Osteoarthritis, more correctly called osteoarthritis, is a chronic disease of a dystrophic nature, caused by the destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the joint.Treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints is therefore extremely necessary.If such a disease occurs, irreversible inflammatory processes begin at the ends of the bones and in the tissues around the joints, leading to their degeneration.In addition, osteoarthritis refers to a number of other degenerative joint diseases, which are characterized by many similar causes of occurrence and mechanisms of progression.
Osteoarthritis, according to various statistical information, affects up to 80% of the inhabitants of our planet, making it the most frequently diagnosed joint disease.And among all diseases, it takes 3rd place.
The older a person gets, the higher the risk of developing osteoarthritis.Both sexes are equally susceptible, except that osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints occurs most often in women.The working population over the age of 30 is the most affected.From year to year, the proportion of patients only increases.
Causes of osteoarthritis of a diseased joint
The development and causes of osteoarthritis are accompanied by a deterioration in the metabolism of the joint, due to which the cartilage tissue loses its elasticity.The reason for this may be the complete or incomplete loss of proteoglycans in the cartilage, which most often occurs due to severe cracks in the cartilage.Loss of these complex proteins can also occur due to disruption of their production by joint cells.
According to experts, cartilage destruction can occur due to: hormonal imbalances, deterioration of blood flow in the joint, deterioration of metabolism, for hereditary reasons, due to middle age, injuries and other diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and lichen planus.However, the most important cause of osteoarthritis is excessive stress on joints when they are most vulnerable.
Other causes of osteoarthritis of the joints include:
- previous injuries;
- excessive body weight;
- inflammation due to the development of a severe form of purulent arthritis;
- poor daily diet;
- hypothermia;
- Libman-Sachs disease;
- intoxication of the whole body;
- frequent colds;
- syphilis, tuberculosis, purulent inflammation of the urinary tract, spring-summer tick-borne meningoencephalitis;
- thyroid diseases;
- chronic hemorrhage (hemophilia);
- osteochondropathy of the femoral head.
The causes of osteoarthritis are genetic:
- osteoarthritis of the bones and fingers can be hereditary;
- dysplasia – resulting from abnormal processes during joint and ligament development that occur in the uterus – leads to joint wear and osteoarthritis;
- Pathogenic modification of type 2 collagen – when the fibrillar protein of the connective tissue is damaged.
People exercising the following professions or hobbies are most susceptible to the disease: mason, fisherman, blacksmith, loader, athlete.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis for various reasons
Osteoarthritis symptoms can be divided into four groups:
- Painful in nature.The appearance of pain primarily indicates the first symptoms of osteoarthritis.The pain can be caused by various reasons, but in the case of osteoarthritis it is special.Firstly, pain is characterized by acute manifestations and a person may experience some discomfort when moving.The pain goes away with rest.At night, pain can only be felt when turning from side to side.At rest, the pain only becomes constant in severe forms of the disease.In the early stages of the disease, pain is felt only during intense exercise or upon palpation.As the condition worsens, the pain intensifies and more and more breaks are required to eliminate it.In severe forms, the pain becomes unbearable, osteophytes appear due to thinning of the cartilage and exposed bone.Bad weather and a full moon make the pain worse.
- The appearance of a cracking sound.This type of symptom is also very important during diagnosis.This occurs due to friction between rotating bones, the ends of which have lost their softness and elasticity.A crisis may indicate other diseases, or may not be accompanied by them at all, but with osteoarthritis it has a special character, characterized by its "dryness".It causes pain.
- Deterioration of motor functions of the joint.This symptom is typical for advanced stages of osteoarthritis and occurs due to the appearance of bone tumors in the joint, which cause spasms and almost completely fill the joint space.The result is partial immobilization of the joint.
- Joint deformation.A change in the shape of the joint occurs due to the growth of osteophytes on the bones and the entry of synovial fluid into the joint.This symptom is characteristic of the most advanced forms of the disease.
Osteoarthritis can alternately go from a state of exacerbation to a state of remission, which greatly interferes with self-diagnosis of the disease.For this reason, it is recommended to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis.
Using x-rays, the doctor will be able to determine signs indicating one of the four stages of osteoarthritis:
- Stage 1. The joint lumen may be slightly reduced;no osteophyte is observed.
- Stage 2. The decrease in lumen may be more pronounced and osteophytes begin to form.
- Stage 3. Narrowing of the lumen is clearly observed and a large number of osteophytes are present.
- Stage 4. The joint lumen almost completely disappears and a pathological change in the shape of the joint begins due to numerous osteophytes.
Methods for treating osteoarthritis
It is better to start treatment of osteoarthritis at the initial stage of its development, and it should be of a global and pathogenetic nature.Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the causes that aggravate the disease.In addition, it will be necessary to eliminate pathogenic changes caused by inflammation and restore the functionality of the joint.
An integrated approach to the treatment of joint diseases consists of the use of medications and physiotherapeutic measures.It is possible to prescribe sanatorium therapy, because in some cases the climate, mineral waters and mud have an effective effect.
The treatment of joint osteoarthritis is based on a number of basic principles:
- diseased joints should not experience excessive stress and during treatment they should be practically absent;
- respect orthopedic order;
- practice recreational physical education;
- carrying out physiotherapy, including laser, shock wave, electrotherapy and magnetotherapy;
- undergo treatment in thermal spas at least once a year as prescribed by a doctor;
- oxygen therapy – nourishing the inside of the joint with oxygen;
- drug treatment;
- method of intraosseous drug administration and decompression of the metaepiphysis;
- establish good nutrition.
Drug therapy consists of the use of the following drugs:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.Thanks to an integrated approach, you can not only stop the development of the disease, but also make your life to a certain extent easier.Drug treatment aims in part to eliminate pain and inflammation inside the joint.For this purpose, non-steroidal drugs are used.Experts advise not to use the oral method of administering these medications, as they can cause quite severe stomach pain.In this regard, depending on a specific drug, intravenous or intramuscular injections are used.Additional means, such as ointments, are practically not used because their effectiveness is extremely low.
- Hormonal corticosteroids.These drugs are prescribed in case of exacerbation of the disease.Medicines are injected into the joint.For external use, use a patch, tincture or ointment.
- Chondroprotectors.Prescribed for the restoration of cartilaginous tissue and to improve the quality of the structure of the synovium.Among these drugs, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are most often preferred.The duration of this course may be significant until improvement occurs.However, if the desired result is not observed within six months, these medications should no longer be taken.Also, in addition to chondroprotectors, it is recommended to inject drugs into the joint with the addition of hyaluronic acid.These drugs contribute to the formation of articular cartilage cells.
In particularly severe cases, the prescription of narcotic pain relievers is not excluded.But these drugs are prescribed very rarely, only in cases where other drugs did not have the desired effect.
Good nutrition for osteoarthritis
Good nutrition is expected to play an important role in worsening the disease.It has to be balanced.You can't eat little, but you shouldn't eat too much either.Due to excess weight, the load on the joints will increase, and with malnutrition, the cartilage tissue will lack important microelements, which will lead to its breakdown.However, the main thing is to create a diet that will help you lose weight.You will have to give up fast carbohydrates, which are found in sweets and flour products.In addition, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, particularly beer, is prohibited.
Fish dishes are welcome, there are practically no restrictions.Only fatty varieties should be avoided - due to their high calorie content, you can regain excess weight.
Jellied meat is particularly popular in the treatment of osteoarthritis.It may seem strange, but all doctors without exception recommend using it because it contains a huge amount of different microelements.Collagen present in jellied meat is useful because it is an integral part of connective tissues, therefore in this case it is able to replenish the missing amount in the body.As a result, the joints gain mobility and the cartilaginous tissue becomes more resistant and elastic.
Vitamins, especially group B, play an important role for the body as a whole in this disease.It is this group that allows you to normalize metabolic processes in the body.A properly functioning metabolism will keep your joints feeling good.Thiamine, after entering the body from beans or peas, will accelerate the synthesis of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
To increase hemoglobin, you need pyridoxine, which can be obtained from bananas, nuts, potatoes and cabbage.It is advisable to pay attention to green vegetables and beans - they contain folic acid.The body also needs liver, mushrooms, eggs and fermented milk products.This entire list of vitamins is, of course, contained in vitamin complexes, but it is no secret that natural elements are better absorbed, which means that the healing process will be much faster and more effective.
When eating, you should follow the basic simple rules:
- Before going to bed, you should not eat foods that are difficult to digest, as they can cause an osteoarthritis attack;
- food should be taken more often, but in small portions;
- Monitor your body weight at all times so that it does not increase, otherwise significant loads on the joints will be ensured, buy a good product for weight loss and weight control;
- during periods of easing of the disease after eating, take walks;
- the daily diet must be balanced and developed in collaboration with the doctor.
It is very important to seek help from a doctor in time.By following some of its instructions, you will not only be able to stop the development of osteoarthritis, but also reverse it, which will give you the opportunity to return to a normal life.