We are pleased to welcome you to our website dedicated to such a common disease as arthrosis of the knee joint.
Gonarthrosis is a chronic disease of the knee joint, in which almost all its components are affected. The main role in this disease is played by the destruction of articular cartilage and the proliferation of bone tissue, and the development of inflammation.
Arthrosis (gonarthrosis) of the knee joint is a fairly common disease. This is one of the most common “companions” of older people: according to some studies, approximately a third of people over 75 years of age suffer from varying degrees of severity of arthrosis of the knee joint.
However, the disease of gonarthrosis of the knee has recently become quite “younger”: its symptoms begin to appear at a younger age. Most often, the initial manifestations of arthrosis occur in people aged 40 to 60 years.
This disease affects people whose joints have experienced considerable stress throughout their lives. Most often, arthrosis of the knee joints develops in former professional athletes, people whose work involves lifting and carrying heavy objects, standing on their feet for long periods of time, as well as sitting for long periods on their knees, squatting and in other positions that are uncomfortable for the knee joint.
In more rare cases, arthrosis can develop as a result of injury or the presence of another disease. However, the disease can also affect younger people.
Gonarthrosis, as a rule, “sneaks up” unnoticed. The disease develops over years and often its onset goes unnoticed. Patients may not pay attention to mild pain in the morning, a feeling of stiffness, and weakness in the knee joint.
This leads to the fact that the need for treatment arises at later stages, when the pathological process taking place in the joint has already been “started”, and therefore more effort will be required to restore the condition.
Today, one of the most common diseases is arthrosis of the knee joint. This most often affects people who are overweight. At the same time, the person experiences aching pain in the knee, it is difficult for him to bend his legs and sit down. At the first symptoms, you should consult a specialist. Only a doctor will tell you how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint correctly.
With arthrosis of the knee joint, pain is not felt immediately. A person may not even be aware of this disease for a long time. Knee pain begins to be felt only when walking or sitting on a chair for a long time.
Arthrosis can be divided into two stages:
At any stage, you need to know how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint correctly. After all, if this is not done in time, the disease will begin to progress.
Only a doctor should determine how to treat arthrosis of the knee joint! Typically, treatment includes taking anti-inflammatory antibiotics (aspirin, rumalon, etc.) But any drugs have side effects, so they can only be taken after reading the instructions. Medicines that desensitize the knee joint (suprastin) are also required. This method gives positive results, because Direct injection into the affected area has a direct effect. An excellent addition to treatment can be massage, as well as compresses with absorbable ointments.
For this disease, you can also use folk remedies:
Arthrosis of the joints (osteoarthrosis) is negative degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joints, which can affect the cartilage and other tissues of the joint, leading to limited mobility of the joint. Joint pain due to arthrosis leads to a decrease in quality of life; progressive arthrosis can lead to disability.
Symptoms of arthrosis include: limited joint mobility, pain in the joints when moving, crunching in the joints, muscle tension, swelling in the joint area, gradual deformation of the joint.
The main cause of arthrosis is a metabolic disorder, as a result of which the joint does not receive the necessary nutrition and changes in the tissues begin. Most often, arthrosis occurs against the background of changes in the endocrine, immune, and lymphatic systems, which in turn lead to an imbalance of metabolism in the body. The genitourinary system and kidneys play a special role in the formation of arthrosis. The kidneys are responsible for circulating blood and energy to the lower part of the body. Therefore, impaired renal activity affects the joints of the lower extremities; arthrosis (gonoarthrosis, coxarthrosis) occurs against the background of abnormalities of the genitourinary system.
Arthrosis is distinguished depending on the cause of its occurrence:
1. Primary arthrosis of the joints or osteoarthritis
This type of arthrosis has no obvious cause and is sometimes called idiopathic or genuine arthrosis.
2. Secondary arthrosis of joints
When the cause of the disease has already been established, it is diagnosed as secondary arthrosis. The cause of arthrosis can be: metabolic disorders, joint injury, arthritis or inflammatory processes in the joints, autoimmune diseases, diseases of the endocrine system.
3. Polyarthrosis – generalized arthrosis
Polyarthrosis affects several joints. This type also includes deforming arthrosis, which is accompanied by severe pain and has significant deformation of the joints. Deforming arthrosis most often affects the knee joints (gonarthrosis) and hip joints (coxarthrosis, respectively).
Because of the name, some illiterate people think that gonarthrosis develops from gonorrhea. It's funny and sad that even some doctors think this way. In fact, the term gonarthrosis translated means “arthrosis of the knee joint”, and nothing more. Gonarthrosis has nothing to do with gonorrhea, and develops due to completely different reasons, which we will now talk about.
In approximately 20-30% of cases, the cause of gonarthrosis is injury: damage to the menisci of the knee, dislocations of the knee joint or fractures of the tibia.
Fractures of the legs and dislocations of the knee joint quite often lead to the fact that the knee loses its original shape, becomes deformed and ceases to bend fully.
As a result, the knee suffers from a lack of movement, blood circulation in it worsens, and as a result, stagnation occurs. Subsequently, all this creates the preconditions for the occurrence of post-traumatic gonarthrosis.
Typically, post-traumatic arthrosis occurs 3-5 years after the injury, but in some cases arthrosis changes begin much earlier - within 2-3 months after a dislocation or fracture.
Damage to the menisci (pinches, tears or tears), accompanied by “jamming” of the knee, also contributes to the occurrence of arthrosis of the knee joint - especially if the “jamming” was not quickly eliminated and continued for a long time.
Operations to partially remove the meniscus (partial meniscus resection), but especially complete removal of the meniscus (total meniscectomy), increase the risk of gonarthrosis. Complete removal of the meniscus leads to the subsequent occurrence of gonarthrosis in at least 80-90% of operated patients.
Such a frequent occurrence of gonarthrosis after total meniscectomy is due to the fact that removal of the entire meniscus (or even part of it) leads to disruption of the congruence of all “parts” of the knee. That is, the articular cartilage is deprived of an additional shock absorber (meniscus) and is subjected to increased abnormal pressure.
Approximately 5-7% of all cases of gonarthrosis.
Gonarthrosis, or arthrosis of the knee joint, is a chronic disease in which the destruction of cartilage in the knee joint occurs, which causes pain in the knee and deterioration in the functioning of the joint, and a decrease in movements in it. If you find out the causes of osteoarthritis of the knees, then it will be easier to treat it.
Based on the causes of its occurrence, the disease is divided into two large groups: primary and secondary arthrosis of the knee joint.
In the primary form of the disease, the exact cause that caused this disease is unknown.
They speak of a secondary form when there is already some kind of problem in the joint (for example, previous inflammation, trauma, etc.), and osteoarthritis is, as it were, layered a second time on the already changed joint.
The exact cause of gonarthrosis is currently unknown. But the risk factors leading to the appearance of this disease have been studied quite well.
There are three large groups of causes, or risk factors, for the development of knee arthrosis.
predisposition to the disease may be hereditary
Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is a disease in which there is a fairly pronounced hereditary predisposition to it. So, if you are a woman, and your mother suffered from osteoarthritis in some form (not necessarily knees), then your likelihood of getting this disease is 2-3 times higher than the average in the population. If you have sisters and they also have arthrosis, then the likelihood of its occurrence is even greater.
In addition, there are diseases with a hereditary predisposition that affect connective tissue - the so-called collagenoses, which include, for example, Stickler syndrome. In the presence of such defects in collagen - a substance that is part of the ligaments - the likelihood of developing the disease also increases.
Partially, this group of causes of knee arthrosis includes diseases of the endocrine system: diabetes mellitus, lack of female sex hormones during menopause and a number of other conditions.
Even in the time of Hippocrates, people complained of sore joints. It was then that the disease arthrosis was first described. From that moment on, the complaints did not decrease, but doctors managed to learn more about the causes of this disease and methods of its treatment.
It is generally accepted that arthrosis is a chronic disease that causes changes in the osteochondral structure. Arthrosis of the joints occurs due to metabolic disorders. First, this leads to damage to the articular cartilage, and then the pathology also affects neighboring anatomical structures: capsule, ligaments, synovial membrane, as well as bone layers and periarticular muscles. Arthrosis is a fairly common disease - it affects more than 15% of the inhabitants of our planet. At the initial stage, knee arthrosis manifests itself as a crunch in the knees, then pain occurs after physical activity. If you feel these seemingly minor symptoms, you need to sound the alarm. The sooner treatment for arthrosis begins, the fewer consequences the disease will have. If the pathology is not treated, then over time the pain will only intensify, joint mobility will be limited, and in an advanced stage, arthrosis can lead to complete immobility.
The main symptoms of arthrosis are pain in the affected joint. They may appear after exercise and calm down after rest. In later stages, pain can also occur in a calm state due to blood stagnation and increased intraosseous pressure. This pain goes away after short physical activity.
Also, the fact that arthrosis is occurring is indicated by slight swelling of the joints, increased skin temperature in the affected area, and morning stiffness.
Sometimes arthrosis can cause inflammation of the veins.
Most often, older people complain of sore joints. This problem causes a lot of inconvenience and suffering. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint can even cause disability. There are a number of reasons that can trigger the development of the disease. Among them are varicose veins, excess weight and even flat feet. Arthrosis is classified into two main forms: primary and secondary.
The cause of the development of the primary form of the disease is a congenital joint defect. Primary arthrosis begins to manifest itself in childhood. This is due to the fact that the articular surfaces and ligamentous apparatus develop incorrectly, as a result of which, when moving, such a joint is subjected to loads disproportionate to its capabilities. This in turn leads to degenerative changes in the defective area.
Secondary arthrosis of the joints can develop after injuries and diseases.
From a medical point of view, secondary knee arthrosis can be caused by the following main factors:
In addition, knee arthrosis can develop after operations, metabolic disorders, hormonal changes, endocrine diseases, inflammatory processes, etc.
Arthrosis is divided into several types depending on which part of the body is affected. Thus, a distinction is made between arthrosis of the hip joint, arthrosis of the knee joint, as well as arthrosis of the hands, feet and spine.
Doctors divide arthrosis into four main stages depending on the symptoms of the disease.
In order to effectively treat arthrosis, it is important to correctly diagnose and determine the stage of progression of the disease.
The following diagnostic methods exist:
Also, knee arthrosis can be diagnosed by palpation and visual examination of the diseased joint. This method reveals signs of psoriatic arthrosis. However, for a more realistic and complete diagnosis of the disease, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination.
If a person is diagnosed with arthrosis of the joints, then he must understand that he needs medical help. If treatment for arthrosis is started in time, the destructive processes can be slowed down or even stopped and the disease will not develop into a terrible defect.
The treatment method may vary depending on the stage of the disease. Sometimes folk remedies for treating arthrosis are effective, and sometimes you have to resort to surgical methods.
Specific medications and their dosage are selected by the doctor individually for each patient. This method of treatment involves taking the following medications:
The earlier knee arthrosis is detected, the more effective drug therapy is. The action of the above drugs is aimed at restoring the cartilage tissue of the joint. However, it is important to remember that anti-inflammatory and painkillers have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract. That is why you should follow your doctor’s instructions regarding dosages and methods of taking medications.
Methods of manual and physical therapy have a positive effect in the first and second stages of the disease. Moreover, these methods have almost no side effects. However, self-medication even using such methods is extremely undesirable. It is important that treatment of arthrosis takes place under the supervision of a doctor.
The most popular physiotherapy procedures that alleviate arthrosis include microwave therapy, ultrasound, electrophoresis, local barotherapy, application of coolants and some others.
With manual influence, blood circulation increases, due to the relaxation of the knee muscles, pain is reduced, and the range of movements increases.
The last stages of damage to the knee joint require surgical intervention. If the connective tissue cannot be restored, and painkillers are not effective, then surgery is indicated.
The patient must understand that surgical treatment of arthrosis will not completely solve the problem of the disease, however, the discomfort in the affected joint will be significantly reduced for a long time.
There are several types of surgery:
In order to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, especially in the initial stages of the disease, you can use folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis. You can prepare such products at home. A composition made from crushed chalk and sour cream has a good effect. The paste should be applied to the sore joint at night. A cabbage juice compress will also help relieve pain.
Traditional treatment of arthrosis also involves the use of various homemade ointments.
Traditional treatment of arthrosis will be effective with an integrated approach to solving the issue. In particular, folk remedies for the treatment of arthrosis should be used together with healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle.
If you have knee arthrosis, you should not let the disease progress. It is important to consult a specialist in a timely manner and use all available treatment methods. Therapy should be comprehensive and include medication, physiotherapy and folk treatment of arthrosis. If all efforts are directed in time to the prevention and treatment of the disease, then there is a chance for a painless and fulfilling life.
With age, joints and bones weaken, and a lack of vitamins and microelements in the body provokes the development of diseases, including arthrosis. This disease significantly reduces a person’s quality of life and leads to pain and discomfort in the joints. How does arthrosis occur and manifest?
Arthrosis is a complex degenerative-dystrophic disease that destroys cartilage inside the joint, which leads to pain and difficulty moving. When this disease occurs, the ends of the bones are rebuilt. Additionally, it is possible to detect an inflammatory process that provokes degeneration of periarticular tissues.
Arthrosis is one of the most common diseases. Over time, it develops in more than 35% of people, more often in old age. But recently, it is increasingly found in young people whose age does not exceed 35 years.
It is impossible to completely cure arthrosis. However, if detected in the initial stages, it can be stopped. This will allow the patient to feel like a full-fledged person and give freedom of movement.
Aging is not the only reason for the development of arthrosis. The development of the disease is also provoked by: hereditary factors, place of residence, lifestyle, etc. All these points must be taken into account at the stage of preliminary examination of the patient and prescribing treatment.
Arthrosis is often caused by disruptions in metabolic processes in the body. This leads to the fact that the cartilage begins to gradually lose elasticity. This results in joint pain, impaired mobility, and frequent fractures. The loss of proteoglycans during the development of the disease causes the formation of cracks that affect the functionality of the joint.
The following factors also cause tissue deformation:
This is just a short list of factors that provoke the development of arthrosis. In addition to them, experts identify a number of genetic reasons that lead to the development of the disease.
People with difficult professions are at risk. This includes miners, metallurgists, masons. Increased physical labor provokes premature failures in the functioning of joints and bones. Arthrosis also appears from long-term injuries that caused complications.
The process of arthrosis development is complex, and it is completely impossible to stop it. The fact is that normal physiological metabolism within the joints begins to be disrupted. Irreversible changes occur in cartilage tissue; the rate of destruction of cartilage exceeds the rate of regeneration processes.
The central place in the process of joint destruction is occupied by chondrocytes, which are transformed under the influence of specific factors. There is an excessive production of collagens and proteoglycans that are unable to form aggregates with hyaluronic acid in sufficient quantities. Joint cartilage loses its natural elastic properties.
As the disease progresses, the cartilage becomes thinner, drier, and roughness appears on it. Elasticity is lost, movements become more problematic. Thus, the surface of the cartilage is polished and compacted over time.
Pathological processes affect not only cartilage tissue. There is also a negative impact on the joint capsule, subchondral bone, and musculo-ligamentous apparatus. Violations affect passive and active protection. Joint deformation is actively developing, which aggravates degenerative processes in cartilage. In this regard, the disease becomes progressive.
It does not matter for what reason arthrosis develops, since it almost always manifests itself in the same way. Symptoms are divided into 4 stages. As it progresses, the signs become more obvious and the pain becomes more pronounced.
The degree of progression of the disease is determined by x-rays, which help to assess the condition of the joint and the presence of gaps.
Arthrosis from each concomitant factor may be accompanied by a number of additional symptoms. These include weakness, malaise, immobility of the limbs, aching sensations in the area of the affected joint.
In the initial stages, the disease manifests itself poorly: there is virtually no discomfort. The patient occasionally feels a slight tingling pain during active exercise. Over time, the symptoms become more distinct.
Arthrosis is a complex, chronic disease. If its progression is not prevented in a timely manner, irreparable consequences await the person. Ignoring symptoms and lack of treatment can lead not only to the destruction of the diseased joint, but also to changes in the biomechanics of the spine. This can provoke the spread of arthrosis to healthy cartilage, as well as cause intervertebral hernia.
It is better to avoid complications, as eliminating them will require a lot of effort, time and patience. Regardless of what causes arthrosis, it must be dealt with promptly and comprehensively.
There are two types of arthrosis: primary and secondary. Primary arthrosis appears due to age-related changes that occur in the body of every person. This is an irreversible process. However, special supportive treatment techniques can prolong the youth of the joints and restore their mobility for a long time.
Secondary arthrosis occurs against the background of previous injuries and manifests itself at any age. It also occurs due to chronic diseases that are transmitted genetically through parents.
To find out what caused arthrosis, proper diagnosis is necessary using the following methods:
Additional laboratory tests:
The necessary treatment is prescribed based on indicators of the patient’s health status. In some cases, the disease may be so advanced that standard diagnostics are powerless, which is why a computed tomography scan is prescribed.
It is possible to detect the disease in the early stages if you resort to analysis of the sieval fluid. Histological analysis of the biopsy specimen will be no less useful.
Treatment of arthrosis gives good results if therapy is started in the early stages of the disease. However, this does not happen in all cases. Treatment must be comprehensive. Self-medication is unacceptable, since in all cases it will only lead to worsening.
The treatment method is prescribed by the attending physician, taking into account the patient’s medical history, complaints and tests. Therapy that relieves the patient of pain and other unpleasant symptoms includes:
Treatment also necessarily includes taking medications that have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Arthrosis can be treated with hormonal corticosteroids, which are used when the disease is at an acute stage. Chondroprotectors, whose action is aimed at restoring cartilage and improving the quality of synovial fluid, will also not be superfluous.
Some treatment methods recommend drinking a diuretic for arthrosis. This point is extremely individual, so it is better to discuss it with your doctor first.
For arthrosis, it is better to use a diuretic of natural plant origin. Thus, birch sap, elderberry, lingonberry and cranberry juice have a good effect.
Often arthrosis is provoked by an incorrect lifestyle, therefore, in order to avoid it or prevent complications, you need to follow simple, uncomplicated rules:
By following simple recommendations, you can forget about joint diseases for a long time.
Arthrosis or osteoarthrosis is a dystrophic-degenerative joint disease of a chronic nature, in which changes and destruction of the cartilage tissue of the joints slowly occur. Ultimately, the ends of the bones of the joints are deformed, their structure changes, and inflammation of the periarticular tissues often occurs.
Arthrosis of the hip joint is called coxarthrosis, and arthrosis of the knee is called gonarthrosis. There are primary arthrosis - most often this form occurs in older people due to age-related changes and disorders of biological processes. And secondary arthrosis, the causes of which are trauma or pathologies of internal organs, for example, the thyroid gland.
Both large and small joints can be affected. Of the small ones, the last phalanges of the fingers or toes and the vertebrae are most often affected (this disease is called spondyloarthrosis). If large joints can be affected individually, then when small joints are affected, the process spreads to all fingers or toes at once.
Characteristic symptoms of joint arthrosis:
Arthrosis is dangerous not only because the affected joint is destroyed over time. Once the disease occurs, it also affects the functionality of the spine, and arthrosis of other joints often develops.
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The initial stage of the disease responds well to treatment with glucosamine sulfate preparations - this is a natural substance that is obtained from the shells of marine animals. This medicine helps restore cartilage tissue and improve joint mobility.
Heparin and drugs containing it stimulate blood microcirculation, prevent oxygen starvation of tissues and can also stop arthrosis at the initial stage. B vitamins have approximately the same effect, so a course of taking them is also necessary.
The saturation of joint tissues with oxygen is facilitated by a well-known drug with an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory effect - aspirin. Febrazone has a similar effect, but is less aggressive on the stomach and intestines. It can be prescribed even to patients who suffer from peptic ulcers.
Among the folk remedies, hogweed helps get rid of arthrosis. You need to make compresses from its leaves, after dousing them with boiling water and wrapping them in gauze, and then apply them to the affected joints.
The initial stage of joint disease is successfully treated with medicinal herbs, which are prepared as infusions, decoctions for internal use, or ointments and rubs for external use.
Rubbing and compresses prepared with your own hands from medicinal plants relieve pain, swelling, have a warming effect and help quickly restore the mobility of affected joints. Patients' recommendations are to do them daily for 10-14 days.
The basis for these ointments is beef bone fat. Ointments need to be alternated, and then use a pharmaceutical product - Dikul balm for joints.
Patient recommendations: use ficus tincture for rubbing. To do this, a 0.5 ml bottle is filled to the top with plant leaves, filled with vodka and infused for 14 days.
After rubbing and ointments, warm compresses and baths should be done:
If you follow all these recommendations, the chances are very high that the next stage of the disease will never occur and it will be defeated. The course of treatment can be repeated every six months.
It is not difficult to completely restore JOINTS! The most important thing is to rub this into the sore spot 2-3 times a day.
To stop arthrosis and prevent its re-development, it is not enough just to make compresses and use ointments. Decoctions and infusions of herbs, which should be taken orally, play an important role in treatment with folk remedies.
Recommendations from homeopaths: even herbal infusion sometimes causes allergic reactions, so herbal treatment should be started with small dosages.
In the treatment of arthrosis, it is first of all important to make the cartilage more dense and elastic. This can be achieved if the body receives enough collagen, a natural component of cartilage tissue responsible for the elasticity and firmness of cartilage.
In this case, it is necessary for collagen to be fully absorbed. Chondroprotectors act slowly, since the active components of these drugs do not penetrate cells well. As an alternative treatment, it is recommended to try Artros, a powder made from the Chinese shiitake mushroom.
This mushroom is considered unique for its healing properties. What are they and how can it be useful for arthrosis? Shiitake contains natural polysaccharides that help increase nonspecific immunity. The body itself begins to synthesize interferon - and this guarantees accelerated restoration of articular tissues.
Geladrink is another supplement useful for arthritis, which contains a whole complex of valuable substances: chondroitin, glucosamine, collagen hydrolysate, methylsulfonylmethane, vitamin C, vitamin B6, biotin and a group of essential minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and copper.
Dikrasin is a drug made entirely on a plant basis, its main component is extract of hawthorn, St. John's wort and oregano.
For a disease such as arthrosis, an alkaline diet is required: for one part of acidic foods there should be two alkaline ones. Acidic foods include meat and foods that have been heat-treated, resulting in the loss of mineral and alkaline salts. The diet of a patient suffering from arthrosis must include:
You need to regularly eat fresh vegetables and fruits. But you should avoid fats, smoked foods, hot seasonings, pickles and marinades, confectionery and flour products. Purine-containing foods should be consumed in limited quantities: legumes, tomatoes, bell peppers, meat and fish.
It is imperative to do physical procedures - this is an equally important point in the treatment of arthrosis. The most popular are ultrasound and electrophoresis: these two procedures are accessible and very effective, there are almost no contraindications to them.
Usually they alternate electrophoresis with applications and ultrasound every other day, the course of treatment for each procedure is 10-12 times.
Massage is necessary for any joint diseases. You can do it yourself, but it is important to do it correctly, otherwise, instead of benefiting, the massage will do even more harm. If the joint is very painful, massage for arthrosis will improve blood flow, eliminate spasms, and thereby quickly relieve discomfort.
The massage must be performed in such a way that the body is relaxed, sitting or lying down.
Therapeutic exercises are an equally important point, especially at the initial stage of the disease or during the recovery period after drug and surgical treatment. To prevent the development of arthrosis, it is recommended to wear orthoses, avoid hypothermia and heavy physical exertion, follow a diet and harden yourself.
Old age is considered one of the main causes of arthrosis. Early arthrosis occurs in young people when they receive injuries or inflammation in the joint tissues. The causes of arthrosis among young people are explained by the following factors:
Arthrosis at a young age is gaining momentum. Congenital defects in the area of ligaments and bone structure negatively affect the development of the articular apparatus. It is dangerous for a healthy child to receive bruises, fractures, dislocations - they will leave indelible harm to the body.
It is worth following the correct approach in sports activities, not chasing great achievements, causing discomfort to the body. Give up bad habits that lead to disruption of organ function and immediate development of the disease at a young age.
Timely detection of the disease in youth will allow the necessary measures to be taken to prevent the disease and prescribe treatment.
It is impossible to single out one factor influencing the occurrence of arthrosis of the knee joint. These are many factors that after some time lead to serious disorders in the body. The main stages of the occurrence of arthrosis:
The causes of arthrosis of the knee joint occur with a late start of active physical activity (running exercises, squats) for an unprepared body. The age of 40 years and older suggests changes in the joints - any physical activity will lead to a negative effect on the joints and on the entire body.
The likelihood of acquiring a disease of the knee joint occurs with spinal injuries, diabetes mellitus, and neurological diseases. In 60% of cases, arthrosis of the knee joint occurs due to cramps in the thigh muscles. The disease is not detected immediately, but manifests itself as a general malaise.
If treatment is not prescribed promptly, over time the knees may become difficult to move. In other cases, the causes of arthrosis of the knee joint are muscle cramps acting in the hip area. The symptoms do not make themselves felt for a long time, are mildly expressed, and are similar to ordinary illness (fatigue, heaviness in the legs, pain in the knee joint).
To identify arthrosis of the knee joint, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography (X-ray) methods are used, which reveal abnormalities in the tissue structure and clearly express the picture of the disease. Treatment includes a number of procedures and medications. Sometimes patients are offered to undergo treatment in special sanatoriums.
Psychosomatics – studies the influence of psychological factors on the occurrence of bodily diseases. Scientists have tried to explain the psychological causes of arthrosis using the psychological factor that plays a role in the formation of the disease. One of the main causes of the disease is the patient’s constant stress depression. The release of a certain hormone into the blood (produced due to stress) stops the production of “lubricant” for the joints. The cartilage in the joint dries out, leading to its destruction.
For women who are depressed, it is worth choosing special treatment; it is difficult for them to accept changes in life. Often the disease affects people who keep emotions inside themselves and do not give them a way out. People rich in emotional manifestations rarely know about such a disease. Therefore, smile more often, do not keep psychological problems to yourself, turn to friends and specialists for help. Treatment of the disease consists of saturating the day with positive emotions and medications.
Arthrosis is the most common joint disease. According to American doctors, in the United States this disease occurs in approximately 7% of the population. Russian experts voice almost the same figures - according to large-scale studies, 6.43% of Russians suffer from arthrosis. Men and women suffer from arthrosis equally often, but there is a slight predominance of men among young patients, and women among older patients. An exception to the general picture is arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints, which develops in women 10 times more often than in men.
With age, the incidence increases sharply. Thus, according to studies by American doctors, arthrosis is detected in 2% of people under 45 years of age, in 30% of people from 45 to 64 years of age and in 65-85% of people aged 65 years and older. The first place in prevalence is occupied by arthrosis of the small joints of the hand, the first metatarsophalangeal joint, the lumbar and cervical spine, as well as the hip and knee joints. However, arthrosis of the knee, hip, shoulder and ankle joints has the greatest clinical significance due to its negative impact on the standard of living and ability to work of patients.
In some cases, the disease occurs for no apparent reason; such arthrosis is called idiopathic or primary. There is also secondary arthrosis - developed as a result of some pathological process. The most common causes of secondary arthrosis:
Risk factors for developing arthrosis include:
Arthrosis is a polyetiological disease, which, regardless of the specific causes of its occurrence, is based on a violation of the normal formation and restoration of cartilage tissue cells.
Normally, articular cartilage is smooth and elastic. This allows the articular surfaces to move freely relative to each other, provides the necessary shock absorption and thereby reduces the load on the adjacent structures (bones, ligaments, muscles and capsule). With arthrosis, the cartilage becomes rough, and the articular surfaces begin to “cling” to each other during movements. The cartilage becomes more and more disintegrated. Small pieces are separated from it, which fall into the joint cavity and move freely in the joint fluid, injuring the synovial membrane. Small foci of calcification appear in the superficial zones of the cartilage. Areas of ossification appear in the deep layers. In the central zone, cysts are formed, communicating with the joint cavity, around which, due to the pressure of the intra-articular fluid, ossification zones also form.
Due to constant trauma, the capsule and synovial membrane of the joint thicken with arthrosis. Villi appear on the synovial membrane, and foci of fibrous degeneration form in the capsule. Over time, due to the thinning and disruption of the normal form and function of the cartilage, the adjacent surfaces of the bone are deformed, and bony protrusions appear at their edges. Due to the increased load in the ligaments and muscles, foci of fibrous degeneration occur. The likelihood of damage to the ligamentous-muscular system (sprains, tears, ruptures) increases; sometimes the joint “goes” into a state of subluxation. With significant destruction of cartilage, movements are sharply limited, and ankylosis may form.
There are three stages of arthrosis:
Pain is the most constant symptom of arthrosis. The most striking signs of pain with arthrosis are the connection with physical activity and the weather, night pain, starting pain and sudden sharp pain in combination with joint blockade. A certain rhythm of pain in arthrosis is directly related to the load on the joint. With prolonged exercise (walking, running, standing), the pain intensifies and subsides with rest. This is due to a decrease in the ability of cartilage to provide shock absorption during movement. The cause of night pain in arthrosis is venous congestion, as well as increased intraosseous blood pressure. The pain also intensifies under the influence of unfavorable weather factors: high humidity, low temperature and high atmospheric pressure.
The most characteristic sign of arthrosis is starting pain - pain that occurs during the first movements after a state of rest and goes away while maintaining motor activity. The cause of initial pain in arthrosis is detritus - a film of components of destroyed cartilage tissue that settles on the articular surfaces. As a result of movements, detritus moves from the cartilage to the inversions of the joint capsules, so the pain disappears. Blockades are sudden, sharp pain and the inability to move in a joint. They are caused by pinching of a joint mouse, a piece of cartilage or bone lying loosely in the joint cavity. In addition to the listed types of pain, with the development of reactive synovitis in patients with arthrosis, other pain may occur - constant, aching, bursting, independent of movements.
Arthrosis develops gradually, gradually. Initially, patients experience mild, short-term pain without clear localization, which intensifies with physical activity. In some cases, the first symptom is a crunching sound when moving. Many patients with arthrosis note a feeling of discomfort in the joint and transient stiffness during the first movements after a period of rest. Subsequently, the clinical picture is supplemented by night pain and pain due to the weather. Over time, the pain becomes more and more pronounced, and a noticeable limitation of movements occurs. Due to the increased load, the joint on the opposite side begins to hurt.
Periods of exacerbations alternate with remissions. Exacerbations of arthrosis often occur against the background of increased load; with exacerbations, synovitis develops. Due to pain, the muscles of the limb reflexively spasm, and muscle contractures can form. The crunching in the joint becomes more and more constant. At rest, muscle cramps and discomfort appear in the muscles and joints. Due to increasing joint deformation and severe pain, lameness occurs. In the later stages of arthrosis, the deformation becomes even more pronounced, the joint is bent, and movements in it are significantly limited or absent. Support is difficult; when moving, a patient with arthrosis has to use a cane or crutches.
When examining a patient with arthrosis in the early stages, visual changes are not detected. The joint is of normal shape, slight swelling is possible. On palpation, mild or moderate pain is determined. Almost full movement. Subsequently, the deformation becomes more and more noticeable; palpation reveals severe pain, while the patient, as a rule, clearly marks the most painful points. Thickenings are identified along the edge of the joint space. Movements are limited, instability in the joint is detected. A curvature of the limb axis may be detected. With the development of reactive synovitis, the joint is enlarged in volume, has a spherical appearance, and fluctuation is determined by palpation.
The diagnosis is made on the basis of characteristic clinical signs and the X-ray picture of arthrosis. Images of the diseased joint are taken (usually in two projections): for gonarthrosis - radiography of the knee joint, for coxarthrosis - radiography of the hip joint, etc. The X-ray picture of arthrosis consists of signs of dystrophic changes in the area of articular cartilage and adjacent bone. The joint space is narrowed, the bone platform is deformed and flattened, cyst-like formations, subchondral osteosclerosis and osteophytes are detected. In some cases, with arthrosis, signs of joint instability are found: curvature of the limb axis, subluxations.
The severity of clinical manifestations of arthrosis does not always correlate with the severity of radiological signs of the disease. However, certain patterns still exist. Thus, osteophytes occur in the early stages of the disease and are usually the first radiological sign of arthrosis. At first, the edges of the articular surfaces become sharper; as the disease progresses, they become increasingly thicker, eventually forming bone spines and outgrowths. Narrowing of the joint space appears later. In this case, due to instability of the joint, the gap may take on the shape of a wedge. At approximately the same time, osteosclerosis of the subchondral zone of the bone develops, and cyst-like formations appear in the bone tissue adjacent to the joint.
Taking into account radiological signs, specialists in the field of orthopedics and traumatology distinguish the following stages of arthrosis (Kellgren-Lawrence classification):
Sometimes x-rays are not enough to accurately assess the condition of the joint. To study the bone structures, a CT scan of the joint is performed, and an MRI of the joint is performed to assess the condition of the soft tissues. If there is a suspicion of a chronic disease that has caused secondary arthrosis, the orthopedist prescribes consultations with the appropriate specialists: an endocrinologist, hematologist, gynecologist, etc. If it is necessary to carry out a differential diagnosis of arthrosis with rheumatoid diseases, the patient is referred for a consultation with a rheumatologist.
There is no single reason for the development of such a disease as arthrosis of the knee joint; as a rule, it is a combination of several provoking factors that, with age, can lead to such a disorder. The mechanisms of arthrosis in medicine are usually divided into:
There are also frequent cases (7-8% of cases) of arthrosis, when a person after 40 years suddenly suddenly begins physical activity, especially running and intense squats. It is at this age that age-related changes in the joints already occur and sudden loads can provoke rapid dystrophic and degenerative changes in the joints.
Also, another cause of arthrosis of the knee joint can be not only injuries, serious injuries, but also concomitant diseases - rheumatoid, reactive or psoriatic arthritis (see why psoriasis is dangerous and contagious), gout, ankylosing spondylitis, excess weight and varicose veins (see treatment of varicose veins at home).
Playing professional sports or simply constant heavy physical activity, heavy lifting or frequent long climbs up stairs in old age can be the reasons for the development of arthrosis of the knee joint. The risk of gonarthrosis also increases with spinal injuries, with neurological diseases, with diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders, as well as with genetic weakness of the ligamentous apparatus (3-5% of cases).
In 50-60% of cases, the cause of arthrosis of the knee joint is a spasm of the muscles of the anterior surface of the thigh. Until the patient's knees hurt, such muscle spasm does not manifest itself for a very long time, and the person only experiences lower back pain, fatigue, and heaviness in the legs. If the rectus and iliopsoas muscles of the thigh are in a constant state of spasm, then with age the knees gradually become “tightened”, which does not allow them to move freely.
Belgian orthopedic surgeons in the city of Leuven recently discovered an unstudied and previously unknown ligament ALL, which is located in the human knee; it is now given the name anterolateral or anterolateral.
The fact is that some patients, even after successful operations after injuries and ruptures of knee ligaments, experienced instability of the knee joint and pain during physical activity.
Studies carried out over 4 years on 40 knee joints made it possible to discover this very ligament, which was not known to medicine at all. The main function of this ligament is the rotational movement of the tibia and when injured, doctors did not even think about its surgical correction during operations. Read more about this discovery in our article Previously unknown ligament discovered in the human knee joint.
Most often, arthrosis develops in one of the knee joints and, taking into account the intensity of pathological processes in medicine, 3 degrees of gonarthrosis are distinguished:
Even before a blood test for arthritis, there are all the signs of inflammation: swelling, redness, hot skin over the affected joint, and impaired movement. Arthrosis is pain combined with x-ray changes.
This disease develops very quickly; if you move unsuccessfully, after a crunch, a sharp pain appears in the knee, which subsides after 15 minutes, swelling of the knee occurs the next day.
You can distinguish arthrosis from arthritis by a blood test; with arthrosis, a general blood test does not show any changes, but a blood test for arthritis almost always indicates an inflammatory process (except, for example, in cases of damage to the small joint of the hand).
This pain occurs more often in women after 40 years of age when descending stairs or carrying heavy objects; it is localized on the inner or outer side of the knee, at the base of the attachment of the patella. It is difficult to straighten the leg at the joint, and swelling may occur.
These are symmetrical pains that occur in both knees at the same time and mainly in young people during accelerated bone growth, occur when the weather changes, with a cold, or physical activity; patients describe this condition as “twisting their knees.”
This insidious disease develops gradually. At first, the patient begins to worry only about minor discomfort, pain when moving, going up and down the stairs. Sometimes a person describes the sensation as a tightness in the popliteal region and slight stiffness of the joint. A distinctive sign of arthrosis of the knee joint is the symptom of starting pain, that is, when a person suddenly stands up from a sitting position and begins to move, pain occurs during the first steps, but as he moves, it softens or disappears completely. However, after a significant load it occurs again.
In the first degree, the knee is no different in appearance from a healthy one, only sometimes patients notice a slight swelling in the affected area. There are also cases when fluid accumulates in the knee joint, it swells, becomes spherical, then synovitis develops, the movement of the joint is limited, and heaviness is felt. Why do such pains and changes occur in the joint?
In the first degree of arthrosis, blood circulation is impaired in the intraosseous small vessels that supply hyaline cartilage with nutrients. For this reason, the surface of the cartilage becomes unsmooth and dry over time, and cracks appear on the surface of the cartilage. The sliding of cartilage during movement should be soft and unhindered, but in this case they cling to each other, such a constant state of microtrauma thins the cartilage tissue, so it loses its shock-absorbing properties.
As pathological processes develop, changes in bone structures also occur, when the articular platform is flattened, and osteophytes appear at the edges of the joint - spines or, as they are called, bone growths. The joint capsule degenerates, the synovial membrane shrinks, and the joint fluid thickens. All this leads to an even more significant decrease in the supply of nutrition to the cartilage and degeneration begins to accelerate.
Therefore, with degree 2 arthrosis of the knee joint, the symptoms intensify, the pain is localized more often on the anterior-inner side of the joint and occurs even with light loads, rest gives relief, but movement again causes severe pain.
The mobility of the joint is also reduced; when trying to bend the leg to the maximum, a sharp pain occurs, and a rough crunch is heard when moving. Synovitis is already observed much more often than at the beginning of the disease, fluid accumulates in larger quantities, the joint changes its configuration, it becomes, as it were, expanded.
With arthrosis of the knee joint of the 3rd degree, significant deformation of the bones occurs, they seem to be pressed into each other, cartilage tissue is practically absent, and the limitation of joint movement increases. The pain bothers the patient day and night, at rest and when walking; bending or straightening the joint becomes problematic. The joint becomes deformed, the legs become X- or O-shaped, the gait is waddling, unstable, and often in severe cases the patient needs crutches or a cane.
With the first degree of arthrosis, such a diagnosis cannot be established during a routine examination. With grades 2-3, already upon examination, deformations of the bones and joints, changes in the axis of the limbs, stiffness of movement are noticeable, a crunching sound is heard, and with synovitis, edema and swelling are noticeable.
Today, in addition to standard radiography, modern MRI and CT methods are used to diagnose arthrosis of the knee joint, which make it possible to more thoroughly examine pathological changes in soft tissues and study disorders of bone structures.
Treatment of this disease consists of a whole range of procedures and drug therapy. You can learn more about the treatment of knee arthrosis in our next article. Orthopedists prescribe physiotherapy, massage, therapeutic exercises, and mud therapy.
Drug treatment includes the prescription of chondroprotectors and drugs that replace synovial fluid. Sometimes intra-articular administration of steroid hormones is indicated. Patients are also recommended to undergo sanatorium-resort treatment. If the treatment is ineffective, if the patient is young and has arthrosis with severe pain and limited movement, then it is possible to undergo joint replacement with a subsequent rehabilitation period of 3-6 months.
Arthritis is usually called any inflammation of a joint (the name “arthritis” comes from the Greek word arthron, which means “joint”, the ending IT in medicine means inflammation). Arthritis can be of traumatic, infectious and dystrophic origin.
Damage to one (arthritis) or several joints (polyarthritis) can be a symptom of other diseases. Arthritis often occurs due to repeated minor injuries, open or closed injuries to the joints. Arthritis can develop with frequent physical overexertion and hypothermia. Various infections (for example, intestinal or urinary) can also cause arthritis, called reactive arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis also occurs, in which progressive inflammation of several joints (most often small) occurs, with the limbs affected symmetrically. Older people often suffer from this. Metabolic disorders can also cause arthritis.
Arthritis in its various forms can be characterized by different combinations of symptoms. Arthritis usually causes swelling and pain in the affected joints. In the initial stages of the disease, pain can occur both during movement and physical activity, and at certain times of the day (for example, at night or in the form of morning stiffness). If arthritis becomes chronic, the pain may become constant. In addition, the inflamed joint usually becomes red, swollen and even deformed, its function is disrupted, and in severe cases of arthritis it becomes completely immobile.
Causes of arthritis: bacterial, viral or fungal infection, injury, allergies, metabolic disorders, diseases of the nervous system, lack of vitamins. Typically, infection enters the joints through the circulatory system from another part of the body; this can occur due to injury, surgery, or a general decrease in immunity.
Arthritis includes:
All of them are associated with inflammation of the synovial membrane - a thin film of connective tissue lining the joint from the inside.
Degenerative arthritis includes traumatic arthritis and is associated with damage to the articular cartilage that covers the ends of bones at the point of articulation.
Arthritis is characterized by pain in the joint, especially when moving, there are often restrictions on its mobility, swelling, changes in shape, sometimes the skin over the joint turns red and fever appears.
Symptoms of infectious arthritis are redness, swelling of the joint, pain when pressed, the joint may be hot to the touch, and general symptoms of an infectious disease are often observed - fever, chills, pain throughout the body.
There is arthritis of one joint (monoarthritis) and many (polyarthritis).
Arthritis can begin suddenly and be accompanied by severe pain in the joint (acute arthritis) or develop gradually (chronic arthritis). Some people experience a sharp, aching or dull pain. This pain is comparable to toothache. Movement in this joint is usually impaired and stiffness is observed.
Treatment for arthritis depends on the form of the disease. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate its underlying cause (infection, excessive exercise, poor diet, alcohol abuse).
Treatment of arthritis primarily involves taking antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, often administered intra-articularly. When treating arthritis, specialists also pay great attention to physiotherapeutic procedures and therapeutic exercises necessary to maintain joint mobility and preserve muscle mass.
Read more about the causes, symptoms and treatment of arthritis in the article Arthritis - inflammation of the joints >>
Arthrosis is a chronic metabolic disease of the joints, accompanied by changes in the articulating surfaces of the bones. The more correct name for arthrosis is osteoarthritis.
The main symptoms of arthrosis: severe pain in the joint, decreased joint mobility. If arthrosis is neglected, joint immobility occurs.
The main difference between arthrosis and arthritis: with arthrosis, the main destructive activity is performed not by inflammatory, but by degenerative processes in the articular cartilage; the cartilage is destroyed.
Arthrosis is not an inflammatory disease and therefore has nothing in common with arthritis or chronic polyarthritis, in which joint inflammation is based on a reactive pathological change in the joint fluid. The same can be said about acute arthritis - inflammation of the joints caused by various infectious agents.
Characteristic symptoms of arthrosis are pain during exercise, which subsides with rest, limited mobility and crunching in the joint, muscle tension in the joint area, possible periodic swelling, and gradual deformation of the joint. But at the same time, unlike arthritis, there is no redness of the joint, it is not hot to the touch.
Unlike arthritis, arthrosis is a disease of the joints, accompanied primarily by the destruction of cartilage, and inflammation occurs later and may not be permanent.
In the initial stages, arthrosis manifests itself in the form of unpleasant sensations and crunching when bending the joints. When arthrosis begins to progress, pain appears during movement and physical activity, intensifying towards the end of the day (it usually subsides during the night, and a person suffering from arthrosis may not pay attention to the disease for a long time). In the later stages of arthrosis, the mobility of the joints is completely impaired, and pain torments the person more and more often.
Arthrosis is very dangerous, and if degenerative tissue changes have gone too far, the doctor will not be able to restore the joint. Usually it is only possible to slow down the progression of the disease, relieve inflammation (through the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and reduce pain. To prevent arthrosis from leading to disability, the patient should try to reduce the load on the affected joint and get rid of excess weight, which is facilitated by physical therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures. Severe arthrosis may require surgical intervention.
Arthrosis causes pathological changes in joint tissue, and the causes of the disease are still not fully understood. Arthrosis develops under the influence of various genetic (arthrosis most often affects women, as well as people with congenital diseases of bones and joints) and acquired (old age, excess weight, previous joint surgeries) factors. Osteoarthritis can also occur as a result of excessive stress on the joints or their injuries. It is customary to distinguish between primary and secondary arthrosis. Primary arthrosis is the result of disruption of the regeneration processes of cartilage cells, which can occur due to poor blood supply and nutrition of joint tissues. It is believed that secondary arthrosis develops in an already affected joint, but it is difficult to draw a clear boundary between these two forms.
Arthrosis can occur as a result of intoxication, infectious diseases (for example, typhus, syphilis, etc.). Arthrosis can also occur due to joint injuries (fracture of the articular ends of bones, damage to articular cartilage), with significant functional overload of the joint (for example, ballet dancers, loaders and etc.). Occupational stress is of known importance (for example, arthrosis among workers in hot shops).
Primary arthrosis accounts for approximately 40-50% of all cases of arthrosis. In this case, the disease occurs on a previously healthy joint, and its cause is not damage to the joint, but, for example, heavy physical work.
Secondary arthrosis accounts for approximately 50-60% of cases. In this case, the joint susceptible to arthrosis was deformed even before the disease - for example, as a result of injury.
Arthrosis affects 10 to 15% of the world's population. With age, the risk of arthrosis increases significantly. Symptoms of arthrosis are often detected as early as 30-40 years of age. 27% of people over 50 years old suffer from arthrosis. And after 60 years, almost everyone suffers from this disease. The incidence of arthrosis is the same among men and women. An exception is arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints - this type of arthrosis occurs most often in women.
Most often, arthrosis is destructive changes in cartilage and bone tissue that occur with age as a result of natural aging. Statistics are also eloquent. Upon reaching 60-70 years of age, the disease arthrosis is diagnosed in 60-70% of people. The words “arthrosis” and arthritis are similar only phonetically, but the causes may be different, and so can the treatment.
When highlighting the differences between arthrosis and arthritis, it is important to realize the different direction in which the destructive and deforming process occurs. If you have arthrosis, then the metabolism in the joint is disrupted, its elasticity is lost, the cartilage becomes thinner and every movement causes pain. If you have arthritis, then microbes or even your own immune system have attacked the joint, your body works against its tissue and this causes inflammation, pain and changes that are deforming in nature. Understanding this is important because it determines treatment. While arthritis will suppress infection or autoimmune processes, mechanical restoration of the joint is the primary goal for treating patients with arthrosis.
The first blow is taken by the knee joints, elbow joints, and arms. Thus, arthrosis of the knee joint is the most common. Over time, deforming arthrosis occurs, the joints begin to deform, and due to curvature, the affected areas can take on bizarre shapes. There are, in particular, terms such as “swan neck”, “button loop”. If a person has arthrosis deformans and the fingers are affected, then in appearance they may become shorter.
Deforming arthrosis is a disease of our time; a sedentary lifestyle has led us to it. Nature destined us to live differently, but by automating processes, man “earned” a lot of sores with which people pay for all the benefits they receive. Deforming arthrosis usually affects the supporting joints. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is explainable because its peculiarity, unlike other joints, is the heavy loads it bears. Nature did not take much care in feeding such overworked places. And since the cartilage of the knee joint does not have its own vessels, it can atrophy as a result of aging or under the influence of infections or injuries.
The most common diseases are arthrosis of the joints of the lower half of the body (hip, knee, first metatarsophalangeal). Most often, osteoarthritis affects the knee (gonarthrosis) and hip (coxarthrosis) joints. One of the earliest symptoms of arthrosis is pain in the knee joints. At the beginning of the disease, it is practically absent at rest, but appears when the joint is loaded. For arthrosis of the knee joints, massage of the lower extremities can be useful, but direct impact on the diseased joint should be avoided, as this can increase the inflammatory reaction in it.
In the hands, the joints of the phalanges of the fingers are most often affected by arthrosis. Arthrosis usually occurs first on one joint, and then on the second - symmetrical to the first.
Ankylosing spondylosis (Bechterew's disease) leads to limitation of the motor capabilities of the spine due to the connection, i.e. fusion of some joints.
The results of an X-ray examination reveal that the spine, subject to arthrosis, looks like a bamboo stick.
1. Central - only the spine is susceptible to arthrosis
2. Arthrosis affects not only the spine, but also the shoulder or hip joints.
3. Peripheral - the spine and peripheral joints are susceptible to arthrosis
4. Scandinavian - damage by arthrosis occurs in the spine and small joints of the hands and feet
5. Ankylosing spondylitis with extra-articular manifestations: damage to the eyes, cardiovascular system, kidneys, lungs in the form of fibrosis.
Patients with arthrosis cannot do this.
The basis of the disease is a malnutrition of the articular (epiphyseal) ends of the bones. Due to changes in patency or damage to the vessels supplying the bone, aseptic necrosis occurs, aggravating lesions in the joint. Arthrosis is progressive. Initially, painful changes appear in the inner (so-called synovial) membrane of the articular capsule, then they capture the cartilage covering the articular surfaces of the articulating bones; the cartilage gradually breaks down, exposing the bone; The bone tissue is thinned in places, thickened in places, bone spike-like outgrowths are formed - osteophytes, and a picture of deforming arthrosis develops. Osteophytes can break off and then arthrosis is accompanied by arthritis - inflammation of the joint.
More often, arthrosis develops in the hip, knee and first metatarsophalangeal joints. Typically, middle-aged and elderly people suffer from arthrosis. Arthrosis is manifested by pain that appears gradually, occurs periodically, worsens after sudden physical exertion or, conversely, after a long period of rest. Due to pain, mobility in the joint is limited. Arthrosis is accompanied by inflammation of the tissues surrounding the joint and nerve trunks; joint function also suffers due to protective muscle tension.
Treatment of arthrosis is outpatient and in sanatorium-resort conditions. Prescribe painkillers, hormonal drugs (adrenocorticotropic), physiotherapy (thermal procedures, ultrasound), therapeutic exercises, massage. In severe cases, surgery (arthrodesis, arthroplasty) is used to treat arthrosis.
If the wear and tear of cartilage has not yet progressed too far, medications containing glucosamine sulfate, a natural substance obtained from the shells of marine animals, can help. It has a positive effect on cartilage metabolism and improves joint mobility.
Read more about the causes, symptoms and treatment of arthrosis in the article Arthrosis (Osteoarthritis) >>