Causes of arthrosis, symptoms, complications and treatment methods

Arthrosis, more accurately called osteoarthrosis, is a chronic disease of a dystrophic nature, caused by the destruction of cartilage tissue in the joint, therefore, the treatment of joint arthrosis is extremely necessary.If 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 a number of additional degenerative joint diseases, which are characterized by numerous similar causes of origin and mechanisms of progression.

According to various statistical data, arthrosis affects up to 80% of the inhabitants of our planet, which makes it the most frequently diagnosed joint disease.And among all diseases, it is in 3rd place.

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-age population older than 30 is the most affected.Year after year, the proportion of patients only increases.

Arthrosis causes of the diseased joint

The development and causes of arthrosis are accompanied by the deterioration of the metabolism in the joint, due to which the cartilage tissue loses its elasticity.The reason for this can be a complete or incomplete loss of proteoglycans in the cartilage, which most often occurs due to strong cracks in the cartilage.Loss of these complex proteins can also occur due to disturbances in their production by joint cells.

According to experts, the destruction of cartilage can occur due to: hormonal imbalance, deterioration of blood flow in the joint, deterioration of metabolism, due to hereditary reasons, due to mature age, injuries and other diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and lichen planus.However, the most important cause of arthrosis is excessive load on the joints at a time when they are most vulnerable.

Additional causes of osteoarthritis of the joints include the following:

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

The causes of osteoarthritis are genetic:

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

People who have the following occupations or hobbies are most susceptible to the disease: bricklayer, fisherman, blacksmith, loader, athlete.

Symptoms of arthrosis for various reasons

Symptoms of arthrosis can be divided into four groups:

• Of a painful nature.The appearance of pain primarily indicates the initial symptoms of arthrosis.Pain can be caused by various reasons, but in arthrosis it is special.First, pain is characterized by sharp manifestations, and a person may feel discomfort when moving.The pain goes away with rest.At night, the pain can only be felt when turning from one side to the other.At rest, the pain becomes constant only in severe forms of the disease.In the initial stages of the disease, pain is felt only with great effort or during palpation.As the condition worsens, the pain intensifies and more and more breaks are needed to relieve it.In severe forms, the pain becomes unbearable, osteophytes appear due to the thinning of cartilage and exposed bone.Bad weather and a full moon make the pain worse.
• Occurrence of cracking.This type of symptom is also very important in making a diagnosis.It is caused by friction between rotating bones whose ends have lost their softness and elasticity.Crackling can indicate other diseases or not accompany them at all, but in arthrosis it has a special character, which stands out for its "dryness".This causes pain.
• Deterioration of joint motor functions.This symptom is typical in the advanced stages of arthrosis, and is caused by the appearance of bone tumors 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 a state of exacerbation to a state of remission, which greatly hinders self-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 that indicate one of the four stages of arthrosis:

• Stage 1. The joint lumen may be slightly reduced;no osteophytes were observed.
• Stage 2. Lumen reduction can be more pronounced and osteophytes begin to form.
• Stage 3. Narrowing of the lumen is clearly observed, and a large number of osteophytes are present.
• Stage 4. The joint lumen almost completely disappears, and a pathological change in the shape of the joint begins due to many osteophytes.

Methods of treating arthrosis

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

An integrated approach to the treatment of joint diseases consists of the use of drugs and physiotherapeutic measures.It is also possible to prescribe a sanatorium-resort, because in some cases the climate, mineral waters and mud have an effective effect.

Treatment of arthrosis of the joints consists of several basic principles:

1. affected joints should not experience excessive stress, and during treatment they should be practically absent;
2. adhere to the orthopedic order;
3. engage in recreational physical education;
4. carrying out physiotherapy, which consists of laser, shock, electro- and magnetic therapy;
5. be treated in spas at least once a year as recommended by a doctor;
6. oxygen therapy - feeding the inside of the joint with oxygen;
7. drug treatment;
8. method of intraosseous administration of drugs and metaepiphysis decompression;
9. establishment 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 somewhat easier.In part, drug treatment is aimed at relieving pain and inflammation within the joint.For this purpose, non-steroidal drugs are used.Experts advise not to use oral methods of administration of these drugs, as they can cause quite severe stomach pains.In this sense, depending on the specific drug, intravenous or intramuscular injections are used.Additional means, such as fats, are practically not used, because 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 plaster, tincture or ointment.
• Chondroprotectors.It is prescribed for the restoration of cartilage tissue and for improving the quality of the structure of the synovium.Among these drugs, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are most often preferred.The duration of this course may be significant until improvement occurs.However, if the desired result is not observed within six months, then such drugs should no longer be taken.In addition, along with chondroprotectors, it is recommended to inject drugs into the joint with the addition of hyaluronic acid.Such drugs help in the creation of articular cartilage cells.

In particularly severe cases, the prescription of narcotic analgesics is not excluded.But such drugs are prescribed very rarely, only in cases when other drugs have not given the desired effect.

Proper nutrition in arthrosis

An important role in the aggravation of the disease should be given to proper nutrition.It must be balanced.You can't eat little, but you shouldn't overeat either.Due to excess weight, the load on the joints increases, and in the case of malnutrition, the cartilage tissue will lack important microelements, which is why it will degrade.However, the main thing is to create a diet that will help you lose extra pounds.You will have 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 the high calorie content, you may gain extra pounds again.

The dish is especially valued in the treatment of arthrosis.It may seem strange, but all doctors without exception recommend its use because it contains a huge amount of various microelements.The collagen found in the jelly is useful because it is an integral part of the connective tissue, so in this case it is able to compensate for the missing amount in the body.As a result, the joints get better mobility, and the cartilage tissue becomes more elastic and elastic.

Vitamins, especially group B, play an important role for the body as a whole in this disease.It is this group that enables the normalization of metabolic processes in the body.A properly functioning metabolism will keep your joints feeling great.Thiamine, after entering 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 recommended 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, of course, contained in vitamin complexes, but it is no secret that natural elements are better absorbed, which means that the healing process will be much faster and more efficient.

When eating, you must follow basic simple rules:

• Before going to bed, you should not eat hard-to-digest foods, because they can cause an attack of arthrosis;
• food should be taken more often, but in small portions;
• Monitor your body weight all the time so that it does not increase, otherwise it will ensure heavy loads on the joints, buy a good weight loss and weight control product;
• during the period of alleviation of the disease after eating, take a walk;
• the daily diet should be balanced and compiled together with the doctor.

It is very important to seek the help of a doctor in time.By following his specific instructions, you can not only stop the development of osteoarthritis, but also reverse it, which will give you the opportunity to enjoy your normal life again.