Osteoarthritis, or deforming osteoarthritis - a disease entailing degenertivno chronic-degenerative changes in the cartilage of the joints and leads to their loss. Before treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, it is necessary to get acquainted with the causes of the disease.
GENERAL
Osteoarthritis - articular pathology, the prevalence of which the world stands on the first place among other similar diseases. The risk of its development is directly related to age - the older the person, the higher the probability of disease.
Facts about osteoarthritis:
- According to statistics from the World Health Organization, osteoarthritis is found in more than half of the surveyed patients over the age of 65 years and 80% of those who have stepped 75-year milestone.
- The illness occurs and in younger patientsBut in this case, its appearance is almost always triggered by external factors: birth pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, trauma, surgery, infectious diseases.
- When considering osteoarthritis is marked gender factor - up to 50 years, it has often common in womenAnd after overcoming this boundary - in men.
- The body of a healthy person all the bone joints are protected by cartilage. This dense and elastic connective tissue that is able to allocate at pressing amount fluid enough to lubricate the bones and protect them from damage during physical loads. Struck by osteoarthritis cartilage loses its properties, Resulting in bone tissue becomes vulnerable to injuries and other influences.
- Difficult and painful of all transferred osteoarthritis of the hip, ankle, shoulder and knee joints.
For osteoarthritis is characterized by the emergence of a number of deforming disorders: the gradual loss of cartilage tissue proliferation and thickening of the closing plates of bone, soft tissue damage surrounding the patient joint. In most cases the disease is irreversible and delivers a lot of inconvenience to the patient, until the necessary arthroplasty. However, early detection does not become less important - prompt treatment helps stop the process and prevent the occurrence of severe forms of the disease.
CAUSES
Among the factors that cause the development of osteoarthritis, are in first place malfunction of the endocrine systemBecause it is the proper work of hormones is the basis of education and rehabilitation of cartilage. At the same time, hormonal disruptions (eg, lack of estrogen in women, accompanies menopause and following the period) lead to a deterioration of metabolism in the locomotor system and cause loss of cartilage elasticity, pitting them and razvoloknenie.
This is due to the peak age of disease - it occurs when men and women are going through hormonal changes in the body. But in addition to the endocrine status there are a number of reasons that could provoke or bring the appearance of osteoarthritis.
Factors that contribute to osteoarthritis:
- viral and inflammatory diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea, tick encephalitis, Staphylococcus aureus, tuberculosis);
- purulent inflammation of the joints;
- micronutrient deficiencies;
- congenital developmental disorders of the joints (dysplasia);
- microtrauma and injuries;
- chemical toxicity;
- obesity;
- adverse environmental conditions;
- surgery;
- frostbite;
- increased load (this is especially characteristic for professional athletes and people engaged in heavy physical work);
- autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis);
- sedentary lifestyle.
All of these reasons are divided into hereditary, metabolic, traumatic and evolutionary. Such gradation is required for proper diagnosis.
CLASSIFICATION
According to international classification, there are five stages of osteoarthritis:
- Doubtful (I stage) in which no radiographic evidence of disease. Degenerative changes are absent or mild, the patient may feel a little discomfort in the area of the patient's joint. Diagnosis of osteoarthritis at this stage is difficult enough.
- Soft (II stage) is characterized the onset of degenerative processes and slight thickening of the joints. It noted a slight narrowing of the joint (interosseous) gap and the appearance of small nodules on bone edges (osteophytes). These metamorphoses visible on x-ray.
- Moderate (III stage) is characterized by the start of bone deformities and even greater narrowing of the joint space. Number of osteophytes and their size gradually increases.
- Heavy (IV, V step) occurs in the absence of previous adequate treatment. At this stage of bone deformation already apparent not only in the X-ray, but to the naked eye, the patient experiences severe pain, joint space is virtually nonexistent.
The shape of flow experts distinguish acute and chronic osteoarthritis. In the former case, thickening and swelling of the joint, and the presence therein of inflammation (synovitis). For the chronic form of inflammation is not typical of the disease.
SYMPTOMS
Intrigue of osteoarthritis is that it almost does not manifest itself in the early stages. Its main symptoms - pain and deformation of joints - becomes pronounced when fully restore the functionality of tissues and stop the degenerative processes is not possible.
The problem is that the pain the patient may initially accept the consequences of minor injuries and did not pay attention to them. However, the pain of osteoarthritis increases, especially with increasing load on the affected areas (walking, running, playing sports).
The most characteristic features:
- Increased pain in the evening and at night, and some relief from full rest affected limb (This factor depends on the stage of the disease).
- Pain change under the influence of weather conditions: patients report their gain at any sudden changes in the weather.
- Pain is wave-like nature - it is enhanced, it becomes less intense.
- Patients also frequently complain of crunching bones and joints.
As regards external symptoms, it is, primarily, distortion and violation of the affected joint mobility. The sore spot appear thickening (called nodules Bouchard and heberden) that easily felt under the skin. In the later stages the symptoms joins and swelling of soft tissues and a local increase in temperature.
If the corrupted portions musculoskeletal upon deformation compress blood vessels and nerve end, may cause dizziness, fainting, headaches, nausea, blurred vision and other secondary symptoms.
DIAGNOSTICS
When the symptoms of osteoarthritis-like symptoms, the patient should consult a doctor, a rheumatologist who will examine, gather medical history and prescribe the appropriate survey. It is, first of all, X-ray examination that allows the doctor to verify the accuracy of the initial diagnosis and visually estimate the extent of deformation.
The presence of the characteristic pain and even minor degenerative changes already allows the physician to place the appropriate diagnosis. For the final determination stage of osteoarthritis is taken into account not only the fact of the presence of symptoms, but their intensity.
TREATMENT
Deforming osteoarthritis therapy includes a range of therapeutic activities:
- medication (Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, hormone and vitamin therapy, appointment required for the healthy functioning of the joints and bones of trace elements).
- physiotherapy (Laser therapy, electrical, paraffin baths, electrophoresis, dosed physical exercises, swimming, ultrasound, cryotherapy).
- special diet (Consumption of foods rich in collagen, giving up junk food, alcohol, cigarettes, Badami enriched diet).
If sparing treatment methods do not relieve the patient's condition, he may be appointed as joint arthroplasty patients.
COMPLICATIONS
Severe forms of osteoarthritis may be accompanied by complete loss of limb mobility without the possibility of its restoration. In this case, correct the situation can only step on the diseased joint is replaced by a prosthesis.
Another frequent complication is the occurrence of deforming osteoarthritis hearth chronic inflammation in the affected area.
PREVENTION
Since osteoarthritis - a disease associated with age-related changes, for its prevention measures are reduced to normal following a healthy lifestyle. Moderate exercise, Weight control and hormonal status, as well as proper nutrition can not guarantee if you get rid of this unpleasant disease, or at least postpone it for a considerable time.
In the presence of congenital and acquired abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system it is very important to follow the recommendations Orthopedics and use special corrective devices - orthopedic insoles, corsets, belts.
PROZNOZ FOR RECOVERY
Osteoarthritis - a chronic disease, medicines for which today does not exist. Nevertheless, well-chosen physician replacement therapy can minimize its painful manifestations, suspend the process of deformation and to maintain the patient in the normal state long years.
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