repeated to maintain the effect. Thus, treatment of one joint annually costs from 30 to 240 thousand rubles.

In addition to drug treatment, there are additional methods:

• laser therapy;
• cryotherapy (cold treatment);
• warming up;
• magnetic therapy;
• electromyostimulation;
• phonophoresis (ultrasound);
• treatment with gold-containing drugs, etc.

However, the effectiveness of these methods in terms of curing arthritis and arthrosis is questionable [5], since they do not eliminate the main cause of the disease - an imbalance between the destruction and restoration of joint tissue.

New understanding of the benefits of physical therapy (PT)

Therapeutic physical exercises, aerobic training, swimming are an effective means of preventing and treating arthrosis. They are aimed at restoring joint mobility and increasing blood flow in the area, and accordingly can stimulate the cleaning and restoration of joint tissue.

During physical exercise, working muscles create biological microvibration * , which is necessary for transport and metabolic processes at the cellular level. Lymphatic and blood vessels do not approach every cell of the body, every micro-area. Cells do not have their own means of transportation, therefore, in order for them to move and contact each other, they need to be “shaken,” which is ensured by the contractile activity of muscle fibers, that is, muscle work.

Muscles create microvibration energy constantly (even during sleep), only the power varies. The absence of microvibration indicates the death of a person. A level of microvibration sufficient to nourish and cleanse all tissues, including joints, occurs only with physical muscle tension .

REFERENCE: The existence of the effect of biological microvibration was discovered in 1986 by Academician N.I. Arinchin and described in the works “Micropumping activity of skeletal muscles during their stretching”, “Peripheral “hearts” of a person” . And in 2002, physicist V.A. Fedorov. Together with a group of doctors, the first measuring device was created - the myotremograph, which made it possible to measure the microvibration background of a person and experimentally confirm the theory.

That is why exercise therapy is recommended for the treatment of arthrosis and has a healing effect.

Unfortunately, physical therapy has serious limitations :

• Exercise therapy can be carried out only after inflammation has been relieved during a period of remission;
• exercises are not recommended if there is severe pain;
• elderly people have a whole bunch of diseases or serious joint degradation that no longer allow them to do physical exercise;
• people with a large weight can only do a limited amount of physical exercise (lying, sitting) to restore the hip and knee joints, since when walking and similar loads the joints are overloaded and continue to deteriorate;
• Exercise therapy will be effective with frequent regular exercises, when exercises alternate with periods of rest for the joint. As a rule, people are forced to go to work and have a number of family responsibilities that do not allow them to devote themselves entirely (for a long time) to exercise therapy with periods of rest.
• Exercise therapy may be ineffective if arthrosis is the result of physical overload and degenerative changes in tissue in the joint. The muscle cells are already exhausted, and additional stress can lead to their death.
• Exercise therapy does not solve the problem of restoring the conductivity of nerve pathways, that is, in the presence of diseases of the spine, exercise therapy will be ineffective, since nerve impulses will poorly reach the joint area.

Thus, exercise therapy is an effective means of treating arthrosis (but not arthritis) in people who are not too old at an advanced stage of the disease in the absence of other aggravating diseases.

Cleaning and restoration of joint tissues using phonation

However, there is a way out of the situation! The energy of biological microvibration can be obtained from the outside using vibroacoustic therapy (phonation).

Phonation involves transmitting sound microvibration (frequency range 30 - 20,000 Hz) into the human or animal body using a special compact medical device. Such sound microvibrations are natural for the body: in their physical characteristics they are similar to those biological microvibrations that are created by muscle tissue under maximum static physical stress (V. A. Fedorov, 2004).

Thus, phonation, applied at home, is a direct alternative to physical exercise . Moreover, the effect of such therapy is higher, since it is an external “pure” resource in relation to the body, and does not require its muscular expenditure. Microvibration energy is directed pointwise to the area of ​​the affected joint, to a depth of 10 cm. Thanks to an external source, muscle tissue, depleted during periods of physical inactivity, physical overload, stress, hypothermia, restores its contractile activity, and therefore the required level of microvibration (microtremor).

Despite its simplicity of action, phonation has numerous therapeutic effects:

• improves lymph flow in the area of ​​influence, and, accordingly, contributes to the cleansing of tissues and the rapid completion of the inflammatory process. This is a unique property of the physiotherapy method, which is not available with drug therapy. To date, no drug can directly affect lymph flow.
• improves blood flow and, accordingly, nutrition of each cell;
• promotes the release of joint lubrication;
• promote the release of stem cells from the depot - the ancestors of all functional cells of the body, incl. joint tissue cells;
• improves the conductivity of nerve pathways with prolonged exposure to the problem area of ​​the spine.

In this case, phonation does not have side effects, but has a long-lasting effect.

The effectiveness of phonation (vibroacoustic therapy) in the treatment of joints has been proven by numerous studies, including European ones.

Scientifically proven effectiveness in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis reaches 70-90% depending on the study.

In particular, according to one of the European studies, vibroacoustic therapy in the treatment of gonarthrosis (arthrosis of the knee joint) in patients over 44 years of age, half of whom were overweight, allowed:

• pain intensity decreased significantly (in 77% of patients);

Graph of pain intensity reduction according to VAS scale

• swelling in the joint area decreased in 91%;
• the range of motion in the knee joint increased significantly - in 82%,
• 91% of patients noted that it became easier for them to walk.

In another European report on long-term experience with phonation, Ph.D. Slobodan Zelenovic (Belgrade Institute of Biochemistry, Military Medical Academy, Serbia. p. 65) noted that this therapy gave unexpected results: “in the largest group of patients (more than 2000 people) with degenerative arthropathy and osteopathy, very high treatment effectiveness was achieved (in some After 18 months of treatment, complete restoration of the knee cartilage ).

Phonics (vibroacoustic therapy) is one of the new and promising areas in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The effectiveness of phonation has been confirmed by a number of scientific studies.

Several models of phonation devices are registered with Roszdravnadzor. All of them are produced under the Vitafon brand. Today, these are the only devices existing in the world that make it possible to transmit microvibration energy, similar to biological microvibrations, into the human body. For more than 25 years of use in more than 2 million people, not a single case of negative side effect has been reported.

The official method of treating arthritis and arthrosis at home using Vitafon medical devices can be found here. The duration of the course largely depends on the severity, duration and nature of the disease.

If pain or discomfort in a joint appears for the first time, then the development of the disease can be prevented with several phonation sessions. If arthritis has become chronic and arthrosis has already “developed”, then in this case you need to get ready for a fairly long and diligent treatment. If just beginning arthritis can be overcome in a few weeks, then treating long-term arthrosis may require several months and even years.

There is a possibility that your attending physician may not know about this new modern treatment method (phonation) and the corresponding devices, so before going to your appointment, we suggest printing out a leaflet with information about contraindications and methods of treating joints, arthritis and arthrosis.

Based on the above information, the following advantages of treating arthritis and arthrosis using the phonation method using Vitafon medical devices have been reliably determined:

• Proven effectiveness at 70-90%, determined by Russian and European medical studies.
• Eliminating pain and improving quality of life.
• In most cases, it makes it possible to do without taking medications or undergoing surgery .
• The device is easy to use; phonation procedures can be carried out independently and at home .
• A long-lasting effect, and with periodic maintenance procedures, the possibility of excluding recurrence of the disease .
• No side effects or complications, possible use from birth, limited list of contraindications.
• The possibility of treating with the Vitafon device not only joints, arthritis and arthrosis, but also many other diseases, including age-related ones, such as: hypertension, osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernias, heel spurs, prostate adenoma and prostatitis, etc. This allows the device to be used for treatment all family. According to a number of authoritative doctors [6], the Vitafon device must be present in the home medicine cabinet as a multifunctional first aid and treatment tool.
• A method that allows you to simultaneously treat the area of ​​inflammation and restore the neuromuscular shock absorption system.
• economic feasibility of phonation treatment compared to most other methods.
• Availability . Phonics devices can be purchased in pharmacies, medical equipment stores, on the manufacturer’s website, as well as in online stores with delivery throughout Russia.

Many people do not turn to specialists and self-diagnose themselves when discomfort in the joints occurs. But the development of arthritis and arthrosis is significantly different. Often these diseases are confused with each other. Perhaps this is due to consonance, or perhaps due to missing information. In order to correctly determine the type of joint disease, it is necessary to identify the causes of their occurrence.

Arthrosis and arthritis: comparative characteristics

What is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis?

Arthrosis mainly occurs in older people as an age-related deformation of the joint. Sometimes the disease appears after severe injuries or fractures in different categories of the population. But arthritis is inflammation of the joints, which does not depend on the patient’s age. The occurrence of the disease affects the entire body. It can occur not only after bruises and injuries, but also after stressful situations, hypothermia or infection. The inflammatory process is caused by the presence of infection in the body, a weakened immune system, which leads to metabolic disorders. The main difference is that arthrosis is a pathology of the joints of a chronic nature, and arthritis is inflammatory. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that is very difficult to cure completely. It can be inherited.

Arthritis and arthrosis can affect all elements of the joints. Arthrosis disease appears with age and indicates degenerative changes and deformation of the joints. It is more often observed in athletes or people who engage in heavy physical labor. Arthritis often indicates that an infection has entered the body, reduced immunity and impaired metabolic processes. It can affect the functioning of internal organs - the heart, kidneys or liver. More often occurs after joint injury. Factors such as stress or temperature changes can aggravate the situation.

The following types of joint pathologies are distinguished:

• Arthrosis. Affects the joints of the legs (joints of the knees, feet, ankles). These parts of the body bear the main load.
• Osteoarthritis. It is characterized not only by deformation of bone and cartilage tissue, but also by the deposition of salts.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. Dangerous for hands, wrists, feet. As the disease develops, the manifestations become more dangerous and terrible - the knees and elbows are affected, and then the internal organs.
• Reactive arthritis of the knee joint is characterized by asymmetry. The pain moves gradually from one leg to the other.
• Polyarthritis. Inflammation of several joints develops at once.
• Gout. Characterized by the deposition of salts and uric acid in the joint tissues.

Return to contents

Inflammation can cause deformation of joints in the legs, feet or arms. Arthritis and arthrosis can be distinguished by their location and degree of development. The symptoms of arthritis and arthrosis are somewhat similar, but the underlying causes will be different. The table shows the main differences between these diseases:

Diseases can be identified using laboratory tests and medical research methods. Arthritis can be diagnosed through a blood test or immunology. If arthrosis occurs, then the following is used for diagnosis:

• medical ultrasound of joints;
• arthroscopy;
• magnetic tomography;
• puncture.

A common method for diagnosing both diseases is x-rays. It defines:

• deformation associated with injuries;
• structural changes caused by inflammation.

Return to contents

Treatment: features and recommendations

Arthritis needs to be treated to avoid consequences, for example, the development of arthrosis. Osteochondrosis and arthrosis can be treated at home. Medical and surgical appointments will be needed for acute arthritis. The first signs when you need to provide first aid and take the patient to a medical center to see a doctor:

• sharp severe pain;
• swelling with pain;
• periodic or constant spasms after a bruise or injury;
• high body temperature;
• the appearance of migraines and joint weakness.

Treatment for arthrosis and arthritis will be different. The first disease is dealt with by an orthopedic traumatologist, and the second can be treated by both infectious disease specialists and allergists-immunologists. Only mild and moderate forms of illness can be treated at home with folk remedies (herbs). Complex treatment of arthritis and arthrosis of the foot and other joints includes the following rules and recommendations:

• Follow a diet and proper nutrition.
• Physical therapy and special exercises help effectively, but if the disease worsens, rest is needed.
• Traditional medicine offers many recipes for warming compresses and ointments, but these methods are effective only for arthrosis, since there are various contraindications for arthritis.
• Take vitamin medications and chondroprotectors, anti-inflammatory and symptomatic medications.
• Use medicinal herbs for decoctions and tinctures. The healing effect of the herb is effective for preparing baths and compresses.
• An effective solution for arthritis is etiotropy, which uses antihistamines, antibacterial or hormonal drugs.
• You need to visit sanatoriums, hospitals and special rooms with procedures to improve the condition of the joints and the body as a whole.
• In severe cases of arthrosis, surgical intervention is necessary.

In its advanced form, arthrosis cannot be cured.

If you carry out a treatment course with drugs in a timely manner, you can stop the development of arthrosis and improve the condition of the joint tissues. Ignoring the disease only worsens pathological processes. As for arthritis, given its infectious nature, the use of antibiotics and immunostimulants will quickly eliminate pain in the legs and arms and eliminate inflammation. But it is impossible to cure rheumatoid arthritis completely; it is recommended to use medications all the time - cytostatics or corticosteroids.

Categories : Diagnostics