When in the joints arises the unbearable pain, then it is us in this moment no matter how is called the disease that causes it. What is arthritis and osteoarthritis, is not well known. Joint problems are related to every tenth person on Earth, regardless of age and lifestyle. It should be noted that today it is a question of global character. Therefore, it is very important to understand well the current theme, in order to finally figure out, for yourself, what is osteoarthritis, what it is and what are the ways to offer modern medicine to treat this serious disease.
Arthritis and osteoarthritis – a disease?
The first part of the titles, which determine of diseases of the joints, is pronounced exactly the same. Consonance titles mislead many people who believe that it is one and the same disease. In fact, the difference between them is big enough.
Osteoarthritis of the joints – what is it? So called age-related disease characterized by gradual deformation of the cartilage plate. Most often, arthritis is starting to scare a man after 45 years. In older age the likelihood of disease joint arthritis suffer from joints increases up to 50 %.
Arthritis, on the contrary, occurs in young people – up to forty years. In both cases, the age restrictions are exceptions, on the basis of various objective circumstances. For example, early osteoarthritis may manifest among professional athletes, or be the result of severe injuries and fractures. Arthritis for the first time, you can get sick, and it's in a pretty advanced age (after 60 years), if the person appeared complications after severe measures for colds, flu, or stressful situation.
What is the nature of the disease
What is osteoarthritis? It is a chronic disease with periods of aggravations, harms only moving the completion of the joints of the bone endings. Most often affects the knee, hip, ankle joints, as well as it appears on the fingers and toes.
Arthritis the same is characterized by an inflammatory process, involving the whole organism of man. For joint pain may hide a large number of other processes, to distinguish which suddenly is not so simple. The cause of the inflammatory phenomena may be infectious disease, the instability of the immune system, disorders of the metabolism. Arthritis, in addition to joints, can have a negative effect on the condition of the heart, kidney, liver.
Therefore, it becomes clearer what is arthritis and osteoarthritis, what is their difference and similarity. The same feature in both diseases is considered to be inflammation of the cartilage of ligaments. But in this case there are a number of characteristic features, which allow doctors without error to the correct diagnosis.
The symptoms of arthrosis
The main symptom of the disease are, of course, the feelings of pain. Are particularly apparent during motion or exertion. What is osteoarthritis of 1 degree? It is in the initial stage of the disease, when the pain can wear freely expressive character, so a person quickly is humble with its presence and cease to ignore him. What is osteoarthritis of the 2 degree? This is the next phase of the disease, in which pain is beginning to scare me already when a small additional load. And with the further development of the disease, the pain doesn't stop even at rest. Shortly get rid of it can be only by adopting a comfortable position.
At each stage of the arthrosis inevitably occurs limitation of motion in the sick joint. Another sign of osteoarthritis is considered to be the crunch in the joints. In general, regular popping happens in all people, and it sounds like the easy crackling sounds. Crunching happens much more often, and the sound resembles coarse clicks. The cause of the symptom is the increased friction of the bones due to the destruction of the cartilage of the connection.
The appearance of painful joints and is undergoing major changes, which may be unnoticeable from the outside. The lack of external signs of deformation is explained by the fact that in osteoarthritis are not observed swelling, redness of the muscle tissue or nodular manifestations.
The causes of arthrosis of the knee joint
The pain in my knees bothers many people, applying for help to the doctors. Causes painful sensations can be different, including-and the defeat of the cartilage bend. What is osteoarthritis of the knee joint (or gonarthrosis)? It is negative changes in the vegetation are the cartilage of the joint completion of the joints, which leads first to a loss of flexibility and elasticity of connective tissue, and, consequently, to its gradual destruction.
Wear of the cartilage carries with it not only the deformation, but also a complete rebuilding of the bone tissue. Due to changes in the endings of the bones appear osteophytes (thorns), which increase pain and significantly restrict the movement of the person.
So, osteoarthritis of the knee joint. What it is, they know most women after forty years, who are overweight or suffering from varicose veins. The disease a long time doesn't make itself known. Its minor manifestations are characterized by weakly pronounced pain and mild discomfort after a long walk, exercise, a steep climb from the chair. The initial period of the disease can last from several months to several years.
What is a deforming arthrosis? It's the next inevitable phase of the advancing disease. This leads to irreversible consequences that completely disrupt the function and structure of the cartilage of the joint. In the stage of development of deformation of the flow gonartrózaa pain occur more often, last longer, and movement is often accompanied by the crunching of the joints. Becomes more noticeable deformation and the joint cavity filled with fluid. The third stage is characterized by constant pain, growing before the weather changes. Poor flexion and extension of the knee influence on the change of gait and deformity of the joints, leads to curvature of the foot.
What is osteoarthritis of the knee joint and what are the causes of its occurrence? Diseases of the shareware has two forms:
- Primary – the cause is a congenital defect of the joint. The first manifestations are already apparent in childhood, when rapid growth of the organism brings bad formation of the ligamentous apparatus.
- Secondary – due to complications after injuries, dislocations, severe bruises, or certain diseases.
In the case of the second form of pathology it is very important to initiate early treatment of the inflammatory process, so it is not developed in arthrosis of the knee joint.
How to treat gonarthrosis
Virtually completely cure the disease is possible only at an early stage, if we can get rid of the main causes of arthritis (e.g., excess weight). In other cases, conservative therapy allow you to only achieve a stable remission: the minimum availability or extended absence of pathological symptoms. To achieve this goal, prescribe medications, manual therapy, massage, physiotherapy, exercise therapy.
As a result of the measures taken to significantly reduced or long the pain disappears, inflammation of a joint. In addition, improving the blood supply to the affected area and becomes a partial restoration of cartilage. Good result also gives regular balneological treatment.
In the running phase gonartrózaa prescribe prosthetics. Thanks to artificial joints between the possible to achieve complete recovery of motor function.
When there is arthrosis of the ankle joint
If you wear uncomfortable shoes or too high heels, then it increases the risk of tuck the legs. A small injury can seem a simple case, and therefore soon for her to forget. But in fact at each step leads to injury of muscles and ligaments, which subsequently gives about itself to know the development of unpleasant disease.
What is osteoarthritis of the ankle joint and what other circumstances are a prerequisite for its development? In addition to the injuries that the occurrence of the disease greatly affects the existing osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, intra-articular fractures, dysplasia and other factors, giving rise to pinched nerve roots in the lumbar spine. The result is a violation of muscular activities of the ankle. What is osteoarthritis of the legs, very soon understand people, which occurs regular physical load on the legs in the validity of the professional specifics: movers, ballerina, dancers, soccer players, runners, weight lifters. The risk group also included obese people.
From the permanent load of the articular cartilage to wear out faster, getting tight and lose their elasticity. Very early in the them develop small cracks, which accumulate calcium salts, which destroys the connective tissue. If we don't deal with the treatment of the diseases in the initial stage, then the bone tissue will inevitably appear spikes. In this case, you can already speak with confidence of deforming arthrosis, which cured.
What is osteoarthritis of the feet and how to recognize impending illness? It is necessary to listen to your body and pay attention to the following symptoms:
- he got up off the couch and do the first step, you will immediately feel that it has no severe pain and discomfort in the joints of the legs;
- the pain is more intense with increasing physical exertion;
- loud crunching and crackling sounds in the joints while walking, limitations and stiffness of movements;
- for walking on flat terrain, you often damage your feet.
At the first sign of a nascent arthrosis hurry up to the doctor to start the disease and prevent permanent damage.
Technique of therapy of arthritis of the feet
The result of the treatment is in direct dependence on the stage of the disease. The first stage of arthrosis of the assumed conservative ways: drugs, therapeutic physical training, physiotherapy. Complete people recommended weight loss. Consequently, it is possible to permanently get rid of the pain, relieve the inflammatory process.
It is very important in this stage of treatment will be the application of biostimulators, which the blood circulation in the body. Another method of positive impact is a spa treatment, which is a long-term and lasting effect.
The decision about operative intervention the doctor may accept only upon the occurrence of the third, most difficult stage of the arthrosis. In this case, there are several options of the procedure:
- joint – replacement of the destroyed joint implant (eventually back all the features of the feet);
- arthrodesis – the removal of cartilage and forced the merger of the bone endings (due to stopping completely lose mobility);
- joint – restoring function of the damaged connection (recommended for smaller joints).
Prevention
You need to always remember that getting sick can joint arthrosis suffer from almost every person. The older it gets, the higher is the probability of the severe disease. Therefore, it is very important from a young age to pay close attention to your health and to take preventive measures to prevent the disease. Here are the main factors, which will help to avoid osteoarthritis:
- a complete and balanced diet;
- lack of bad habits;
- adequate physical activity and maintaining normal body weight;
- compliance with the rules of prevention of possible injuries during excessive physical exertion (professional or sports);
- regular preventive examination by a doctor;
- the use of specialized integrated tools.