Osteoarthritis is a pathology that occurs in the joint due to the destruction of the cartilage tissue that covers the heads of the bones that enter the joint. Osteoarthritis can develop in the joints of the limbs and spine, and especially often the disease affects the knee joint (gonarthrosis) and the hip joint (coxarthrosis).
It is also important to understand what osteoarthritis is so as not to aggravate the development of the disease by improperly taken measures.
Causes of osteoarthritis
Basically, the causes of arthrosis of the joints are related to the aging of cartilage cells, so arthrosis in most cases is diagnosed in the elderly. Excessive stress also leads to premature aging of the joint. Athletes and people who are constantly engaged in hard physical work are also in danger.
In addition, the causes that have led to osteoarthritis are often related to malnutrition of the joint or slowed metabolism in it. This may be due to joint injury or impaired blood flow to the periarticular tissue.
Destruction of cartilage tissue can also cause a disease such as psoriasis, in which case doctors notice a specific form of psoriatic arthrosis: the skin of the affected joint is covered with psoriatic plaques, the skin becomes grayish.
Prolonged inflammation (arthritis of the joints) can cause osteoarthritis of the joints; prolonged inflammatory process in the joint without proper treatment threatens a complicated form of deforming arthrosis.
Being overweight can also be the culprit for the development of the disease, because the higher the body weight, the greater the constant load on the joints.
Research has also shown that a genetic factor is sufficient to cause osteoarthritis. Thus, for example, arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints of the hands in women occurs 10 times more often.
Symptoms
Common symptoms that indicate arthrosis of the joints are pain syndrome and stiffness of movement.
Arthrosis pain syndrome in most cases occurs during the load on the joint, and at rest the discomfort disappears. Also, pain can occur with sudden movements or turns, while it is short-lived and reappears only with the next awkward movement. These signs of osteoarthritis are reason enough to see a doctor immediately.
In the advanced stages, the pain syndrome can become permanent. Also, over time, symptoms such as tingling in the joints and a feeling of muscle tension around the joint may occur. A rash on the skin around the joints is characterized by psoriatic arthrosis.
Types of arthrosis
Depending on which joint and which part of the body is affected, osteoarthritis is:
- hip joint;
- knee joints;
- hands;
- spine;
- stop.
Psoriatic osteoarthritis mostly affects the knee and hand joints.
There are four stages of arthrosis, the fourth stage is also called deforming arthrosis, when pathological changes in the joint become irreversible, the joint itself is practically destroyed and ceases to perform its functions.
If the pathology affected several joints at the same time, polyarthrosis is diagnosed.
Psoriatic osteoarthritis is diagnosed when the usual symptoms of osteoarthritis are complemented by a specific skin rash.
Diagnosis
It is almost impossible to make a correct diagnosis, and even more so to prescribe adequate treatment on your own. The most likely way would be to visit a doctor. Modern diagnostic methods allow the specialist to apply the most optimal direction of treatment.
The main types of diagnostics
- X-ray: the picture shows the degree of deformation of the joint;
- laboratory tests: confirmation of the presence of a pathological process in the joint will be increased ESR in the blood;
- synovial fluid analysis and histological examination of the synovium: allows the physician to determine the presence of pathological formations in the joint.
Also, the doctor should examine and palpate the affected joint. Therefore, a visual examination will reveal signs of psoriatic arthrosis. Only an integrated approach to studying test results can give a true picture of the disease and confirm the diagnosis.
Onset and course of disease
The onset of osteoarthritis, as a rule, goes unnoticed for the patient, the pain in the first stages of the disease is barely noticeable and does not cause significant concern. The first thing patients usually feel is a feeling of discomfort after prolonged rest, for example, short-term stiffness of the joints in the morning. Over time, the connection between physical activity and joint pain begins to be noticed. Mild pain on exertion begins to intensify. In the later stages, the pain can be disturbing during the rest period, at night. Painful feelings in arthrosis vary in frequency, intensify in periods of exacerbation, and may not occur at all in periods of remission.
Usually, patients go to the doctor when the pain syndrome and limited movement are already expressed, which makes normal life impossible. The advanced phase of arthrosis is also indicated by symptoms such as lameness and subluxation of the joints, the appearance of which is associated with the presence of large deformities in the joint and the deterioration of cartilage tissue.
Treatment
The earlier the therapy is started, the greater the chances that the joint will start fully functioning again, although modern medicine does not say that the disease has completely disappeared. The main factors in the treatment of osteoarthritis are its complexity and consistency. The doctor should take into account many different factors: the stage of the disease, the specifics of the clinical picture, the causes of its occurrence, and to take into account how much the function of the musculoskeletal system is impaired. If acute osteoarthritis is diagnosed, then treatment begins with the appointment of pain relievers.
The treatment takes place in three phases:
- Relieving tension from the joint.
- Relieving synovitis.
- Rehabilitation and preventive measures aimed at slowing down the further development of the disease.
In any case, an individual approach is needed. Medications act on each organism with varying degrees of effectiveness, in addition, tolerance and side effects of such drugs must be taken into account. In many cases, the disease develops against the background of an infection that is already present in the body. Thus, in the case of psoriatic arthrosis, measures are taken to eliminate psoriasis.