Arthritis of the joints is a chronic joint disease that develops as a result of metabolic disorders. As a result, degenerative, dystrophic changes and destruction of cartilage tissue occur.
It happens imperceptibly, but often develops quickly. A person begins to feel pain in the joints when moving, there is stiffness and a decrease in movement, especially in the morning, while still "not opposing". If discomfort appears and periodic pain occurs during awkward movements or loads, then it is very important to understand that this will not go away, and without intervention the situation will only worsen.
Arthritis symptoms
Arthrosis of large and medium joints seriously changes a person's lifestyle, worsens the quality, and imposes restrictions. The progression of the disease is like an avalanche and treatment is most often associated with unbearable pain, and this is a clear sign of wear and tear on the joints.
Symptoms of joint arthrosis depend on how many joints, cartilage tissue and nearby tissues are affected.
In the early stages, arthrosis can be determined quite accurately, treatment in this case is economical and does not require serious intervention and expensive drugs for the treatment of arthrosis.
Types of arthrosis
Joint arthrosis is classified according to several criteria. Depending on the degree of arthrotic changes in the cartilage tissue, 4 stages of arthrosis are distinguished. Arthritis is also divided into primary and secondary. The cause of the development of primary arthrosis is age-related changes. Secondary arthrosis occurs as a result of injuries and joint diseases (for example, traumatic arthrosis or rheumatoid arthrosis). This disease can also develop slowly over many years or lead to the destruction of joints in just a few years (progressive arthrosis).
There are alsoThe type of arthrosis depends on the affected area:
- - arthrosis of the knee joint - arthrosis of the hip joint
- Uncovertebral arthrosis - arthrosis of cervical vertebrae
- Vertebral arthrosis - damage to the spine
- Patellofemoral arthrosis is a type of gonarthrosis in which the patella and part of the femur suffer.
The level of the disease is determined by the level of cartilage tissue damage.
Arthrosis stage 1 - cartilage tissue is slightly damaged, the person does not feel discomfort;
Arthrosis II degree - osteophytes appear, the space between the cartilages decreases, situational pain occurs with awkward movements;
Stage III arthrosis - cartilage tissue is destroyed in places and exposes bone tissue, the gap between the cartilages decreases, the pain is frequent and severe;
Arthrosis stage IV - most of the cartilage tissue is destroyed up to 60%, there is no gap between the bones, the patient experiences constant, severe pain, hyperthermia of the area above the joint occurs.
- Characteristic fatigue during movement and slight pain in the background;
- Limitation of joint mobility, discomfort during full physical activity;
- Blood pressure indicator "Jumps";
- Headache and dizziness;
- Seizure syndrome and often muscle spasms;
- Visually observed joint defects;
- Swelling, hyperthermia or redness of the skin area over the diseased joint;
- Violation of motor function.
Why does the disease appear?
Arthrosis of the joints can manifest itself in any department, but often patients turn when arthrosis of the knee or hip joints makes itself felt. In the professional field, with specific loads, specifically on the hands, shoulder arthrosis can be observed.
Lesions differ in men and women.The strong half often suffers from temporomandibular, wrist, ankle and lumbar arthrosis. Women complain more about the thoracic and cervical areas, as well as the joints of the fingers and big toes.
The type of disease is determined by the location of the lesion. There are the following types:
- hip joint arthrosis - coxarthrosis;
- arthrosis of the knee joint - gonarthrosis;
- damage to the patella and part of the femur - patellofemoral arthrosis (a type of gonarthrosis);
- diseases of the spine - vertebral arthrosis;
- damage to the cervical spine - uncovertebral arthrosis.
The main reasons are:
- inflammatory process;
- professional sports;
- overweight;
- non-standard professional loads, for example, squatting or kneeling;
- previous joint injury (after trauma);
- hypothermia;
- descent;
- age change.
Arthrosis may appear as an independent disease, or it may be the result of an ongoing disease, so it is important to know a person's history.
Diagnosis of joint arthrosis
Arthritis of the joint is detected by X-ray. The x-ray image shows how the joint is deformed and how much the joint space is narrowed. It may also be necessary to undergo MRI or arthroscopy, but only in very complex and ambiguous cases. Usually an x-ray on the joint is enough to diagnose the disease.
To understand the presence of the disease, its severity, as well as what disorders lead to the disease, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out.
First, with helpx-ray in different projectionsreceive information about the level of damage to the joint.
Tomography (magnetic resonance or computed) helpsexclude tumor processes.
Third, you needtake the testto understand whether arthrosis is an independent disease or a complication, as well as to determine the general condition of a person.
The study complex is the most informative and provides a clear picture of degenerative-dystrophic changes and helps to choose the optimal treatment plan.
Treatment of arthrosis
As discussed above, arthrosis can develop due to many factors, and a treatment plan is developed based on an understanding of the underlying cause and drugs for the treatment of arthrosis are selected accordingly.
Treatment should be developed individually, based on the results of the diagnosis. Be sure to take into account the person's condition, existing diseases.
The recovery of the articular surface and cartilage tissue is not fast. Effective drugs are prescribed that have side effects. And taking medicine to get the desired results lasts up to 6 months. Therefore, it is important to protect your health as much as possible from side effects.
Medical treatment of arthrosis
The main goal of such therapy is to eliminate the manifestations of arthrosis. Drug treatment of joint arthrosis includes:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With arthrosis, a person experiences pain, the joints become inflamed. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms and stop inflammation, this group of drugs is prescribed.
- Injection of hormones into the joint. Corticosteroid drugs are most often given in the acute stage of arthrosis.
- Chondroprotectors. The main task of these drugs is to stop the degenerative process in the cartilage tissue to prevent further destruction.
- Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid preparation is similar to synovial fluid, which provides free movement that glides and smoothly in the joints. With arthrosis, synovial fluid is not secreted enough, so orthopedists often prescribe injections of hyaluronic acid (injection into joints with arthrosis).
- Biological therapy of arthrosis (PRP and cytokine therapy). A new innovative method of arthrosis therapy, which has recently entered practice, but is gaining popularity. This is the use of a medicine based on the patient's blood plasma enriched with platelets. Thanks to biological therapy, the blood supply to the joints is activated, the production of intra-articular fluid is activated, and the cartilage tissue is supplied with nutrients.
Important!Drug treatment of arthrosis is effective in the early stages of the disease. Also, experts emphasize that drug therapy cannot restore damaged joints, but it will make it possible to eliminate symptoms and slow the progression of arthrosis.
Physiotherapy and other conservative treatment for arthrosis
In the fight against arthrosis, physiotherapy is also used. Various procedures are prescribed (laser, phonophoresis, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, UVT) and exercise therapy to improve metabolic processes and blood circulation, strengthen muscles.
In addition, with arthrosis, you only need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle:
- Avoid overloading - it is important to evenly distribute activities and rest so as not to overload the joints
- Take care of your diet and monitor your weight - since being overweight only worsens joint problems, you need to review your diet and lose weight
- Remember to be careful and avoid injury as much as possible
- Use additional support for movement - in the final stages of arthrosis, free movement becomes questionable, so you need to use crutches or crutches. For a more comfortable walk, you can also use orthopedic insoles - they will reduce the load on the joints.
There are also many folk recipes that "will help defeat arthrosis. "However, the treatment of arthrosis at home also does not always bring results. Moreover, the use of all kinds of lotions and ointments of their own preparation most often only causes allergic reactions and does not affect the health of the joints.
Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis
How to treat arthrosis if all the above methods are ineffective? In this case, surgical treatment of osteoarthritis is prescribed. Depending on the degree of damage to the joint, the individual characteristics of each patient, the type of operation is chosen.
Joint arthroscopy is a low trauma intervention, an intra-articular operation through several micro punctures in the joint. With arthrosis, it is used as a temporary measure to "clean the joint": remove cartilage, osteophyte growth that interferes with free movement. Such treatment reduces pain in the joints, but is not a solution to the problem of arthrosis.
Osteotomy is surgery to align the axis of the joint. The fact is that with arthrosis, as a rule, one part of the joint suffers more (it has a large load). As a result of the osteotomy, the load on the joint is redistributed. It should be noted that arthrosis is a progressive disease of the joints. Therefore, osteotomy is a way to delay further treatment, but not to avoid it.
Joint arthroplasty is effective, and in some cases the only method of treating joint arthrosis. The essence of the operation is the removal of the joint destroyed by the disease and the implantation of an artificial endoprosthesis in its place. The artificial joint is selected individually, suitable for each patient and fully fills the function of the damaged joint after the recovery period.
Contraindications for arthrosis
What you need to pay attention to in joint arthrosis:
Shared burden- with arthrosis, you need to abandon heavy lifting, excessive static loads. Sticks can be used to unload connections. Shoes – Properly fitted shoes reduce stress on the joints. It is advisable to avoid high-heeled shoes.
The weight- overweight is another factor in the development of arthrosis. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet.
sportsalso needs to be reviewed. With arthrosis, it is necessary to exclude sharp jerky movements (touch sports, wrestling), running long distances, lifting weights. But this does not mean that physical activity should be stopped altogether. Moderate activity will only benefit the joints.
In addition to medical treatment, physiotherapy is actively used. These are magnetotherapy, electrotherapy, thermotherapy. In addition, physiotherapy exercises are recommended to strengthen the muscles around the affected joint and increase blood supply.
Radical methods for the deformation of arthrosis, which lead to a deterioration in the quality of life, are often surgical interventions. In this case, either arthroscopy or arthroplasty is performed.
Arthroscopy is a procedure in which the top layer of the worn joint is removed and a partial prosthesis is placed in its place. This allows you to get rid of pain and restore mobility.
Endoprosthetics is joint replacement with a prosthesis. It is suitable for severe destruction, when the joint itself does not make sense to save. The prosthesis has artificial cartilage, which anatomically fully corresponds to the human.
Treatment of the disease in the early stages is the provision of high-quality nutrition for cartilage tissue. For this purpose, the use of chondroprotectors, preferably of natural origin, flavonoids is recommended. Motor loads are also needed to improve blood supply to the bones and perichondrium.
Deformation of knee arthrosis
Deformation of knee joint arthrosis(gonarthrosis, DAK) is a chronic progressive disease of articular cartilage. It is characterized by the destruction of articular structures, which is accompanied by pain, inflammation and the characteristic curvature of the limbs ("legs with wheels" or X-shaped deformation).
Deformation causes of knee arthrosis
Without proper lubrication, the joints "dry", crack and lose height, exposing the bone heads. In this case, the plate covering the articular surface of the bone remains helpless; re-irritation of the many nerve endings contained therein causes pain and discomfort.
The following factors or their combination can be the cause of knee arthrosis deformation:
- the presence of joint diseases (and knees - in particular) in relatives;
- genetic disorders associated with the formation of abnormal, unstable cartilage cells or their accelerated death;
- congenital and acquired defects of the musculoskeletal system (flat feet, joint hypermobility, dysplasia, scoliosis, kyphosis, etc. );
- excessive professional, household or sports load;
- microtraumas and injuries of the knee joint and meniscus, operations on it, broken legs;
- circulatory disorders (varicose veins, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other vascular diseases), their consequences (operating osteochondritis), as well as the cause of prolonged leg cramps;
- inflammatory diseases of joints and periarticular tissues (synovitis, bursitis, tendinitis, arthritis), incl. autoimmune nature (rheumatoid, psoriatic arthritis);
- metabolic disorders (gout, diabetes mellitus);
- age-related joint aging process and calcium leaching from bones;
- hormonal disorders and changes in the hormonal background (for example, associated with a lack of estrogen in women);
- hypovitaminosis;
- overweight (observed in ⅔ patients);
- physical inactivity.
But the main reason that deformed knee arthrosis is so common lies in its structure. The knee joint has only one axis (plane) of movement. Therefore, the scope of movement allowed is very limited. An awkward turn can injure the periarticular tissue and trigger arthritic changes - after all, a sore knee will experience daily stress.
Deformation symptoms of knee joint arthrosis
Gradually increasing pain in the knee joint area. At first, the pain can only be seen when moving - for example, by sharply straightening or bending the leg, there is a feeling that "unfortunately stepping on the leg. "In the early stages, the pain may be episodic or so mild that it is considered discomfort. Then the pain increases after doing physical exercise or staying for a long time in the same position. The skin also becomes painful - it reacts sensitively to any touch, incl. and clothes.
There are 3 specific types of pain in arthrosis deformation of the knee joint:
- onset (lasts 15-30 minutes after the joint comes out of a long resting state);
- mechanical (can be seen during physical activity and disappears after rest);
- restriction (feeling of a sharp pinch in the knee).
Deformation symptoms of knee arthrosis, as a rule, grow slowly due to the fact that the disease is not characterized by rapid progress. This is the trick of arthrosis - gradually getting used to the discomfort of the disease, the patient "gets used" to the pain, does not notice the deterioration and postpones a visit to the doctor.
Deformation treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint
The treatment of deforming arthrosis of the knee joint consists of the use of complex drugs, dose loading on the joint, physiotherapy procedures and the use of orthopedic devices.
In the treatment process, it is very important to load and unload alternately, to avoid static load on the knee. Orthopedic soles, special shoes, crutches, crutches, walkers, ergonomic chairs for work and rest also help delay the disease. Particularly effective are orthoses with variable stiffeners, which make it possible to model the physiological axis of the foot and compensate for deformities.
In the early stages of deforming knee arthrosis, the goal of treatment is to restore the destroyed joint apparatus and ligaments, relieve pain and increase voluntary range of motion. Later - in reducing the patient's condition. For this, arthroscopy sanation (washing with an antiseptic) is performed when a piece of osteophyte breaks off, corrective osteotomy (correction of curved bones), endoprosthetics (replacement) of the joint.
In addition to orthopedists, physiotherapists and chiropractors, specialists in exercise therapy and therapeutic massage, and surgeons will tell you how to treat deformed knee joint arthrosis.
Physiotherapy
Among other physiotherapeutic methods for the treatment of deformed knee joint arthrosis, the following are used:
- laser and magnetotherapy;
- microwave therapy;
- shock wave therapy;
- amplipulse;
- ultrasound therapy;
- electrophoresis with analgin, novocaine, chymotrypsin, etc. ;
- phonophoresis with glucocorticoids;
- application of paraffin and ozocerite;
- cryotherapy;
- acupuncture;
- joint traction and kinesitherapy;
- balneotherapy.
Massage for arthrosis deformation of the knee joint
Therapeutic massage and lymphatic drainage for deformed knee joint arthrosis, as well as manual therapy, are carried out by specialists after the inflammation in the joint has subsided. For self-massage at home, stroking and rubbing are recommended, as well as movements aimed at stretching muscles and ligaments, deep warming up (done last, after the warming effect). Self-massage suitable with local irritants and essential oils. Remember that with deforming arthrosis of the knee joint, massage is performed on both joints, even if only one of them is affected.
Exercises for the deformation of arthrosis of the knee joint
Therapeutic gymnastics (exercise therapy) for osteoarthritis deformation of the knee joint is carried out in a sitting or lying position, water aerobics is also effective. A set of individual exercises for osteoarthritis deformation of the knee joint is compiled by the instructor. Below we offer a short warm-up aimed at strengthening the leg muscles.
- Sit on the floor, legs straight, emphasis on the hands behind your back. Bend and release your toes.
- The starting position is the same, slowly bend your legs, at the end of the movement put your toes on the floor. Repeat with the leg behind the other leg.
- Continue in the same starting position, lift the leg outstretched in front of you, toes towards you.
- Without changing the starting position, we pull our hands to straight toes.
- Sit on the floor, hug your bent knees, and try to lift the other leg off the floor.
- Sit on the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart. Rotate your legs alternately so that the toes move 180 degrees.
- Sit on the floor, legs bent. Roll your legs from heel to toe, feeling the work in the back of your thighs.
Excellent! Do exercises for the deformation of osteoarthritis of the knee joint at least 3-6 times a day.
Medicines for deformation of knee arthrosis
Drug treatment of deformed knee joint arthrosis allows you to quickly stop acute pain, reduce inflammation and swelling, and improve joint nutrition. Therefore, drugs are used at all stages of the disease and help restore mobility to the knee.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectors in the form of tablets, capsules, sachets and injections are used to regenerate and maintain synovial cartilage.
Anti-inflammatory
Steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat deforming arthrosis of the knee joint. They are prescribed in the form of tablets, injections, sachets, creams, ointments and other products for external and internal use.
Anti-inflammatory drugs can be used together with an anesthetic, which is injected into the joint cavity as a block.
Antispasmodic
The removal of spasms is necessary to return the patient to normal activity and a normal supply of nutrients to the tissues.
Angioprotectors
For arthrosis deformities of the knee joint, preparations based on horse chestnut and others are used.
Heating agent
Among warming agents, it is worth highlighting preparations based on natural substances: snake and bee venom, hot pepper, mustard.
All these drugs increase the blood supply to the tissues and distract from the pain.
Nutrition for knee arthrosis deformation
A healthy diet for arthrosis of the knee joint includes dishes with a reduced content of trans fats and "fast" carbohydrates. Preference should be given to lean meat and fish, seafood and vegetables, steamed, in foil or boiled under the hood. Also useful are fruits, berries and drinks rich in antioxidants - wild plants, blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, green tea and high-quality coffee. You can also eat whole grains, legumes.
But potatoes, white bread, sweets, convenience foods, fast food and alcohol should be excluded.
If you are overweight with deforming knee arthrosis, consider a low-carb diet option.