Osteoarthritis refers to degenerative changes in the joints, which begin with the depletion of cartilaginous tissue and over time lead to limited or total loss of mobility.The disease is more susceptible to the elderly, but it also develops in people under 40 years of age.The prevalence of the diagnosis is high - about 20% of the world's population, of which up to 80% are in patients over 70 years of age.
How does the disease develop?
To understand what osteoarthritis is (an alternative name is osteoarthritis), you need to understand how a joint works.A joint of two or more bones is surrounded by a joint capsule and remains mobile thanks to a cavity filled with synovial fluid.The elastic mass acts as a lubricant, preventing friction and premature wear of the joint surfaces.Cartilaginous tissue, in turn, functions as a shock absorber.In individual joints, their functions are complemented by menisci or discs.
The main cause of degenerative changes in osteoarthritis is the discrepancy between external influences and the joint's ability to withstand them.The role of a provoking factor can be played by:
- age, injury, excess weight;
- lack of nutrients;
- excessive physical activity;
- inflammatory processes;
- genetic diseases;
- autoimmune reactions, etc.
Osteoarthritis in older adults is often the result of natural aging and wear and tear on bone structures.Therefore, after 50 years, it is diagnosed in every third person, and after 70 years, in every second person.In addition, the accelerated destruction of certain joints is typical for representatives of various professions: mechanics, loaders, weavers, ballerinas, etc.
Under the influence of unfavorable factors, cartilaginous tissue is damaged and becomes thinner.As a result, the bones shift and begin to rub against each other, causing noticeable discomfort.The process is accompanied by inflammation and swelling.The articular surfaces are deformed, the lost cartilaginous tissue is replaced by pimples and bone growths, which make movement difficult and lead to disability.In these cases, only a strong pain reliever can relieve the pain for a long time.
Types of osteoarthritis
Destructive processes inside the joints are called primary if the cause of their occurrence is unknown, and secondary if they develop against the background of certain diseases and conditions.Acute osteoarthritis is associated with infectious and stress factors and is characterized by a rapid course.The chronic form develops gradually, threatening to limit physical activity if therapy is refused.Also, the type of disease is determined by the place of its development.
Osteoarthritis of the hip joint (coxarthrosis)
It is accompanied by pain in the groin area, which spreads to the surface of the thigh, occasionally affecting the leg area.In the initial stages, difficulties arise when walking, climbing stairs, and during long walks - lameness.Subsequently, it becomes difficult for a person to do basic things related to the load on the painful joint: putting on shoes, riding a bicycle, tying shoelaces, walking without crutches.The muscles atrophy, the leg shortens, and pain occurs in the lower back and knee.In the absence of therapy, the probability of disability is high.
Arthrosis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis)
Often diagnosed in women, it is serious with overweight and varicose veins.Knee discomfort increases in bad weather, when climbing stairs or during physical activity.As the disease progresses, flexion-extension movements are impaired, deformities appear in the limbs, signs of inflammation and swelling.Knee osteoarthritis is often confused with meniscus injury, which is characterized by more rapid development.
osteoarthritis of the spine
A common form of degenerative joint processes, which can be triggered either by high loads or mineral deficiency, or by a series of diseases that affect the vertebrae.The difficulty in diagnosis is due to the fact that the symptoms are masked as clinical manifestations of other pathologies.Spinal osteoarthritis can develop in different areas: thoracic, lumbar, cervical, sacrococcygeal.Accordingly, the symptoms and names will be different.
Ankle osteoarthritis
It is often a consequence of domestic or professional injuries, excess weight or ligament problems.It begins with pain and swelling in the ankle region, which increases after physical exertion and long walks.Crunching and limited mobility may be present and progress as degenerative processes progress.The diagnosis is complicated by edema, which is associated with other diseases: diabetes, kidney damage, heart disease.
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint (oarthrosis)
Usually caused by a dislocation, a strong blow or a fracture.There is intense pain that radiates to the lower part of the limb, which is especially worrying at night.As the cartilage deteriorates, there is difficulty with abduction, rotation, and other arm movements.The disease must be differentiated from heart problems and spinal diseases, which have similar manifestations.
Arthrosis of the foot joints
Affects large and small joints of the foot.Often a destructive process develops in the thumb area, which is why it is confused with gout.The provoking factor is usually not foot injury, but incorrect shoe selection in combination with flat feet.In a tight space, the joint area becomes injured, thickens, becomes inflamed and loses mobility.
Osteoarthritis of the joints and fingers
Damage to small joints, as a rule, is multiple and develops on both hands.The process is usually associated with changes in hormonal levels, which is why it is often observed in women during menopause.In the acute phase, the joints become swollen, red and nodules may appear.Gradually, the pain subsides, but finger deformities increase and mobility is lost.
Injuries and pinched nerves in the hand area can lead to degenerative processes in the wrist joint.The prerequisite is often tunnel syndrome, due to which blood circulation is impaired.Rhizarthrosis, caused by loads on the base of the thumb, is also common.The pain in this type of osteoarthritis is moderate, but mobility may be impaired and crunching may occur during exertion.
Osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint
It often occurs against the background of dental problems, autoimmune and endocrine pathologies.The provoking factor is often chronic stress, which causes muscle tension and convulsive clenching of the teeth, which impairs the nutrition of the joint capsule.The disease is accompanied by discomfort in the jaw and can cause dizziness, problems with hearing, sleep and facial symmetry.
Among the large injuries, the most common are gonarthrosis, coxarthrosis and arthrosis of the shoulder joint.Of the small ones, the joints of the hands and spine are the most affected.Much less frequently, degenerative processes are observed in the region of the patella, clavicle, talonavicular and elbow joints.They are usually caused by injuries or specific stresses, especially professional sports or jobs with monotonous movements.
Other types of osteoarthritis
Another classification of the disease is related to the nature of the destructive processes and the reasons that cause them.If degenerative changes are associated with the consequences of the injury, they speak of post-traumatic arthrosis.When autoimmune diseases become the factor that triggers the depletion of cartilaginous tissue, rheumatoid and psoriatic types are distinguished.
If the disease affects a joint, it is called localized osteoarthritis.If several joints are affected, the term polyarthrosis (or generalized osteoarthritis) is used.The progressive form of the disease refers to the rapid destruction of cartilage, which develops over a few years.If the process is accompanied by bone growths and affects nearby ligaments and tissues, deforming osteoarthritis is diagnosed.
Stages of osteoarthritis
Degenerative processes in the joint develop gradually, leading over time to complete thinning and destruction of the cartilage.The initial changes are only noticeable at the cellular level, but as we progress to subsequent degrees of osteoarthritis, the clinical signs become increasingly pronounced.Its nature, as well as radiographic indicators, form the basis for classifying the disease.
Stage 1 joint arthrosis
Accompanied by minor changes in bone and cartilage tissue.They are still barely visible during ultrasound and radiographic examination, but are already visible on computed tomography.With significant loads, pain, swelling and short-term movements in the affected area are somewhat limited.There is some narrowing of the joint space and sharpening of the bony edges.At this stage, the disease responds well to drug therapy.
Stage 2 joint arthrosis
Destructive processes are progressing.Photographs show a significant narrowing of the joint space, damage to the cartilage reaches 50%.The pain is still moderate, but becomes permanent.Symptoms characteristic of each type of osteoarthritis appear, such as lameness, decreased range of movement, clicking sounds, accumulation of fluid in the synovial cavity, etc.Treatment of joint arthrosis at this stage of the disease makes it possible to delay destructive changes.
Stage 3 joint arthrosis
The disease leads to complete destruction of the cartilage.The articular surfaces expand significantly due to bone growth, the gap practically disappears.Cavities, cystic formations and deformities may appear.Bone destruction begins, thinning of muscle fibers adjacent to the joint.Flexion and rotation movements are limited.The pain is intense.In the absence of treatment, the processes of fusion and ossification of the joint structures begin, which are accompanied by a complete loss of mobility.The patient loses the ability to self-care and requires constant care.
Initial degrees of arthrosis respond well to drug therapy, which allows you to preserve mobility as much as possible and stop degenerative processes.In advanced cases, it is only possible to alleviate the condition with the help of physiotherapy, taking chondroprotectors, anti-inflammatories and analgesics.In some cases, the only treatment option is surgery.