Causes, symptoms, complications and treatment methods of arthrosis

Arthrosis, more precisely osteoarthrosis, is a dystrophic chronic disease caused by the destruction of joint cartilage tissue, therefore the treatment of joint arthrosis is extremely necessary.When such a disease occurs, irreversible inflammatory processes begin at the ends of the bones and in the tissues around the joints, which lead to their degeneration.In addition, arthrosis refers to several other degenerative joint diseases, which are characterized by many similar causes and progression mechanisms.

According to various statistical information, arthrosis affects up to 80% of the population of our planet, making it the most frequently diagnosed joint disease.And it ranks 3rd among all diseases.

The older a person is, the greater the chance of developing arthrosis.Both sexes are equally susceptible to it, except that arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints occurs most often in women.The working population over the age of 30 is mostly affected.The proportion of patients only increases every year.

Causes of arthrosis of diseased joints

The development and causes of arthrosis are accompanied by deterioration of joint metabolism, as a result of which cartilage tissue loses its elasticity.This can be due to the complete or incomplete loss of proteoglycans in the cartilage, which most often occurs due to severe cracks in the cartilage.The loss of these complex proteins can also occur due to disruption of the production of joint cells.

According to experts, the destruction of cartilage can be caused by hormonal imbalances, poor joint blood flow, poor metabolism, hereditary causes, advanced age, injury and other diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and lichen planus.However, the most important cause of arthrosis is overuse of the joints when they are most vulnerable.

Other causes of arthrosis of the joints are as follows:

• previous injuries;
• excessive body weight;
• inflammation due to the development of a severe form of purulent arthritis;
• poor daily diet;
• hypothermia;
• Libman-Sachs disease;
• poisoning of the whole body;
• frequent colds;
• syphilis, tuberculosis, purulent urethritis, spring-summer tick-borne meningoencephalitis;
• thyroid diseases;
• chronic bleeding (hemophilia);
• osteochondropathy of the femoral head.

Genetic causes of osteoarthritis:

• arthrosis of bones and fingers, can be hereditary;
• dysplasia - as a result of pathological processes occurring in the womb during the development of joints and ligaments - leads to joint wear and arthrosis;
• pathogenic change in collagen type 2 - when the fibrillar protein of the connective tissue is damaged.

People who work in the following professions or hobbies are most susceptible to the disease: masons, fishermen, blacksmiths, loaders, athletes.

The symptoms of arthrosis are due to various causes

The symptoms of arthrosis can be divided into four groups:

• It is painful in nature.The occurrence of pain primarily indicates the initial symptoms of arthrosis.Pain can be caused by various reasons, but it is special with arthrosis.First, the pain is characterized by sharp manifestations, and a person may feel discomfort during movement.The pain goes away with rest.At night, the pain is felt only when turning from one side to the other.At rest, the pain becomes permanent only in severe forms of the disease.In the initial stages of the disease, pain is felt only during heavy loading or palpation.As the condition worsens, the pain intensifies, and more and more breaks are needed to eliminate it.In severe forms, the pain becomes unbearable, osteophytes appear due to the thinning of cartilage and free bone.Bad weather and a full moon aggravate the pain.
• Appearance of Crunch.This type of symptom is also very important during diagnosis.This is due to friction between rotating bones, the ends of which have lost their softness and elasticity.Cracking may indicate other diseases or may not be associated with them at all, but in the case of arthrosis, it has a special character, which is distinguished by its "dryness".This causes pain.
• Deterioration of the motor functions of the joint.This symptom is characteristic of the advanced stage of arthrosis and occurs due to bone tumors forming in the joint, which cause spasms and almost completely fill the joint space.The result is partial immobilization of the joint.
• Joint deformity.The change in the shape of the joint occurs due to the growth of osteophytes on the bones and the entry of synovial fluid into the joint.This symptom is characteristic of the most advanced forms of the disease.

Arthrosis can alternate from the state of exacerbation to the state of remission, which greatly disturbs the diagnosis of the disease.For this reason, it is recommended to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

Thanks to X-rays, the doctor will be able to determine the signs of one of the four stages of arthrosis:

• Section 1.The joint lumen may be slightly reduced;osteophytes are not observed.
• Section 2.The reduction of the lumen can be more pronounced and osteophytes begin to form.
• Section 3.Narrowing of the lumen is clearly observed and a large number of osteophytes are present.
• Section 4.The articular lumen disappears almost completely, and the pathological deformation of the joint begins due to numerous osteophytes.

Treatment methods of arthrosis

It is best to start the treatment of arthrosis at the initial stage of development, and it should be comprehensive and pathogenetic in nature.Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the causes that aggravate the disease.In addition, it is necessary to eliminate the pathogenic changes caused by inflammation and to restore the functionality of the joint.

An integrated approach to the treatment of joint diseases consists of the use of drugs and physiotherapeutic measures.It is possible to prescribe sanatorium-resort therapy, since in some cases the climate, mineral waters and mud are effective.

The treatment of joint arthrosis consists of several basic principles:

1. diseased joints should not experience excessive stress and may be practically absent during treatment;
2. comply with the orthopedic order;
3. participate in recreational physical education;
4. conducting physiotherapy, which consists of laser, shock wave, electro and magnetic therapy;
5. at least once a year you must attend medical resorts for treatments prescribed by a doctor;
6. oxygen therapy - feeding the inside of the joint with oxygen;
7. medication;
8. method of intraosseous administration of drugs and decompression of the metaepiphysis;
9. development of proper nutrition.

Drug therapy consists of the use of the following drugs:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs.Thanks to an integrated approach, you can not only stop the development of the disease, but also make your life easier to some extent.Drug treatment is partly aimed at eliminating pain and inflammation within the joint.Non-steroidal drugs are used for this purpose.Experts advise not to use the oral route of administration of these drugs, as they can cause quite severe stomach pain.In this regard, based on a specific drug, intravenous or intramuscular injections are used.Additional means, such as ointments, are practically not used, as their effectiveness is extremely low.
• Hormonal corticosteroids.Such drugs are prescribed in case of exacerbation of the disease.Medicines are injected into the joint.For external use, use a patch, tincture or ointment.
• Chondroprotectors.It is prescribed to restore the cartilage tissue and improve the quality of the structure of the synovium.Of these drugs, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are most often beneficial.The duration of the course can be significant until improvement occurs.However, if the desired result is not observed within six months, such drugs should no longer be taken.In addition, together with chondroprotectors, it is recommended to inject drugs into the joint with the addition of hyaluronic acid.Such drugs promote the formation of articular chondrocytes.

In particularly serious cases, the prescription of narcotic pain relievers is also not excluded.But such drugs are prescribed very rarely, only in cases where other drugs have not brought the desired effect.

Proper nutrition in case of arthrosis

Adequate nutrition should play an important role in the aggravation of the disease.It should be balanced.You can't eat too little, but you shouldn't eat too much either.Due to excess weight, the load on the joints increases, in the case of malnutrition, the cartilage tissue lacks important microelements, as a result of which it breaks down.However, the most important thing is to create a diet that will help you get rid of excess weight.You need to give up fast carbohydrates, which are found in sweets and flour products.In addition, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially beer, is prohibited.

Fish dishes are welcome, there are practically no restrictions.Only fatty varieties should be avoided - due to their high calorie content, you can gain weight again.

Jelly meat is especially valued in the treatment of arthrosis.It may seem strange, but without exception, all doctors recommend its use, because it contains a huge amount of different microelements.The collagen found in jellied meat is useful because it is an integral part of connective tissues, so it can replace the missing amount in the body.As a result, the joints get better mobility, and the cartilage tissue becomes more elastic and flexible.

Vitamins, especially group B, play an important role for the body as a whole in this disease.This group enables the normalization of metabolic processes in the body.A properly functioning metabolism allows your joints to feel good.The thiamine that enters the body from beans or peas accelerates the synthesis of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

To increase hemoglobin, you need pyridoxine, which can be obtained from bananas, nuts, potatoes and cabbage.It is advisable to pay attention to greens and beans - they contain folic acid.The body also needs liver, mushrooms, eggs and fermented milk products.This entire list of vitamins is naturally found in vitamin complexes, but it's no secret that natural elements are better absorbed, which means that the healing process will be much faster and more effective.

When eating, you must follow the basic simple rules:

• Do not eat hard-to-digest foods before going to bed, as they can trigger an arthrosis attack;
• food should be taken more often, but in small portions;
• Always watch your weight so that it does not increase, otherwise a high load on the joints is ensured, buy a good product for losing weight and weight control;
• take a walk during the period of relief of the disease after eating;
• the daily diet must be balanced and compiled together with the doctor.

It is very important to see a doctor on time.By following certain instructions, you can not only stop the development of arthrosis, but also reverse it, giving you the opportunity to enjoy your usual life again.