Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process of the articular cartilage.As age-related disease progresses, cartilage loses its elasticity.The disease progresses when the synthesis of joint cells is impaired.

Varieties

Depending on the cause, a distinction is made between primary and secondary osteoarthritis.

Primary osteoarthritis.The initial stage of a chronic disease in which there is gradual damage to the cartilage tissue of the joint.Diagnosis at age 45.Primary osteoarthritis progresses and treatment cannot be neglected as the risk of disability is high.In the early stages, osteoarthritis is difficult to detect because the disease occurs in secret.If the patient feels a crunch in the joints, pain when bending and straightening the limb, or swelling (edema), contact an orthopedist immediately.In the early stages, it is possible to avoid the destruction of cartilage tissue and prevent further development of osteoarthritis.

Secondary osteoarthritis.It arises against the background of changes in the metabolic process, for example when blood circulation and lymphatic drainage are impaired.Hormonal imbalances often lead to osteoarthritis of the hip joint in women.

Reasons

The disease develops by the age of 45, less often in younger people.Its development is influenced by:

• physical damage to bones and ligaments.They cause damage to large tissues, which can lead to osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
• congenital anomalies in the development of joint tissue, which increase the likelihood of dislocation due to incorrect position;
• disturbed metabolism.It leads to deformation of the cartilage;
• Autoimmune diseases.The body reacts to its own cells as if it were a foreign body;
• inflammatory joint diseases.For example, arthritis;
• tuberculosis of bone tissue;
• Diseases of the endocrine system.For example, diabetes;
• degenerative diseases.For example, Perthes disease;
• Diseases that provoke weakening of ligaments and increased mobility of joint tissues;
• frequent bleeding in the joint area;
• Overweight.Leads to additional stress on the joint and leads to premature wear;
• intense physical activity.For example, an incorrect exercise program or carrying heavy objects.
• heredity;
• hormonal imbalances;
• lack of vitamins;
• improper diet;
• Operations on joint tissue.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

Signs of osteoarthritis progression:

• Traffic restrictions
• aching pain
• Enlargement of joint tissue
• increased temperature in the affected area
• Swelling of the joint tissue, presence of compaction and swelling
• severe pain in the evening
• Crunching when moving a joint, feeling of bone friction

Stages of development of osteoarthritis

• First.There are no pronounced symptoms, just mild pain during physical activity.Muscle tissue becomes weaker.
• Second.The joint tissue begins to deteriorate and osteophytes proliferate.Severe but bearable pain develops.A grinding noise can be heard when the joint is moved.The function of muscle tissue is impaired.
• Third.The joint tissue becomes thinner and multiple foci of destruction are diagnosed.Doctors note significant deformation of the joint.The ligaments become shorter and the mobility of the joints suffers.The contracture progresses.The likelihood of subluxations increases.

Complications

If osteoarthritis is not treated in time, the joint will collapse completely.This impairs the biomechanics of the spine and can result in hernias.Osteoarthritis also progresses in other joint tissues.Then the following complications arise:

• deformation of joint tissue
• complete immobility, disability

disability

The first disability group is assigned to patients with limited motor activity.The second – with partial loss of motor function.The third group has minor limitations in motor activity.This means that they can move independently, but slowly and with frequent rest breaks.

Which doctor should I contact?

At the first signs of osteoarthritis, contact an arthrologist.His specialty is the treatment of joints.If your condition is severe, make an appointment with an orthopedist.

diagnosis

First, the simplest method is used - an X-ray examination of the joint.Next, they do an ultrasound.And the most reliable and informative diagnostic methods are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT).

An important diagnostic point is taking the patient's history and clinical examination.The symptoms help the doctor make the correct diagnosis, even if an MRI is not possible.

Computed tomography (CT) helps to examine the structure of the joint tissue in detail and detect changes, cartilage growths and osteophytes.The process takes 2-3 minutes.The result is provided in digital form or in the form of a photo.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Thanks to radio waves and magnetic radiation, you get a clear image of the tissue.The procedure takes 10-20 minutes.After 30 minutes, the patient can receive the examination report.

An ultrasound examination of the joint is prescribed for rheumatological diseases and injuries.The procedure is based on the use of ultrasonic waves.The scanner records acoustic vibrations and the result appears on the monitor.

Treatment of osteoarthritis

Once the diagnosis is made, a further examination and treatment plan will be drawn up.Additional examination is required to treat not the effect but the cause.It consists in conducting tests to determine the etiology of the disease.For example, rheumatoid arthritis or gout leads to increased uric acid levels.

The course of treatment depends on the stage of development of the disease.Firstly, it reduces pain and inflammation.Next, physiotherapeutic procedures and massages are used.Medications relieve pain but do not prevent the destruction of joint tissue.

The doctor may also prescribe treatment in a sanatorium-resort and recommend a set of physical exercises.In the final stages of the development of the disease, they resort to operations.If there are no complications, this method can restore the motor activity of the joint tissues.

Drug treatment

The following groups of drugs are prescribed for osteoarthritis.

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Needed for emergency relief of acute pain and reduction of inflammation.
• Chondroprotectors.They improve anabolism in cartilage tissue, relieve inflammation, prevent the process of cartilage destruction and eliminate swelling.
• Vasodilators.Used to relieve spasms of small vessels and improve blood circulation.
• Painkillers.
• Antispasmodics.Used when muscle spasms occur.
• Analgesics.Helps get rid of pain.
• Anoint.Designed to relieve pain, improve blood circulation and alleviate the patient's condition.

Injections into the joint

Therapeutic drug blocks are an effective method for treating osteoarthritis pain.Your advantages:

• Reduction of muscle tension
• quick pain-relieving effect
• Relieving inflammation
• long-term therapeutic effect
• Restoration of joint mobility.

In the event of drug blockages, antiseptics and antibiotics are used, and hyaluronic acid injections are also given to protect the cartilage tissue.They eliminate inflammation and accelerate the restoration of cartilage.It is recommended to give 3-5 injections with an interval of 5-7 days.

Physiotherapy for joint osteoarthritis

• Shock wave therapy.This method uses high frequency current.Shock wave therapy for joint arthrosis restores the permeability of endothelial cells, eliminates inflammation and joint swelling, improves blood circulation in the affected area and stimulates repair processes.
• Kinesio taping.Elastic bands, so-called tapes, are stuck to the skin.They reduce the strain on muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons and thus relieve pain.Kinesio taping also promotes blood circulation and lymphatic flow in the case of osteoarthritis of the joints.
• Manual therapy for arthrosis is effective as part of complex treatment.It improves the mobility of diseased joints and prevents atrophic processes.Manual therapy relieves pain, increases joint mobility and eliminates muscle spasms.It is prescribed in the early and middle stages of arthrosis.
• Laser therapy for osteoarthritis relieves pain, has an anti-edematous effect, relieves inflammation and reduces the risk of surgery in later stages of the disease.Laser treatment of arthrosis restores muscle function, relieves muscle tension, reduces blood cholesterol levels, increases the regenerative ability of tissues, reduces blood viscosity, improves joint mobility and normalizes metabolism.
• Massage.Relieves severe pain and fatigue after walking.Massage for osteoarthritis should not only focus on the damaged area: this increases the inflammation.The masseur performs stroking and rotational movements in the spinal area, massages the lumbar and sacral areas, and then moves to the surface of the knee joint, where he performs stroking and light pinching movements.
• Hirudotherapy.Leeches inject useful enzymes into the blood - the patient's blood becomes thinner, the blood supply to the affected area improves, joint elasticity increases, and pain disappears.Treatment with leeches for arthrosis is contraindicated in people with anemia, heart failure and hemophilia, as well as during pregnancy.

Other treatments

In addition to medication and physiotherapy, other treatment methods are often used for osteoarthritis.

• Movement therapy.You can perform therapeutic exercises with minimal or no pain.Physical exercises for osteoarthritis include static and dynamic loads, although the former should occur more often.They must be performed slowly and evenly - sharp movements are contraindicated.
• Medicinal bile.The external application of bile relieves inflammation in the tissues of the musculoskeletal system and has a loosening and pain-relieving effect.Compresses with medicinal bile can be used if there is no external damage to the skin.
• Vitamins.Take vitamins of groups A, B, C, D and E, zinc and calcium.They help restore cartilage and increase muscle tone.
• Orthopedic knee pads.Needed to repair the connection.They gradually relieve pain, reduce pressure on the joints, improve blood circulation in the damaged area and stabilize the function of the musculoskeletal system.
• orthoses.These are bandages - orthopedic products to relieve the pressure on the knee joint.They stop the development of pathological processes.They are used to limit unwanted joint movements.
• Acupuncture.Relieves pain, fights inflammation, improves blood circulation and restores cartilage tissue.The body is exposed to special needles by inserting them into points 9 to 18.In the case of gonarthrosis, the doctor works with the lower vertebrae and the back of the knee.
• Ozone therapy for osteoarthritis.Helps to quickly restore knee function.Ozone molecules reduce inflammation, relieve pain and improve blood circulation.
• PRP.This is a method that uses the patient's blood.Platelets are isolated from this with plasma and injected into local problem areas.Platelets have regenerative properties and are growth factors.This is what happens in everyday life: If you cut yourself, the wound heals.The same effect is achieved by injecting these drugs into the knee joint.
• Mesenchymal stem cells.This is a combined regeneration method that has only recently been used.Stem cells are taken from fat and mixed with plasma because the cells themselves are somewhat dry and need to be diluted.The injection is then carried out into the knee joint.One injection is enough, the effect lasts 4-5 years.

Prevention of osteoarthritis

To reduce the risk of complications and prevent destruction of joint tissue, it is recommended:

• Give up alcohol, smoking and drugs
• Don't overcool your joints
• Reduce the amount of smoked products and semi-finished products
• Eat more vegetables, fruits, grains and cartilage (jelly)
• Avoid being overweight
• Avoid excessive stress
• carry out preventive exercises
• Do physical exercise daily
• drink enough water
• Sleep at least 8 hours a day
• Take a vitamin regimen every 6 months
• Have a preventive examination once a year.

Frequently asked questions

What tests are done for osteoarthritis?

It is necessary to pass tests of the joint minimum.These are uric acid, rheumatoid factor, asthma and a complete blood count.If infectious symptoms are suspected, a puncture is made on the knee or hip joint.

Is joint warming possible for osteoarthritis?

If you suffer from osteoarthritis, it is better not to heat your joints before a medical examination.Heat can be harmful and increase pain.

Can you do sports if you have osteoarthritis?

Skiing and cycling are useful for osteoarthritis.The pedals should be turned smoothly so as not to injure the cartilage tissue.Aerobics and running are prohibited.You should also not lift heavy objects.

Diet for osteoarthritis

Proper nutrition for arthrosis of the joints helps with recovery.Doctors recommend including foods high in vitamins and microelements in your diet.Recommended fruits, rye and bran bread, grains, fish, vegetables, lean meat.It is better to avoid smoked products, fast food products, sweets, baked goods, fatty meats and processed foods.