All about arthritis

Arthritis - inflammation of the joints.However, this is a simplified formulation.In fact, the term "arthritis" combines more than 200 rheumatic diseases and conditions affecting the joints around the tissues.Arthritis also means any disorder affecting the joints.

Arthrosis is 10 to 15 % of the world's population.With age, the risk of arthrosis increases significantly.Often the symptoms of arthrosis have been found after 30-40 years.27% of people over 50 suffer from arthrosis.And after 60 years, almost everyone suffers from this disease.The incidence of arthrosis is the same among men and women.The exception is arthrosis of the interphalangic joints - this type of arthrosis is most common in women.

The causes and nature of the disease may be different.Arthrosis can develop for rheumatic reasons.This applies to people with chronic rheumatism.Occasionally, whole sets occur: arthrosis is accompanied by rheumatism, varicose veins with thrombosis, vascular sclerosis, stroke and more.Everything in the body is connected.Arthrosis can also be an autoimmune disease.This means that the immune system, the purpose of which is to protect you from viruses and bacteria, suddenly begins to attack healthy cells.The mystery why the body begins to attack its itself is not revealed.

However, most often arthrosis is a sign of rheumatoid arthritis and is destructive changes in cartilage and bone tissue that occur with age as a result of natural aging.Eloquence and statistics.After reaching 60-70 years, arthrosis is diagnosed in 60-70% of people.The words "arthrosis" and arthritis are similar only phonetically, but the reasons are completely different and, accordingly, treatment.When you emphasize the differences in arthrosis and arthritis, it is important to realize a different direction in which there is a destructive and deforming process.If you have arthrosis, then metabolism in the joint is impaired, its elasticity is lost, cartilage is smaller and any movement causes pain.If you have arthritis, then your immune system has taken over your joint, your body works against its tissue and this becomes a cause of inflammation, pain and changes that deform.It is important to understand this because it determines the treatment.While the author will be suppressed by autoimmune processes, mechanical restoration of the joint will be the primary goal of treating patients with arthrosis.

The first blow is taken from the knee joints, the joints of the elbows, the hands.Thus, knee arthrosis is the most common.Over time, the arthrosis deforms, the joints begin to deform, due to the curvature, the affected areas can take away bizarre outlines.In particular, there are terms such as "swan neck", "button contour".If a person has a deformation of arthrosis and fingers are affected, then it can become short outside.

Deformation of arthrosis is a disease of modernity, a sedentary lifestyle has led us to it.Nature was destined to live differently, but by automating the processes, one "won" many wounds with which people pay for all benefits received.Deformation of arthrosis generally affects the joints.The arthrosis of the knee joint has been explained because its characteristic, unlike other joints at large loads it carries.Nature does not particularly care about the nutrition of the jobs overloaded with the work.And since the cartilage of the knee joint does not have its own vessels, as a result of aging or under the influence of infections or injuries, it can be atrophy.

There are about 200 different types of arthritis, they all have a different character, can be caused by different external or internal factors, but their purpose is one - our joints.To better understand the meaning of the problem, we give a few sad numbers:

  • About 21% of the planet's population suffers from arthritis,
  • 31% of arthritis sufferers cannot work,
  • One in 250 children under 18 suffers from arthritis,
  • Of all cases of disability 18% fall in arthritis,
  • Arthritis losses amount to 1.2% of gross domestic product 2003.

Attempts to overcome the situation are in vain, their number worsens from year to year.It is envisaged that by 2030, 25% of the world's population will already suffer from arthritis to one degree or another.

Symptoms

Arthritis may develop slowly or may occur suddenly.Joint pain may occur, disappear and reappear.In this sense, arthritis is quite plastic, but it is impossible to confuse it with another disease.Here are its main symptoms:

PainSIt can be constant or coming, dumb and sharp.It can appear at rest or during movement, appear in one joint or in different joints.

EdemaSMost often the affected becomes swollen, warm to the touch, sometimes redness of the skin is observed.The swelling lasts for three days or more, after which it passes.It may occur periodically, for example two or three times a month.

FirmnessSThe classic symptom of arthritis that occurs in the morning or during long breaks: sitting in a chair, driving in a car, etc.

These symptoms can be mild, medium or severe.They can remain the same for many years, they can begin to progress.Severe arthritis is chronic pain and inability to participate in any physical labor.

Over time, arthritis can lead to irreversible, visible changes in the joints.They can become captured, limbs - curves.Most often, damage can only be seen in X -s.Some types of arthritis affect the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys and skin.

Localization: What is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis?

Both diseases can affect each joint, but in most cases the location of the pathology can indirectly show its nature.For example, arthritis has the so -called "joints of damage" and "exception joints" - depending on the spread of the disease.

First, arthritis is surprised:

  • wrists and metacarpal phalanx joints;
  • proximal inter -phalax joints;
  • knee and ankle;
  • More special, the joints of the thumbs;
  • elbow joints.

Difference in arthritis and arthrosis

The lesions can be both symmetrical (rheumatoid arthritis) as well as asymmetrical (psoriatic and other species).

Arthrosis chooses the supporting joints that anatomically experience a large load.These include:

  • knee;
  • Parleen-Phalanx joints of the thumbs;
  • Distal joints of the fingers;
  • Hip;
  • ankle;
  • Intervertebral.

What is the difference between arthritis of arthrosis of the joints when diagnosing?

The main diagnosis of arthritis and arthrosis involves visual examination and palpation of the joints that have become a source of complaints.Previous illness, injuries can also be hinted at.

A comprehensive blood and urine analysis can determine the difference between arthritis and arthrosis.It may detect the presence of bacterial pathogens, an increased level of leukocytes, the rapid settlement of red blood cells and other markers for inflammation (such as rheumatoid factor. If the result is "clean", other studies are prescribed.

X -ray for arthrosis shows a narrowing of the gap of the joint, thinning of the cartilage layer, and depending on the stage of the disease, the presence of osteophytes.No visible changes are noted with arthritis.

Diagnosis can be used methods of hardware examination (ultrasound, CT, MRI) and minimally invasive interventions (arthroscopy).

Arthritis diagnostics

What is the difference in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosanic with forecasts.Arthrosis is always incurable - it is a chronic disease and can only be limited.Arthritis can be both chronic (rheumatoid, idiopathic, psoriatic) and transitional phenomenon (infected).

Let's take a closer look at the characteristics and basic differences in the therapy of these diseases.

Here are the main types of this disease, depending on the provocative factors:

  • Inflammatory arthritis
  • The immune system is known to be our defender.It is it that generates inflammation to save the body from infection.Sometimes there are malfunctions in the immune system.One of them is the attack of their own joints and as a result of this inflammation.Most often, this leads to erosion and damage to the joints and tissues around them.

    Inflammatory arthritis involves a very commonrheumatoidAndPsoriaticArthritis.Doctors believe that the main reason for their appearance lies in genetics.External factors also play an important role.For example, smoking can cause rheumatoid arthritis in people with certain genes.

    With inflammatory (autoimmune) arthritis, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are crucial.The delay in the disease is minimized or even prevents irreversible joint damage.

  • Degenerative arthritis
  • It is clear from the name that it is caused by degradation of the joint, more precisely, its cartilage.As a result, the cartilage becomes smaller or generally disappears, the bone begins to rub on the bone, which causes edema, pain, additional immobility of the joint.In order to compensate for the loss of cartilage, the body begins to restore the bone in an attempt to restore stability, the growth of the bones - osteophytes that force the joint to deform.

    In the risk group are athletes involved in heavy physical labor and people of age.Risk factors also include excess weight, genetic predisposition, trauma.

  • Infectious arthritis
  • Inflammation of the joints caused by infections: bacteria, viruses, fungi.Examples of microorganisms capable of locating in the joints are: salmonella, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis C

    Modern antibiotic treatment destroys the infection, but with delayed treatment, joint damage can become irreversible and the disease becomes chronic.

  • Metabolic arthritis
  • Acute joint disease caused by a high level of uric acid in the body.It is formed in the digestive system as a product of purines for cutting.They are rich in foods such as liver, anchovy, drops, beer, legumes, etc.

    In a healthy organism, uric acid dissolves into the bloodstream, enters the kidneys and is separated from the body into the urine.In some people, the content of uric acid is higher than usual.This condition is called hyperuricemia.

    Uric acid can accumulate in the joints, forming sharp crystals of the needle, which causes severe pain calledgoutSGout may occur episodically depending on the level of uric acid or may enter a chronic form.

    Crystallization is a physical process depending on the temperature.The less it is, the process that the crystallization process goes faster.This explains the fact that the gout most often affects the larger joints of the limbs, such as the thumb of the arm or leg.

    If you read the first part of the article, you may have noticed that degenerative arthritis is very similar to arthrosis.This is true!This is the same disease that has another name -Osteoarthritis(Osteoarthrosis).

    It was this type of arthritis that was widespread.About 12% of adults (over 25 years) from the population of the planet suffer from them.The osteoarthritis of the knee joint is one of the five main causes of damage.Among arthritis suffering from arthritis, there are 60%, men 40%.

Treatment of arthritis and arthrosis.

Different methods are used in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis.First, you should consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis.The best results in the diagnosis of joint disease are given by radiography and MRI.At the same time, the doctor also prescribes the necessary laboratory tests.

It is necessary to limit the axial load on the joints.The treatment of the disease is performed in two directions: removal of the inflammatory process, the restoration of cartilage and ligamental tissue.Therapeutic physical education, orthopedic regimen, therapeutic diet, physiotherapy are used: for arthrosis -arthritis, thermal and ultrasound procedures, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, ampulsulssa therapy, paraffin applications are used.Intraiorticular administration of hyaluronic acid preparations is also possible - this is one of the most important components of synovial fluid.It provides hyaline -intraiorticular cartilage nutrition that does not have its blood vessels, reduces friction between the joint bone surfaces and provides smoothness of movement (a special intraaricular lubrication).

Prevention

Prevention

Most often, arthritis is slow, chronic.It is almost impossible to completely eliminate the cause of the disease.Therefore, its treatment is more likely to be the nature of the fight against symptoms (for example with pain).It is not possible to fully restore the function of the joint.

At the same time, the prevention of arthritis is quite simple - it is moderate physical activity and tracking your own weight.So the weight loss of 6 kg.Reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee joint in a woman by 50%.Moderate physical activity (3 times a week) reduces the risk of osteoarthritis in the elderly by 47%.