In modern medicine, there are a variety of types of arthritis of the joints - there are more than a hundred of them. The fact is that the word “arthritis” itself is quite streamlined and implies inflammation of the synovial membrane, damage to cartilage tissue and/or other problems affecting the joint as a whole or its individual parts. While denoting a “class” of disease, this term does not actually convey any specifics. In turn, depending on the cause of the disease, which joint is affected, and a number of other factors, we can talk about one or another type of arthritis. They have their own characteristics (symptoms, manifestations, consequences, limitations, etc.) and, accordingly, require their own treatment program - both medicinal and non-medicinal.
Let's start describing what types of arthritis there are by dividing them into two large groups: inflammatory and degenerative. As the name suggests, the former are characterized by the presence of inflammation, while the latter are associated with damage and gradual destruction (degeneration) of cartilage tissue. Moreover, these groups are not “isolated” from each other: with degenerative arthritis, inflammation can occur, and degenerative manifestations sometimes result from inflammatory arthritis.
Before moving on to a detailed description of these two groups, we will give a few more definitions of what types of arthritis there are. So, if one joint is affected, we are talking about monoarthritis, if several – about polyarthritis. There is also an intermediate form - oligoarthritis, when 2-3 joints are affected.
Like other diseases, arthritis can be chronic or acute. The former develop gradually (including over years); the second - rapidly: literally a few hours can pass from the first symptoms to a strong manifestation. As in the case of inflammation/degeneracy, these subtypes can “flow” into each other: acute arthritis without proper treatment sometimes becomes chronic, and acute arthritis can become an exacerbation of chronic arthritis.
As is known, cartilage tissue acts in the joint as a kind of shock absorber, but with degenerative arthritis this “layer” gradually becomes thinner, which leads to limited mobility, pain in the joint, and inflammation. Another name for this chronic arthritis is deforming arthritis, since with significant damage to the cartilage tissue, the joint actually becomes deformed, and articular or bone growths may appear to compensate for the loss of cartilage tissue. Most often this disease affects the joints of the hands (fingers), knees, hips, ankles and others.
One of the most common forms of degenerative arthritis (and arthritis in general) is osteoarthritis, or osteoarthritis. It is observed in most older people (hence why it is also called worn-out joint disease), although it occurs in representatives of all ages, including young people. This chronic disease progresses over time, with varying rates of progression and often determined by the cause of the initial damage to the cartilage tissue. As a rule, it is associated with improper metabolism, excess weight, regular high loads on the joint, and endocrine problems. Sometimes bad heredity, injuries or dysplasia (congenital features of joint development) play a role.
The development of osteoarthritis occurs in several stages as the cartilage tissue becomes thinner and destroyed and how this affects the performance of the organ as a whole: from a slight loss of functionality to complete immobility, from mild periodic pain to severe constant pain. The first symptoms are pain in the joints after significant exertion (for example, a day spent on your feet), which goes away quite quickly during rest. But then it appears more and more often and becomes stronger, and may not even be related to actual loads. When the disease manifests itself especially clearly, the joint can hurt constantly, and the destruction of the organ becomes the extreme manifestation of osteoarthritis.
The course and rate of development of the disease depend on the causes of its occurrence, the patient’s lifestyle, the state of cartilage tissue, metabolic characteristics, etc. Treatment programs must also be developed individually. As a rule, they are associated with eliminating the root cause of the disease (if possible) and unfavorable factors (such as excess weight or metabolic problems). Special exercises are often prescribed, since it is very important to give the diseased organ the correct load. On the one hand, it needs to be strengthened, just like other joints, muscle ligaments, etc., and on the other hand, physical activity should not unnecessarily strain already damaged tissues.
In addition, the doctor may prescribe various ointments and compresses to relieve pain, swelling and inflammation. The use of chondroprotectors is often indicated - substances that protect and promote the restoration of cartilage tissue. If necessary, painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. If the disease has become too severe, sometimes doctors have only one option left - surgical intervention, and this is one of the reasons why you should not self-medicate or ignore the first symptoms, but rather immediately consult a specialist.
The second large group we have identified is inflammatory arthritis, the causes, types and treatment of which are in some ways very similar to those of degenerative lesions, and in some ways they are significantly different. First of all, these two groups are united by the need for professional diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment. Moreover, in the case of inflammatory arthritis, identifying the specific cause often has a more significant impact on the treatment regimen.
The symptoms of many inflammatory arthritis themselves are similar. This is a rather sudden onset of the disease, severe pain (not only during exercise, but also when touched), swelling of the joint and redness of the skin around it; it can be warm or even hot to the touch. In some cases, patients have a fever, weakness and general malaise. Pain and swelling, of course, limit mobility, but, unlike degenerative arthritis, sometimes the pain decreases with movement (especially if you “diverge”), and at rest it manifests itself more clearly.
So, what are the types of inflammatory arthritis and how to deal with it? As in the case of degenerative arthritis, it can be caused by injury or bruise, systematically increased stress (typical of athletes or representatives of certain professions). Treatment in this case most often consists of relieving inflammation and pain and allowing the joint to recover from damage. For this purpose, compresses and rubbing, natural anti-inflammatory drugs are often used. Note that with proper therapy, most arthritis, caused by bruises and similar injuries, disappears in a few days and no longer reminds of itself.
Another type of inflammatory arthritis is infectious. We can talk about an infection that directly affects the joint (for example, acute inflammation can be caused by streptococci or staphylococci), as well as more “general” diseases affecting the entire body, such as influenza. Reactive arthritis, which is actually a complication of another ailment, is close to this subspecies. For infectious and reactive arthritis, treatment should be aimed at combating the original source, including the use of antibiotics. In order to relieve unpleasant symptoms, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, ointments, compresses and rubbing may be indicated. Sometimes the general restoration of the body, increasing immunity, etc., become of particular importance.
Rheumatoid arthritis can also be a consequence of other diseases. It is associated with the presence of a chronic source of infection in the body, for example, tonsillitis (sore throat) or sinusitis. Accordingly, arthritis is activated along with these lesions - after suffering from a cold, stress, etc. (We pay special attention to the fact that rheumatoid arthritis should not be confused with rheumatoid, an autoimmune disease, which will be discussed below.) Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and painkillers are also used for rheumatoid arthritis (for both internal and external use).
Let us separately mention another of the most common arthritis – gout. In this case, the cause of inflammation is crystals of uric acid salts deposited in the joint due to improper metabolism. As you know, this disease is often called the disease of kings, since the formation of these crystals is associated with a sedentary lifestyle coupled with the consumption of large amounts of meat and alcoholic beverages. In addition to the typical treatment for inflammatory arthritis, a healthy lifestyle plays an important role in gout: optimal physical activity determined by the doctor, diet, etc. True, salt deposition can also be caused by improper functioning of the kidneys and some other factors, so in no case should you diagnose yourself - trust this to specialists.
In addition to the cases discussed above, arthritis can be caused by other diseases, including gonorrhea, etc. In this article, we will look at two more common arthritis - psoriatic and rheumatoid - which are actually the result of autoimmune diseases.
In rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation occurs because immune cells attack joint tissue, for some reason perceiving it as foreign and subject to destruction. This leads to pain, especially severe at night and in the morning, a feeling of stiffness in the joints in the morning, increased temperature, general weakness, etc. Doctors distinguish different types of rheumatoid arthritis, but usually cannot say what causes them. There are a number of risk factors, including genetic predisposition, some viruses, hypothermia, high levels of stress, etc., but the specific mechanisms of this disease have not yet been determined.
Also, there is no therapy yet that allows you to completely get rid of it. On the other hand, if the disease is left untreated, it will intensify, which may result in deformation or destruction of joints, significant limitation of mobility, and constant pain. Such arthritis can have both mono- and polyforms, and sometimes the disease affects not only the joints, but also other organs. As a rule, the main goal of doctors is to relieve symptoms and protect tissue from destruction. The sooner a correct diagnosis is made, the higher the likelihood that the progression of the disease can be significantly slowed down. In advanced cases, doctors are forced to resort to surgery.
Psoriatic arthritis is one of the forms of psoriasis (a skin disease that sometimes affects not only the skin, but also the nails and joints). As with rheumatoid arthritis, the main symptoms are joint pain and morning stiffness. The latter can last quite a long time - up to an hour or two. Another common feature of psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis is that there is no treatment that can cure the disease forever. Basically, medications relieve symptoms and inflammation, protect tissues from destruction. At the same time, psoriasis is characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission, when manifestations practically do not make themselves felt. The duration of these periods is individual for each patient.
Scientists do not yet know why people develop psoriasis, or why some people have it with arthritis and others do not. At the same time, it is known for sure that a disease left to its own devices can lead to quite serious consequences. Moreover, in this case, treatment refers not only to drug therapy, the use of ointments and regular rubbing. Many doctors note that with psoriatic arthritis, physical activity (which must be agreed with your doctor), maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including being attentive to your own weight, plays an important role.
Arthritis of the knee joint is an inflammatory process of intra-articular localization of various etiologies. Arthritis occurs in several varieties, with significantly different causes and patterns of progression, but the complex of symptoms is similar.
When contacting a specialist, a complaint of pain in the knee area and the inability to perform usual actions associated with flexion and extension are revealed. Diagnostic procedures show the presence of inflammation of the intraarticular cavity.
The ICD 10 code for types of arthritis is assigned M00-M25. Coding varies depending on the etiology of the particular case. According to medical statistics, arthritis of the knee joint occupies a leading position among all possible types of this disease.
Which doctor treats knee arthritis? A specialist whose area of professional competence includes arthritis is an arthrologist. Once you have an appointment, you can be sure that he knows everything about arthritis and knows the most specific methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of intra-articular inflammatory processes.
But he is not the only one whose advice you will need:
The specificity of our clinics is such that it is difficult to find specialized specialists there. If you don’t know who to turn to or the right doctor simply isn’t available, make an appointment with your general practitioner or pediatrician when your child suffers from arthritis.
Depending on the characteristics of the course and the reasons that provoked the inflammation, 6 types of the disease can be distinguished.
It predominantly develops in women, men suffer less frequently. It is considered one of the most serious forms of the disease. The knee joint becomes stiff and its ability to move is weakened.
The true cause of development has not yet been studied, so even radical therapy with antibiotics may not produce results. If the symptoms are ignored and there is no treatment, it essentially becomes a cause of disability.
The development of the disease is associated with the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the soft tissues of the joint. The infection provokes the development of inflammatory processes.
When performing a puncture, there is pus in the exudate. The knee is swollen, there is redness and severe pain when moving.
It is provoked by the penetration of infectious pathogens into bone tissue. A distinctive feature is severe cutting pain in the knee area. Without timely treatment, it develops into purulent arthritis.
The cartilage of the knee joint can be destroyed not only under the influence of infections or pathological processes in the body, but under the influence of injuries.
Mechanical damage, household bruises, physical injuries to the knee - each factor can destroy the knee joint and cause pain during movement.
A disease of a dystrophic nature. The cause of the occurrence is a disruption in the processes of supply of nutrients to the cartilage cells. The cartilage of the knee joint becomes thinner, until the head of the bones is completely exposed.
The changes affect the peripheral parts of the joint and affect the regeneration processes.
An autoimmune disease that combines both inflammation of the knee joint of the rheumatoid type and psoriatic skin lesions.
Men and women are equally susceptible to the disease, and most often these are people of working age - 25-55 years.
Important! Each type of arthritis requires detailed diagnosis; only a specialist can determine the cause. But the symptoms that should alert you, as a rule, are not very diverse.
Arthritis of the knee joint may not immediately manifest itself with a pronounced manifestation. Initially, the pain may be aching in nature, which the patient can afford to ignore.
If only one joint is affected, then pronounced lameness is observed when walking. If both joints are affected, a person may completely lose the ability to walk.
The diagnosis of the cause of the disease is made by a doctor after examining the patient and collecting an anamnesis. Diagnosis of arthritis of the knee joints involves x-ray examination in two projections.
The images reveal joint defects, narrowing of the gap, and sometimes dislocation or subluxation are observed - factors that provoke constant inflammation. The patient also needs to undergo a blood test for infections, undergo arthroscopy, scintigraphy, tomography, and ultrasound of the knee.
The underlying cause of arthritis affecting the knees is an infectious pathogen. A weakened immune system becomes a factor contributing to the development of the disease.
Arthritis of the knee joint gets a chance to develop thanks to the following factors favorable for the development of the disease:
Depending on the nature of its occurrence, arthritis of the knee joint can be either primary or secondary.
In the first case, the infection gets directly into the joint. This development scenario is accompanied by sharp pain and an increase in body temperature up to 40°C. The consequence of damage to the articular cavity is a focus of suppuration. The secondary development scenario indicates that the infection entered the joint after entering the body and was carried through the bloodstream.
Since the etiology of arthritis has not been fully studied, the mechanism of triggering the disease is little known, however, it has been noted that arthritis can be triggered not only by diseases, but also by factors that directly or indirectly affect the state of the body’s immune system, as well as medications, hormonal changes, and constant stress .
The practice of getting rid of arthritis with folk remedies is based on the use of compresses and infusions - nettle, lingonberry and other plants that help relieve inflammation and fight infection.
Onions, cabbage leaves in combination with honey, and blue clay are popular for applying to a sore spot. Compresses are made at night, always with a warming effect.
It should be noted that acute forms of arthritis with a sharp increase in temperature and suppuration are not recommended to be treated at home in order to avoid infection entering the general bloodstream and spreading infection throughout the body.
After identifying the etiology, drug treatment is prescribed. The doctor selects medications taking into account the severity of symptoms and the patient’s response. The treatment regimen is based on the principle of an integrated approach, taking into account individual characteristics. Steroidal and non-steroidal hormonal drugs, chondroprotectors, vitamins and immunostimulants are used.
Injections for knee arthritis can be given directly to the affected knee. The effect of injections gives quick positive results, since the drug is injected directly into the affected area. Administration of drugs intramuscularly allows you to quickly remove the infection and prevent its spread through the bloodstream.
Ointment for the treatment of arthritis of the knee joint contains warming components - its purpose is to reduce pain and stimulate the processes of nutrition of the joint and lymphatic drainage for fluid outflow and swelling.
Antibiotics are especially important for reactive arthritis, since it is caused by a viral disease. The course of treatment is on average 30 days, this is due to the need to completely remove the infection from the body.
A diet for arthritis of the knee joint is indicated in cases of gout and other versions of the disease. It has been noticed that there is a whole list of foods and spices that have a positive effect on the dynamics of recovery from arthritis.
Massage helps restore joint function, rehabilitate ligaments and muscles, normalize blood microcirculation in the knee area, and increase trophism in tissues.
Gymnastics for rheumatoid arthritis (after stopping the exacerbation stage) is aimed at improving blood microcirculation in the area of the affected knee, restoring nutrition to the joint and its mobility.
Based on the recommendation of the attending physician, the patient, among other things, may be prescribed a set of exercises according to Bubnovsky, which help restore joint mobility and carry out successful rehabilitation with restoration of the functions of the knee joint.
This complex has proven its effectiveness even in severe cases of the disease. Provided that it is carried out correctly and systematically.
Symptoms of knee arthritis can appear even in infancy. Due to the inability to name the cause of poor health, the child cries achingly.
If the baby has already begun to walk, then lameness, like clubfoot, may be observed against the background of regular crying. The temperature rises and appetite worsens. Swelling and redness may develop in the knee area. In children, symptoms may differ; often on the first day the baby will experience severe pain that will not subside even at rest.
The causes of arthritis in childhood are often reactive. The cause is the pathogen of ARVI, which after the illness partially remains in the body and, penetrating into the joint with the bloodstream, causes the development of a secondary infection.
Rheumatoid arthritis that occurs in a child requires timely diagnosis. Treatment consists of selecting medications based on diagnostic results, as well as prescribing exercise therapy, massage and other preventive measures aimed at increasing immunity, restoring nutrition to the cartilage tissue of the joints in order to prevent relapses.
As the disease develops and symptoms manifest, three degrees of severity of arthritis of the knee joints are distinguished.
Paying attention to your health will help keep your joints mobile and functional. Complexes of preventive measures will increase immunity and strengthen the body's resistance to infections, as well as improve the natural nutrition of cartilage, preventing the development of degenerative processes.
Arthritis and its treatment with folk remedies is a rather extensive topic that cannot be discussed in a nutshell. The fact is that this inflammatory disease is characterized by severe pain in the joints. Also, with arthritis, the skin around the affected joints may turn red, the body temperature rises and there are chills. Arthritis tends to spread to other tissues, so it must be treated at home immediately after the first symptoms are detected.
Both older people and young people, and even teenagers with children, are susceptible to the effects of arthritis. Treatment of arthritis of the joints with folk remedies at home can be most effective if these folk remedies are used correctly. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the symptoms and types of arthritis so that you can correctly recognize it and begin timely treatment at home.
The symptoms of arthritis directly depend on what type of disease is progressing at the moment. There are several types of arthritis :
In addition to the fact that arthritis is divided into several types, it can affect different parts of the body. The most common arthritis is the knee joint, fingers and hands, ankle, elbow and hip joints, as well as arthritis of the feet. Whatever area of the body is affected by arthritis, it must be treated immediately, and it is best to do this at home and with the help of folk remedies.
You should also know that sometimes arthritis goes into the phase of a disease such as arthrosis. It can be treated with both medications and folk remedies.
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include increased pain in the dark, closer to night or before waking up, general malaise and weakness of the body, loss of appetite, and sometimes the patient is plagued by elevated body temperature. If treatment is not started, rheumatoid arthritis can develop into an acute form, which is characterized by numbness of the affected limbs, chest pain, fear of light and pain in the eyes.
Symptoms of gouty arthritis occur mainly at night. Most often, the pain comes in attacks and goes away as suddenly as it appeared. It is impossible to touch the affected area due to severe pain; the skin around the joint turns red and may swell.
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include pain in the morning at the initial stage of the disease, swelling and redness of the affected area, increased body temperature, and the appearance of red itchy spots on the body. The disease can also affect the structure of the nails, causing them to become very peeling.
Infectious arthritis has the following symptoms: fever, dizziness, signs of intoxication. Nausea and vomiting, swelling of the affected joint, and pain with any movement may occur. The skin around the affected joint becomes very warm.
Thus, knowing the symptoms of arthritis, you will be able to recognize the onset of the disease and consult a doctor in time. Now let's look at how to properly treat arthritis with folk remedies at home.
Treatment of arthritis in children and adults using folk remedies can be more effective than treatment with medications. And if you also follow proper nutrition during treatment, the results will not be long in coming.
Treatment of arthritis with folk remedies can be divided into two categories:
Physical exercises combined with traditional medicine give excellent results. So, if you have knee pain, you should buy a soft mat and walk on it on your knees for at least 300 steps a day. Over time, the knee joint will develop and the pain will disappear. Of course, it will be very painful at first, but you need to endure it if you want to get rid of arthritis once and for all.
For arthritis of the hands and fingers, you should perform the following exercises::
For arthritis of the shoulder joints, rotational exercises with both arms are recommended, as well as clasping the hands behind the back and clapping the hands behind the back.
As for treating arthritis at home using folk remedies, we suggest you adopt several effective recipes .
Among other things, you should adhere to proper nutrition to make arthritis treatment as effective as possible. Eliminate fatty foods from your diet and also reduce the amount of salt you consume. In this case, using the tips from our article, you can permanently cure arthritis at home. Learn more about arthritis treatment in the video below.
Arthritis in children is a dangerous rheumatic disease that manifests itself as inflammation of all parts of the joints. It has local manifestations and general symptoms. It develops gradually, so it can only be diagnosed at a certain stage. This is most difficult to do in young children. Arthritis can lead to muscle atrophy, limb immobilization, and ultimately disability.
It is quite difficult to detect arthritis in a child. Young children do not always complain of pain. You can feel something is wrong if the baby suddenly changes in mood, begins to be capricious, does not eat and avoids sudden movements. If you notice this behavior, you should consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examination.
Viral arthritis occurs as a result of diseases such as rubella, hepatitis B, and enterovirus infection. Rheumatoid disease begins with a genetic defect in the immune system. Infectious diseases of the intestines and genitourinary system can cause complications in the form of reactive arthritis of the joints in children. The causes of juvenile disease are not yet clear to doctors, but it often occurs due to a hereditary predisposition.
As mentioned above, the causes are previous infections of the genitourinary system or intestinal.
If you notice such signs, consult a doctor as soon as possible and get examined! As a rule, reactive arthritis in children is completely curable if it is diagnosed in time and the necessary therapy is carried out. However, if not treated in a timely manner, it can become chronic.
This type of arthritis occurs when there is acute inflammation of the joints. Children aged five to fifteen years are most susceptible to it.
If treatment is not treated in a timely manner, pathological, irreversible changes begin to develop, thus the bone and cartilage tissue is destroyed, and the space between the bones decreases.
Inflammation in the hip joint causes discomfort and pain in the thigh area. This type of arthritis is progressive, in other words, it develops slowly and is accompanied by a deterioration in the patient’s condition. Most often, the disease affects older people, but it can also occur in children.
If treatment is untimely or insufficient, muscles may atrophy, tissues in the adjacent area begin to receive insufficient nutrients, which is why spots and ulcers appear on the skin.
Juvenile arthritis is a disease that occurs in children under sixteen years of age. It is also called Still's disease, childhood chronic arthritis or juvenile chronic arthritis. The period of acute inflammation lasts up to one and a half months.
Inflammation of the knee joint is also called gonitis. When the disease occurs, inflammation of the knee cartilage occurs, and then the soft tissue around it swells, the bones are destroyed and deformed. This type of disease is infectious in nature.
Since the causes of the disease are infections, the main direction in treatment is the fight against it. At the initial stage, the doctor prescribes antibiotics depending on the infectious disease suffered.
In addition, in special cases of acute inflammation, hormones can be administered intra-articularly.
The next method of treating arthritis in children is massage. However, this therapy can only be started during the period of remission.
Massage is divided into general and private or segmental. During a general massage, the entire body is treated for an hour. Sessions are held both every day and every other day. Private massage involves treating only sore areas (knees, elbows and other joints). The duration of the procedure is no more than 30 minutes.
Constant use of medications can lead to the development of various side effects, but you can reduce the dose of drugs and increase effectiveness by supplementing them with physical procedures. Electrophoresis, ultrasound, and magnetic fields are used for treatment.
However, like massage, these types of procedures can only be performed during remission.
In addition to traditional methods of treatment, you can increase the effectiveness by supplementing them with non-traditional methods. But they should be carried out only after consultation with your doctor.
How to treat arthritis in children - watch the video:
The quality of arthritis treatment directly depends on timely diagnosis, since if the disease is neglected, it can lead to disability and replacement of the diseased joint. Parents should be extremely attentive to symptoms in children.
Arthritis is a collective name for diseases characterized by inflammatory damage to the joints. People of all ages are susceptible to arthritis. It is believed that approximately 2% of the world's population suffers from arthritis.
The inflammatory process often begins with the synovial membrane, gradually involving cartilage, articular capsule, and epiphyses of bones.
There are a number of factors that provoke the development of arthritis:
When one joint is affected, it is customary to talk about monoarthritis, two or more - oligoarthritis, many joints - polyarthritis. Each type of arthritis affects certain joints.
Depending on the cause, the following types of arthritis are distinguished:
Rheumatoid arthritis is a manifestation of a systemic disease - rheumatism, which is caused by beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Usually the disease occurs approximately two weeks after a sore throat. People often suffer from rheumatism at a young age.
Joint damage due to rheumatism is manifested by the following symptoms:
With rheumatoid arthritis, the pain is “volatile” in nature, that is, it switches from joint to joint during the next rheumatic attack. After the attack is over, joint function is restored.
Please note : in relation to rheumatism they say: “it licks the joints and bites the heart.” Therefore, it is important to begin treatment of the disease in a timely manner to prevent the development of rheumatic carditis.
The disease is of an infectious-allergic nature and is characterized by high disability.
The disease can begin acutely or gradually. Acute tonsillitis, acute respiratory infections, stress, and intense physical activity can trigger arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis manifests itself with the following symptoms:
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect the organs of vision, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous systems, and kidneys.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is observed in children. The disease can have an articular form (ankylosing polyarthritis) and an articular-visceral form (Still's syndrome).
The joint form occurs at an early age, in 54% of cases before the age of five. The rheumatoid process develops subacutely in any joint, progressing insidiously with or without the involvement of new joints. Most often, the knee joints and finger joints are predominantly affected. The spine may be affected with further ankylosis.
The articular-visceral form (Still's syndrome) occurs in the second or third year of a child's life. The disease is characterized by damage to the joints (knees, wrists, hands), polylymphadenopathy, enlarged spleen, anemia, fever, skin rashes.
In rare cases, rheumatoid arthritis may present with Felty's syndrome. The syndrome is characterized by joint damage, an increase in the size of the spleen, anemia, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, and pellagroid pigmentation of exposed skin areas.
The cause of the disease remains unclear. Bacteria, in particular chlamydia and gonococci, are believed to play a role in the development of the syndrome.
The syndrome is characterized by a combination of three signs:
The disease begins with signs of urethritis and cystitis: increased urination, the presence of mucous discharge from the urethra.
Catarrhal conjunctivitis can persist for several months.
Joint damage occurs several weeks after the onset of the disease. The knee joints are most often affected, less often the ankle joints and foot joints. Sacroiliitis may occur.
It is a consequence of a joint bruise, accompanied by hemarthrosis, pain, and swelling of the joint. Sometimes arthritis can develop much later than the injury.
With frequently repeated microtraumas of the joint, caused, for example, by working posture, a special traumatic arthritis occurs, which manifests itself in the form of stiffness of movement, as well as aching pain in the joints and muscles that appear at the end of the work shift. When making movements in the joints, you can hear a crunching sound. Sometimes tendovaginitis and bursitis develop.
Gout is a disease that is caused by an increase in uric acid in the blood. The structure of the disease includes the following components:
Men between thirty and fifty years of age are more likely to suffer from gout. The disease begins suddenly with the appearance of pain in the first toe at night, which wakes the person up. The finger swells, becomes reddish-bluish, and movement in the joint is almost impossible. An increase in temperature is observed. In the morning the temperature drops and the pain subsides. The next night the attack repeats, this can last one to two weeks.
The pathological process gradually subsides, but after a few months it reappears with damage to other joints (ankle, knee, finger joints, elbow, wrist).
Gout is characterized by the deposition of uric acid crystals in the form of skin tophi (nodules) around the joints. A pathognomonic sign is the appearance of tophi in the cartilage of the ear curls.
Before the next attack of gout, precursors may occur in the form of general weakness and renal colic. Attacks are provoked by eating fatty, protein foods, and alcohol.
This is a chronic progressive disease affecting the joints of the spine. The disease occurs in the age group of 20-30 years, more often among men.
First of all, the disease affects the sacrovertebral joint, then the intervertebral and costovertebral joints. The disease manifests itself as aching pain in the sacrum, which is more pronounced at night and in the morning. In the morning, there is stiffness in the back and it is difficult for a person to get out of bed. Gradually, pain appears in the entire back area. Bending the body is difficult and painful. Even coughing and sneezing can cause severe pain.
The patient's spinal mobility is impaired, up to complete immobilization. The patient’s posture takes on the “petitioner’s pose,” when the back is slouched, arms and legs are bent, and the head is lowered.
In addition, damage to the cardiovascular system and kidneys may occur.
They develop against the background of various infectious diseases. Thus, urogenital chlamydia can occur with joint damage. One to four weeks after the first signs of urethritis appear, asymmetric polyarthritis occurs, accompanied by pain, local fever, and swelling of the joints. Often the knee and ankle joints are affected, and less commonly the toes. And the joints of the hand are rarely affected. The development of tendinitis, in particular of the Achilles tendon, is also typical.
With yersiniosis, symptoms of gastroenteritis first appear, then signs of damage to the liver, spleen, lungs, and musculoskeletal system. Mostly the knee and ankle joints are affected, and somewhat less frequently the elbow and interphalangeal joints of the hand. The joints become swollen, painful, and the skin over them becomes red.
With brucellosis, arthritis occurs mainly at the height of the fever. Joint damage is manifested by arthralgia, joint swelling, and local redness of the skin. This clinical picture is characteristic of the acute form of the disease. These manifestations soon disappear.
In chronic brucellosis arthritis, one or several joints are affected (knee, ankle, less often the elbow, even more rarely intervertebral discs, sacroiliac joint). These arthritis occur after fever and are accompanied by destruction and deformation of the joint. With brucellosis, peri- and paraarthritis are observed, clinically manifested as bursitis and tendovaginitis.
Please note: arthritis can develop in children after suffering from scarlet fever or measles. The inflammatory process can be localized in any joint of the limbs. As a rule, arthritis is serous, but there are also purulent ones.
The goals of treating arthritis are to suppress the inflammatory process and restore metabolism within the joint, as well as preserve its function.
The following approaches are used in the fight against arthritis:
To eliminate inflammation and pain, drugs from the NSAID group (indomethacin, diclofenac, ibuprofen) are used. These drugs can be taken either orally (intramuscularly, orally) or externally (ointments, gels).
If there is no effect while taking NSAIDs, corticosteroid drugs (hydrocortisone, triamcinolone) and cytostatics (cyclophosphamide, thiophosphamide) can be prescribed, which are injected into the joint.
These drugs can also be administered orally if treatment with NSAIDs and topical corticosteroids fails.
To combat rheumatoid arthritis, basic drugs are used: gold preparations, cytostatics, antimalarials, sulfonamides, D-penicillamines.
If arthritis is caused by a specific infection, antibiotics are prescribed based on the causative agent of the infection.
This may include exercise therapy, physiotherapeutic treatment (magnetic therapy, ultrasound, mud and hydrotherapy, phonophoresis), massage, selection of orthopedic shoes, the use of arch supports, knee pads when walking. You can reduce the load on the joint by reducing weight.
Therapeutic exercises should be moderate and not cause pain. Swimming may be indicated for patients with arthritis as an alternative.
If arthritis progresses and does not respond to conservative therapy, synovectomy is indicated. In rheumatoid arthritis, it is rational to perform surgery if the disease progresses, after the third exacerbation.
Some orthopedists prefer to operate in the inactive phase of the process, while others operate regardless of the phase of the disease, subject to proper preoperative drug preparation.
When the joint is severely damaged and all available methods have already been tried, they resort to joint replacement.
Grigorova Valeria, medical observer
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