Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis and arthritis are pathological processes in the human body, in which several joints are affected. Due to the similarity of these terms, many people are unaware of the difference between the two. But, in fact, arthritis and osteoarthritis are not the same disease. And they have significant differences. It is important to study your main symptoms so that, if they appear, you go immediately to a hospital. You also need to know which doctor treats osteoarthritis so that you can turn to a qualified honey in time. specialist.

Don't self-medicate. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor.

Osteoarthritis of the joints is a complex degenerative disease that is associated with the destruction of cartilage tissue within the joints. This pathological process is the most common joint disease in the world. According to the latest statistics, around 80% of the world's population suffers from it. But most people do not have an exact idea of what osteoarthritis is. With this disease, over a long period of time, various changes and rearrangements occur in the articular ends of the bones and inflammatory processes develop. As a result, the periarticular tissues degenerate.

Many people ask the same question: how is arthritis different from osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is a pathology that damages the large and small joints. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the entire human body. The changes that occur in the body do not only affect the joints. The most common arthritis disease is the heart and kidneys. If the correct treatment is not carried out, complications and even death can occur.

The probability of developing osteoarthritis or arthritis increases significantly between the ages of 40 and 50. The disease affects women and men equally. The disease occurs in healthy people and has recently become much younger (people over 30 have osteoarthritis). Therefore, it is very important to know what osteoarthritis is and how to properly treat this pathology.

Causes

Like arthritis, osteoarthritis occurs in the body due to metabolic failure in certain joints. This leads to a loss of elasticity of the cartilage tissue.

The cartilage located in the joints of the extremities can be destroyed due to disturbances in the production of hormones, decreased blood supply to the joints, and injuries. Also, some diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can cause osteoarthritis.

Main reasons:

• history of limb injuries;
• advanced age;
• severe hypothermia;
• the presence of inflammatory processes in large and small joints (arthritis and arthrosis are two concomitant diseases);
• increased body weight. In this case, there will be a constant additional load on the joints;
• general intoxication of the body;
• Frequent SARS, acute respiratory infections and flu;
• pathological processes in the thyroid gland;
• hemophilia;
• Perthes disease.

Osteoarthritis of the joints can also develop in a person due to genetic disorders: collagen mutations, dysplasia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of osteoarthritis appear almost immediately. The first sign of the development of a pathological process is severe pain when loading a certain joint. The pain will go away once the joint is at rest. In medical circles, the following groups of symptoms of osteoarthritis are distinguished:

• pain.Sharp pain occurs only when certain movements are performed. Its location is at the site of the affected joint. At night, there is practically no discomfort, since the joint is at rest. Pain in a calm state can manifest itself only during the progression of arthrosis;
• joint mobility decreases.This is true for both osteoarthritis and arthritis. In the initial stage of the disease, this symptom does not worry the patient much. But soon the muscles will start to spasm. The space between the joints will almost completely disappear;
• crunch.The reason for its appearance lies in the fact that due to the disease, the smoothness of the rotation of the bone in the joint decreases. Its sound is "dry";
• deformation of the affected joint.This is due to the proliferation of osteophytes. This symptom is the last to appear. Treatment of osteoarthritis at this stage is the most difficult.

Stages of the disease

All these signs of osteoarthritis occur at different stages in the development of the disease. In medical practice, three degrees are distinguished:

• 1st degree osteoarthritis.Symptoms of osteoarthritis are not pronounced. Most of the time, mild joint pain occurs during prolonged exertion or walking. Pathological changes begin to occur in the fluid and the synovium. Treatment of osteoarthritis at this stage is the most effective;
• second degree osteoarthritis.The joint is destroyed. Osteophytes are formed. Pain during exertion and movement becomes stronger, a characteristic crunch is heard in the affected joints;
• third degree osteoarthritis.This is the most difficult stage in the development of this disease. There is a pathological change in the sites of the diseased joints. Inflammation occurs. The patient feels stiff when moving, as the muscles cannot fully contract and perform their functions.

Osteoarthritis of the joints in the third stage of its development is extremely difficult to cure. There will be a better chance of success if you find a qualified specialist. Many people ask the question: what doctor treats osteoarthritis? In this case, you should seek the help of a rheumatologist. This is a limited specialist dealing with the treatment of dystrophic and inflammatory diseases of the connective tissue and joints, such as osteoarthritis and arthritis.

Complications

If you do not start treating osteoarthritis in the early stages of its development, this can have the following consequences:

• complete destruction of the joint;
• it will be almost impossible to perform several movements;
• herniated vertebral discs;
• disability of a person;
• complete deformation of the joint;
• the standard of living of the patient will decrease.

Treatment

All people who have shown the first signs of the disease raise the question of how to treat osteoarthritis. The easiest way to do this is in the early stages of the development of the pathological process, until the violations become irreversible. The essence of therapeutic measures is to eliminate the root causes of the development of arthrosis and eliminate inflammation in the joints.

Treatment of osteoarthritis should only be comprehensive. It includes taking medications (tablets, mixtures) with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Physiotherapy procedures are also required.

Principles of osteoarthritis treatment:

• eliminate excessive stress on the joints;
• therapy with anti-inflammatory and analgesic pills. Also, in complex therapy, chondroprotectors are actively used for arthrosis;
• physiotherapy;
• spa treatment;
• magnetotherapy, electrotherapy, laser therapy, shock wave therapy;
• intraarticular oxygen therapy;
• intraosseous block;
• it is important to choose the right nutrition for osteoarthritis.

Drug treatment

How to treat osteoarthritis with medication? This question is more common among patients. Treatment is carried out using three groups of drugs:

• hormonal corticosteroids.Effective for acute stage osteoarthritis. Introduction - intra-articular. Tablets are less effective in this case;
• anti-inflammatory drugs.They are used to reduce inflammation in the joint, as well as to relieve pain. Doctors do not recommend that patients take pills as they irritate the stomach lining to some extent. Therefore, most of the time they are injected into a vein or muscle;
• chondroprotectors for osteoarthritis.They are used to restore the structure of cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate is most often prescribed, as this drug is highly effective. The use of chondroprotectors for osteoarthritis gives positive results in the early stages of the development of the pathological process.

Popular recipes

Most people these days don't want to take pills or injections. Therefore, they ask the question: how to cure arthrosis with the help of folk remedies? For the most part, such funds are intended to increase the tone of the body, improve blood circulation, relieve pain and increase immunity. Treatment of arthrosis with folk remedies is most effective in the early stages of the development of the pathological process. For the treatment of this disease, recipes based on the following plants are used:

• ginger;
• Kalanchoe;
• celery seeds;
• castor oil seeds;
• cinnamon;
• turmeric;
• horse tail.

Bay, horseradish, garlic, and rye grain tinctures are also considered effective. Treating osteoarthritis with home remedies will be more effective if combined with medications.

Nutrition for osteoarthritis

The diet for osteoarthritis has its own peculiarities. It is especially important to monitor your diet during an exacerbation of the disease. Do not eat too much, as it will increase the body weight and the load on the affected joint. But you can't sit hungry either. The cartilage must receive the required amount of micronutrients.

The osteoarthritis diet aims to reduce excess weight. Therefore, carbohydrates must be eliminated from the diet. Sweet, flour and alcoholic beverages are completely excluded.

Fish dishes can be included in the daily diet. Low-fat varieties should be preferred. The main role in the treatment of arthrosis is assigned to everyone's favorite dish - jelly meat. Many doctors recommend its use as it is a true panacea for the joints. It contains all the necessary trace elements. But the most important component of the dish is natural collagen.

Nutrition for osteoarthritis should be regular. It is important to eat in portions. The daily menu should include foods rich in vitamin B. They are necessary for the regulation of metabolism.

By following a diet for osteoarthritis, you can achieve a significant improvement in your general condition.

Basic nutritional principles:

• the menu must be completely balanced;
• Heavy food should not be eaten at night. It can cause an attack of osteoarthritis;
• if the disease is not in a stage of exacerbation, it is better to walk a little after eating;
• the food must be fractioned;
• you need to constantly monitor your weight and prevent it from gaining;
• if pills are prescribed, then it is necessary to clearly regulate your intake and consumption of food (take it before or after meals).

A diet for arthrosis helps not only to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, but also to improve the condition of the joints.

Prophylaxis

Prevention of osteoarthritis begins with proper nutrition. It is necessary to try to reduce the intake of salt, as well as foods that can alter the metabolism. These include legumes, fatty meats, and alcohol. The diet includes cabbage, herbs, and fish.

For the prevention of osteoarthritis, it is necessary to attend physical education, do warm-ups. If possible, it is better to walk a few kilometers on foot. It is also important to control your weight and prevent weight gain, as this will put additional pressure on sore joints. Taking pills in order to lose weight is not recommended as they can alter the body's metabolism.