Arthritis is a chronic degenerative disease that affects all parts of the joint: the cartilage, the articular membrane, the ligaments, the capsule, the bones around the joint, and the muscles and ligaments around the joint.
According to European doctors, joint diseases account for nearly 70% of all joint diseases. People aged 40-60 are most susceptible to arthritis. This is facilitated by both lack of exercise and prolonged overload, poor nutrition and, of course, injuries.
What is a joint?
Normally, human joints consist of 2 or more connected bones. All working surfaces of the joint have a protective coating and are continuously lubricated with synovial fluid for best gliding ability. The joint cavity itself is sealed by the joint capsule.
In our body, there are many joints "responsible" for certain types of movements, which can withstand various loads and have different safety limits.
The degree of joint movement depends on the structure of the joint, the ligamentous apparatus that limits and strengthens the joint, and the various muscles attached to the bones by tendons.
Causes of arthritis
Normal functioning of the joints is possible with the constant self-renewal of cartilage tissue. When young, the death rate of old joint cells is equal to the birth rate of new cells. Over the years, cell renewal slows and cartilage tissue begins to thin. The production of synovial fluid is also reduced. As a result, the joint cartilage begins to thin and break, leading to arthrosis.
In addition, there are other causes of arthritis:
- increase physical activity. Arthritis is a condition that often accompanies being overweight. Due to overload, microtraumas form in the joints. Athletes suffer joint damage from increased loads on "unheated" joints;
- joint injury;
- congenital or acquired defects of the musculoskeletal system (rickets, kyphosis, scoliosis, improper fusion of bones after trauma with the appearance of deformities of the limbs: O-shaped deformities andX-shaped leg).
Stages of joint disease
Depending on the level of cartilage tissue destruction, different stages or degrees of osteoarthritis can be distinguished.
Severity and symptoms of arthritis
- Grade 1 arthritis is characterized by periodic pain in the joints, especially with increased physical activity. After rest, the pain usually goes away. The range of motion in the joint is not limited, muscle strength in the injured limb does not change. X-rays can show minimal signs of joint damage.
- Grade 2 arthritis is manifested by painful sensations not only when the body is stressed, but also when exposed to light loads. Even with rest, joint pain may not subside. This degree is characterized by stiffness in movement and limited mobility in the joints. This eventually leads to muscle atrophy. X-rays can show deformity of the joint, a decrease in joint space, and the appearance of bone growing near this space.
- Grade 3 arthritis - any movement causes a person extreme pain. Joint pain occurs even when resting. Therefore, a person tries to move as little as possible to minimize pain. In some cases, mobility requires the use of crutches or stretchers. Sometimes ankylosing spondylitis occurs (as in ankylosing spondylitis).
With deforming osteoarthritis, irreversible changes occur in the cartilage tissue of the joint and its functions and structure are completely disrupted. Joint deformities of the joints are based on the appearance of dysfunction in the formation of hyaline cartilage and synovial fluid.
Diagnosis of arthritis
The main method for diagnosing joints is X-rays. With arthritis, changes in the joints, irregular joint surfaces, and narrowing of the joint space can be observed.
Which joints are more susceptible to arthritis?
The limb joints most susceptible to arthritis are the hips, knees, shoulders, elbows and hands.
When you have hip arthritis, you may first feel some discomfort in your legs after running or walking. Over time, the pain increases, and joint limitations and stiffness appear when moving. With stage 3 disease, the person protects his or her feet and tries, if possible, not to step on them.
Knee osteoarthritis is manifested by pain in the knee joint after bending and straightening the leg. The most common cause of knee arthritis is a long-term injury in the past. As a result of these injuries, the gliding process of the joint surfaces is disrupted and they wear out quickly. In some cases, joints may gradually lose mobility.
Ankle arthritis presents as swelling and pain in the ankle. Causes of ankle arthritis can be: deformities, fractures of the ankle and talus, dislocations, flat feet, chronic injuries of the ankle joints in athletes and ballerinas. By the way, they often suffer from arthritis of the feet.
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints often occurs due to trauma, bruising, dislocation and fractures in the joints. Shoulder arthritis is characterized by pressure, soreness, and dull pain that radiates down the forearm and hand. The pain most often occurs at night. With hand arthritis, pain is accompanied by hand dysfunction.
Treatment of arthritis
The main methods of treating joint diseases are drug treatment, physical therapy and surgical treatment.
Treatment medicine
The use of the drug helps improve blood circulation in damaged joints, restores the properties of cartilage and has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
With arthritis, joint swelling may appear, joints begin to hurt, and range of motion decreases. When taking anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), pain is reduced, the inflammatory chain reaction stops and the process of cartilage recovery is accelerated.
The drug can be used in tablet, rectal and powder form. But remember that self-medication is unacceptable, the choice and dosage of drugs for treating rheumatism is carried out by a rheumatologist.
Centrally acting analgesics
Opioid drugs lower the patient's pain threshold. Such drugs can be taken strictly according to prescription and only under the supervision of a doctor!
Cartilage protective drugs
Chondroprotectors are structural components of cartilage, therefore they actively restore this tissue and prevent its further destruction. Treatment is effective in the early stages of the disease. When the joint is completely destroyed, the bone is deformed or cannot regrow new cartilage.
However, in stages 1-2 of arthritis, chondroprotective drugs can bring significant pain relief to the patient. Combination preparations, including glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, give better results than single-ingredient preparations.
Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate
These medications help slow down the inflammatory response in tissues, helping to reduce cartilage damage and relieve pain. Usually, these two drugs are used together in treatment, because they have a cumulative effect but must be taken for 3-6 months.
Hyaluronic acid
Provides viscosity and elasticity of synovial fluid. Helps joints slide well. Therefore, doctors often prescribe hyaluronic acid injections into the affected joint.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy treatments may include:
- UHF therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- low intensity laser irradiation;
- electrophoresis with drugs;
- phonology (using ultrasound to deliver medication to the site of inflammation).
Surgery
Surgical treatment is used to restore and improve joint mobility, as well as remove part of the damaged cartilage or meniscus.
Surgical treatment of arthritis is used in severe cases, when drug treatment does not bring results, when severe pain occurs, and the joint is partially or completely immobilized.
During arthroscopic surgery, it is possible to remove a portion of the cartilage affected by arthrosis, polish it to create a smooth surface, remove cartilage fragments and cartilage growths, and remove a portion of the cord. damaged ligaments.
Knee replacement
With this surgery, the articular surface of the knee joint is replaced with a metal or hybrid prosthesis. The prepared sheets regenerate the surface of the articular cartilage. Such prostheses are made from special alloys, they do not cause a rejection reaction in the patient, do not oxidize and do not damage surrounding tissues.
Hip surgery for arthritis
During this surgery, partial removal of cartilage and bone tissue of the pelvis and femur is performed. Typically, the head of the femur and the articular surface of the pelvis are removed and replaced with a metal or cermet prosthesis.
Diet for arthritis
Excess body weight is a big enemy of your joints. Most patients with hip and knee arthritis are overweight.
Therefore, for arthritis, a properly selected diet is recommended. It is believed that jelly meat cooked in cartilage broth is beneficial for arthritis. It contains a lot of collagen and structural components of cartilage, which help restore cartilage tissue.
Dairy products, protein and calcium are all beneficial. Animal protein is found in lean meat and fish, while plant protein is found in buckwheat porridge, beans and lentils. Boiled, stewed and steamed dishes are very good for health.
The best diet for joints is one that consists mainly of carbohydrates (preferably complex carbohydrates), fruits and vegetables, and has adequate amounts of protein and calcium.
Prevent arthritis
Prevention of joint disease, no matter how trivial, lies in a healthy lifestyle. If possible, try to enjoy fresh air, move, walk barefoot on sand, green grass and just the ground. This type of walking helps improve muscle function and increase blood circulation in the feet.
The use of physical therapy with different movements of limbs, twists, and bends will provide feasible support for your joints.
Patients often ask if there is an alternative treatment for arthritis? Yes, folk remedies can help in the early stages of the disease, relieve pain and improve the patient's general condition. But it does not replace following your doctor's instructions.