Your joint is painful, swollen, or difficult to move. What to do? Which doctor should I contact with this problem? What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis? In our body, everything works, works and, accordingly, wears out. Healthy cells self-repair, but if this does not happen, it is necessary to look for the cause and its treatment.
Heads up! Don't self-medicate, you can remove the symptoms, but the cause remains!
In small towns or villages, first of all, they go to a general practitioner, if a child has problems - to a pediatrician, and he already determines which narrow specialist to refer him to.
If you've been diagnosed with arthritis, don't confuse it with osteoarthritis. What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis? Now let's understand how these diseases differ.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?
First difference in etiology:
- Arthritis can occur due to injury or infection, malfunction of the metabolic system and is characterized by an inflammatory process.
- Osteoarthritis - is chronic, with it the joints wear out and become deformed.
The symptoms of diseases are also different - this is the second sign:
- Arthritis - can occur latently (chronic) or be felt immediately (acute form). It is manifested by pain, fever, swelling, changes in skin color.
- Osteoarthritis may not necessarily be accompanied by painful symptoms. Sometimes the pain occurs after a long rest but disappears after developing, there is a flare or click when moving.
Osteoarthritis affects people over 50, athletes or the result of a serious fracture - after age 40.
The third is the nature of the damage to the body:
- Arthritis affects the entire body. The inflammatory process affects the functioning of internal organs: heart, liver, kidneys.
- Osteoarthritis - affects only the joint.
Fourth - how exactly the joints are damaged:
- Any joint can get sick with arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis likes to affect connective tissues, which are most affected by load. These are the knee, ankle, hip and also the big toe joint.
In addition, scientific studies have shown that arthritis patients on Earth represent 2% of the population, and osteoarthritis - 10%.
What is the diagnosis based on?
General blood test - blood from a finger. If arthrosis, as a rule, does not change the composition of the blood, then with arthritis, the content of leukocytes and erythrocytes increases.
Rheumatic tests and biochemical analyzes are performed - it is taken from a vein on an empty stomach.
Osteoarthritis does not change the structure of the blood, with arthritis, markers of inflammation increase.
Rheumatoid arthritis is manifested by the appearance of rheumatoid factor in the blood, and with gout - increased uric acid.
X-ray - shows at what stage the disease, if there is a change in the structure of the bone - arthrosis. MRI and CT scans may also be ordered.
Which doctor treats arthritis and osteoarthritis?
As mentioned earlier, first of all, we visit a general practitioner. He examines and refers to a rheumatologist, he examines, diagnoses and plans treatment.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis? If the doctor has diagnosed osteoarthritis, he prescribes additional tests to establish the stage of the disease.
Treatment occurs only with drugs, with the help of injections, ointments. First of all, the doctor advises to reduce the load and take chondroprotectors. To improve blood circulation, a series of exercises is advised.
Treatment must be complex, therefore, the following physicians of a narrow specialization may additionally be involved: a physical therapist, a massage therapist, a physical therapy exercise specialist, a surgeon.
In case of connective tissue diseases, they can be sent to a sanatorium for treatment and recovery.
An arthrologist is a doctor who works with joint problems. However, these specialists are only found in large clinics and it is difficult to reach them.
If the disease progresses and has passed into a difficult stage, you should contact an orthopedic surgeon. Depending on the need for treatment, he can perform two types of operations: organ preservation and endoprostheses.
For the best treatment at each stage, specialists from different areas are involved, but the therapist or rheumatologist supervises the entire treatment.
Which doctor will treat arthritis depends on the cause.
- With an injury that served as a boost, for development it will be necessary to visit a traumatologist.
- Rheumatoid - specialists in immune diseases.
- Metabolic disorders (gout) - nutritionist, endocrinologist, rheumatologist.
- Problems with the maxillofacial joint: dentist, otolaryngologist.
- With purulent - the intervention of a surgeon is necessary for the operation.
The doctor carries out treatment in several directions: to stop the destruction and restore the ability of connective tissues.
Treatment should begin as soon as discomfort is felt. Thus, you will feel relief quickly, and the disease will bring minimal damage to the body.
treatment regimen
In each case, the doctor carries out treatment depending on the cause of arthritis, but there is a standard schedule:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). First, a course of intramuscular, intravenous or intra-articular injections is made, for further treatment, ointments can be used.
- Antispasmodics (for muscle spasms).
- Antidepressants.
- Anesthetics.
- Gastroprotectants, to protect the stomach.
- A vitamin complex is prescribed.
- Chondroprotectors - improve the quality of cartilage tissue.
- Therapeutic Diet.
- Physiotherapy.
- Massage, acupuncture.
This treatment regimen is supplemented depending on the course of the disease. The recovery process is long and laborious, rehabilitation will also require a lot of work on your part.