When joint pain occurs unbearable, we at this moment do not care what the name of the disease that it causes. What is arthritis and osteoarthritis, is not known. Common problems affect one in ten people on Earth, regardless of age and lifestyle. It can be noted that today it is a global issue. Therefore, it is important to deal with a hot topic in the end to find out for yourself, what is osteoarthritis, how it happened and what methods to provide modern medicine for the treatment of this serious disease.
Arthritis and osteoarthritis is one of the disease?
The first part of the name is defined as a disease of the joints, pronounced exactly the same. Consistency in names is misleading many people who believe that it is one and the same disease. In fact, the difference between them is large enough.
Arthritis joints – what is it? The so-called age-related disease, which is characterized by a gradual deformation of the cartilage plates. Most often osteoarthritis begins to disturb the man, after 45 years. In older age the risk of osteoarthritis of joints increases up to 50 %.
Arthritis, on the contrary, occur in young people, less than forty years. In both cases, the age restrictions are exceptions based on different circumstances. For example, early osteoarthritis can occur in professional athletes or be a result of serious injuries and fractures. Arthritis of the first to get sick, and already quite an old age (60 years), if the person had complications from heavy colds, flu or a stressful situation.
The essence of the disease
What is osteoarthritis? This is a chronic disease with periodic exacerbations, damage only movable joint of the bone endings. Most often affects the knee, hip, ankle joints, and it also occurs in the fingers and toes.
Arthritis is characterized an inflammatory process, which involves the whole human body. Joint pain may be hiding a large number of other processes, recognizing that the direct is not so easy. The cause of the inflammation can be infectious diseases, instability, immune system, metabolic disorders. Arthritis, except in joints, can have a negative impact on the proper function of the heart, kidney, liver.
Thus, it becomes clear, what is arthritis and osteoarthritis, what is their difference and similarity. The same symptoms, as well as diseases, is an inflammation of the cartilage, ligaments. But there are several characteristics, which enables doctors to accurately make a correct diagnosis.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis
The main feature of the disease is, of course, pain. Especially noticeable when driving or exercise. What is osteoarthritis of 1 degree? This is the beginning stage of the disease, when the pain can dress up weakly pronounced, so people quickly resigned to its presence and no longer noticed. What is osteoarthritis 2 degrees? This is the first stage of the disease where the pain begins to interfere with the already small extra load. With the further development of the disease the pain does not stop even at rest. In short, get rid of it can be just to take a comfortable position.
At any stage of osteoarthritis is inevitable restrictions on the movement of the affected joints. Another sign of osteoarthritis is a crunch in the joints. In fact, the regular swish events for all people, and it sounds a little crackling. Crunch happens more often, and the sound of it resembles coarse clicks. The cause of the symptoms is increased friction between the bones due to destruction of the articular cartilage.
The appearance of the affected joints is undergoing significant changes, which can be a long invisible from the outside. Without external signs of deformation is due to the fact that if osteoarthritis is not swelling, redness, muscle tissue, or nodular shapes.
The causes of osteoarthritis of the knee
Pain in the knees, it is worrying that many people seeking help from doctors. Causes painful sensations can be different, including the loss of the cartilaginous bend. What is the knee joint arthrosis (or osteoarthritis)? This is a negative change covers the cartilage hinge joint, which leads to the first loss of elasticity of the connective tissue, and later its gradual destruction.
Wear and tear of the cartilage involves not only deformation, but also a complete restructuring of bone tissue. The consequences of changes in the rest of the bones appear to osteophytes (spikes) that increase pain and significantly restrict the person's movement.
So, osteoarthritis of the knee. What it is, I know that most women after forty years, who are overweight or who suffer from varicose veins. The disease for a long time makes itself felt. The minor manifestations are characterized by mild pain and slight discomfort after a long walk, exercise, a sharp rise from his chair. Early stages of the disease can last from several months to several years.
What is the shape of the osteoarthritis? This is the next inevitable stage of a progressive disease. It leads to irreversible consequences, which completely disrupt the function and structure of the cartilage of the joint. The development stage of deforming gonarthrosis pain occurs more often, last longer, and movement is often accompanied by a crunch in the joints. Will become more apparent deformity, and the articular cavity is filled with fluid. The third stage is characterized by lasting pain, the growth, before the weather changes. Bad bending and straightening the knees will affect the changes in walking and deformity of the joints, leads to curvature of the legs.
What is knee arthritis and what are its causes? Traditionally, the disease has two forms:
- The primary reason is a congenital defect of the joint. The first symptoms are noticeable as early as in childhood, when rapid growth of the body to expose the wrong formation and ligamentous apparatus.
- Secondary – the result of complications after injuries, dislocations, serious injury or certain diseases.
If another form of pathology it is very important to start the treatment of the inflammatory process, so it does not develop osteoarthritis of the knee.
How to treat osteoarthritis
Almost completely cure the disease only at an early stage, if we can get rid of the main causes of arthritis (eg. overweight). In other cases, conservative treatment can only achieve long-term remission: minimal presence or prolonged absence of pathological signs. To achieve this goal, prescription drugs, chiropractic, massage, physiotherapy, exercise therapy.
The result of these measures significantly reduce or for a long time is a pain, disappear inflammation of the joint. In addition, to improve the blood circulation to the affected area and there is a partial restoration of cartilage. Good results give also regularly balneological treatment.
Far gonarthrosis prescribed prosthetics. Thanks to the artificial joint can be achieved full recovery of motor functions.
When there is osteoarthritis of the ankle joint
If you use uncomfortable shoes or too high heels, it increases the risk tuck foot. Minor trauma may seem insignificant, but as soon forget about it. But in reality, every cycle is damage to the muscles and ligaments, which later makes itself felt with the development of unpleasant disease.
What is osteoarthritis of the ankle joint and what other circumstances is a prerequisite for its development? In addition, injuries, the emergence of the disease is strongly influenced by the current osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, intra-articular fractures, dysplasia and other factors cause a pinching of the nerve roots in the lumbar spine. This leads to dysfunction of the muscles of the ankle. What is osteoarthritis of the foot, soon realizes that people who have regular physical load on the foot, because a professional details: movers, dancers, dancers, football players, runners, body builders. Also in danger of being obese people.
Continuous loading of the articular cartilage to wear out faster, become thinner and lose their elasticity. Very soon they develop small cracks, which accumulate calcium salts, which further destroys the connective tissue. If you do not treat the disease at an early stage, so that bone is visible spikes. In this case, we can certainly talk about deforming osteoarthritis, which is a cure.
What is osteoarthritis and how to identify it? You need to listen to your body and pay attention to the following symptoms:
- rising up from the couch and take the first step, you can immediately feel the severe pain and discomfort in the joints of the foot;
- the pain increases exercise.
- loud crunching and crackling in the joints, when walking, the limitations and rigidity;
- when walking even on level ground often harm the feet.
At the first signs of early osteoarthritis in a hurry to the doctor, so as not to run the disease and prevent irreversible consequences.
Method for the treatment of osteoarthritis
The result of treatment is in direct proportion to the stage of the disease. The first degrees of osteoarthritis is associated with conservative methods: medication, exercise, physiotherapy. Full of people recommended for weight loss. The result can be a long time to get rid of pain, relieve inflammation.
Very important in this stage of treatment is the use of biostimulants increases blood circulation in the body. In addition to the method, a positive effect is a Spa treatment that gives long-term and sustainable impact.
The decision about the surgery, the doctor can accept only when the happens the third and most severe stage of osteoarthritis. In this case, there are several options:
- arthroplasty – replacement of the destroyed joint implant (eventually to restore all the functions of the foot);
- arthrodesis is the removal of cartilage and forced the joint to the bone endings (as a result of stop altogether lose the mobility);
- arthroplasty, the restoration of the functions of the damaged connection (recommended for small joints).
Prevention
You should always remember that getting arthritis can practically everyone. The older he gets, the greater the likelihood of getting a serious disease. It is therefore very important, young people to pay attention to their health and take preventive measures in order to prevent the disease. Here are the main factors that can help to prevent osteoarthritis:
- complete and balanced nutrition;
- because of harmful habits;
- moderate exercise and maintaining a healthy weight;
- compliance with the rules, prevent possible injuries, excessive physical activity (work or sports);
- regular preventive medical examination;
- use a specialized integrated tools.