Over the past few decades, there has been an increase in the number of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, which is proven by statistical data.Pathologies of the spine and joints take an "honorable" third place after diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems.
Pain and stiffness of the joints not only significantly reduce the quality of life, but also often lead to serious consequences - deformity and disability.Not surprisingly, patients often have no idea what arthritis and arthrosis are.After all, it is much more important for them to know how to get rid of the disease.
Various symptoms
Arthrosis can be distinguished from arthritis by the available symptoms, as these diseases manifest in different ways.Arthritis is a group of inflammatory lesions of the joints, in which all joint elements - capsule, synovial membrane, cartilaginous tissue - are involved in the pathological process.
Characteristic signs of arthritis of any etiology are the following:
- redness, swelling and severe pain to the touch;
- the pain does not subside with rest;
- the pain syndrome is throbbing, painful or sharp in nature;
- the joint is hot to the touch;
- stiffness in the morning, which passes after half an hour - an hour;
- symptoms of general intoxication - fever, malaise, weakness, sweating, etc.
In arthrosis, only the cartilage tissue is affected: due to fluid loss, it becomes loose and thin.As a result, the bones of the joint rub against each other, which aggravates the pathological process.As the disease progresses, the cartilage tissue cracks and its individual fragments, detritus, settle on the epiphyses of the bones.
Unlike arthritis, arthrosis does not cause an inflammatory response over a long period of time.Swelling and redness may occur only in the final stages, when bony growths or a fluid-filled joint cavity exert pressure on surrounding structures.
A characteristic symptom of arthrosis is the initial pain that appears in the morning or after a long rest.Daily physical activity, especially vigorous activity, is always accompanied by pain that subsides at rest.For example, arthrosis of the knee joint is felt when walking, running or squatting.In the morning, however, these movements help relieve stiffness.
The difference between arthritis and arthrosis is the duration of morning stiffness - with the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue, it disappears in a few minutes.In arthritis, the stiffness can last more than an hour, because a large amount of fluid (exudate) accumulates in the joint cavity overnight.However, this difference can be considered conditional, since advanced forms of arthrosis are also characterized by long-term stiffness.
With arthrosis of the foot or fingers, it is difficult for a person to take the first steps in the morning when getting out of bed.Due to the shift of the center of gravity to the heel or toes, the gait gradually changes and lameness appears.
The difference between arthritis and arthrosis is not only in the symptoms, but also in the causes.In addition, each of these diseases has its own characteristics of treatment.
Various reasons
In more than half of the cases, arthrosis develops after an injury, not necessarily severe.Permanent microtraumas that accompany the professional activity of athletes, builders and other representatives of physical labor have a much worse effect on the joint.
Chronic injuries that happen regularly, as a rule, go unnoticed and various damages "accumulate" in the joint.The cartilage gradually thins and cracks, the joint capsule is torn and microfractures of the bone tissue occur.As a result, the bones are deformed and favorable conditions are created for the development of arthrosis.
It is also worth noting that car accidents involving people of all ages are becoming more frequent.Multiple severe fractures with bone comminution are often complicated by arthrosis and sometimes by complete immobility of the joints.
Another cause of arthrosis is considered to be a genetic predisposition - hereditary characteristics of the metabolism and structure of the skeleton.But even in this case, there is no guarantee that arthrosis will be transmitted from generation to generation.However, the risk of disease still increases.
Since excessive body weight creates excess stress on the entire musculoskeletal system, all joint elements suffer.In a young person, cartilage tissue can withstand pressure.And in old age, when the elasticity of cartilage decreases, excess weight can accelerate cartilage wear.
Arthritis can also cause degeneration of cartilage structures, as joint inflammation changes the composition of the synovial fluid and cartilage tissue.And since arthritis almost always disrupts local blood circulation, the development of secondary arthrosis is possible.It doesn't matter if the arthritis is cured or not.
Prolonged psycho-emotional stress, oddly enough, does not have the best effect on joint health.Due to the sudden release of stress hormones (steroids), the permeability of blood vessels decreases and the blood supply to the joints deteriorates.This leads to a decrease in the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, which is part of the synovial fluid and is responsible for its viscosity.Thanks to hyaluronic acid, the bones slide even with significant damage to the joint structure.
It is worth noting that in most cases one reason for the appearance of arthrosis is not enough.Usually, the mechanism of cartilage degeneration is triggered by a combination of several factors.
Arthritis and arthrosis are fundamentally different in origin.Arthritis can be caused by:
- infection;
- malfunction of the immune system, when leukocytes begin to attack the body's own cells;
- injuries and excessive load on the joints - for example, massage therapists often develop arthritis in their hands, the weak point of weightlifters is their knees, damage to the shoulder joint occurs in boxers and tennis players;
- congenital skeletal abnormalities;
- pathologies of the nervous and endocrine system, as well as hormonal imbalance during menopause;
- allergic reactions;
- heredity;
- metabolic disorders;
- intoxication with toxic substances, bites of poisonous insects;
- severe or prolonged hypothermia of the body;
- alcohol abuse;
- unbalanced diet, lack of vitamins and minerals.
Regardless of the cause of the joint damage, the balance between destructive and restorative processes is disturbed.That is, an excessive number of damaged, dead cells are created that do not have time to be used.And the new functional cells are not enough to replace the dead ones.As a result, the joint does not work.
If both diseases affect the same element - the joint, then what is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis?And why are the symptoms so different?The answer to these questions lies in what structures are affected by the pathological process.
In arthritis, the synovial membrane becomes inflamed and the quality of the joint fluid changes.There are damaged cells there too.The response to their excess is swelling of the capsule itself and nearby tissues.
The difference between arthrosis is that the damaged cells are concentrated in the cartilage, where another protective mechanism is activated - cells that have lost functionality are replaced by connective tissue with scar formation.In addition, the new scar tissue is unable to perform a cushioning function and lacks elasticity.
Because joint dysfunction occurs for a variety of reasons and may be related to hormonal, metabolic, and mechanical factors, understanding these causes is an important aspect.It largely depends on them what treatment arthritis or arthrosis requires.
Differences in treatment
There is a certain treatment regimen for arthritis and arthrosis.Arthritis therapy is aimed at stopping the inflammatory process;the goal of treating arthrosis is to restore the cartilage tissue.This is another difference between these two diseases.The only similarity is that in both cases painkillers are used.
Self-medication in this case will not lead to success and may worsen the situation.Even an experienced specialist will not always determine by external signs how arthritis differs from arthrosis of the knee joint.Only after receiving the results of the examination is an accurate diagnosis made.
For the treatment of arthrosis in the acute period, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in a short course.In case of severe pain, intra-articular blockades are performed with anesthetic and glucocorticosteroids.The therapy can be supplemented with local means - ointments and gels.
The main method of treating arthrosis is the use of chondroprotectors - drugs based on substances that promote the regeneration of cartilage tissue and inhibit the development of the degenerative process.The most effective is the introduction of hyaluronic acid into the joint cavity - with the help of several injections, it is possible to restore the mobility of the joint and relieve the patient of pain.
If necessary, vasodilators can be prescribed to improve blood circulation and muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasms.
Physical therapy is of great importance for osteoarthritis.With the help of exercises, you can achieve good results, namely:
- relieving tension and increasing the tone of weakened muscles;
- decrease in pain intensity;
- increase joint space and improve mobility in the joint;
- improvement of blood circulation and metabolic processes in the affected tissues.
Therapeutic tactics for arthritis depends on its origin.In allergic, infectious and gouty forms, antihistamines, antibacterial drugs and means to eliminate excess uric acid are prescribed.In most cases, symptomatic therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hormones is carried out.
Therapy for rheumatoid arthritis includes basic drugs and biologic drugs containing bacteriophages.
For arthritis of any kind, vitamin complexes containing B vitamins are prescribed.
In severe cases, surgical intervention is performed, which can be of several types:
- synovectomy;
- arthrotomy;
- joint resection;
- cheilectomy;
- arthrodesis;
- arthroscopy.
The presence of destructive changes in the joint may require endoprosthetics or reconstructive arthroplasty.The indication for this type of operation is the poor prognosis due to the complete destruction of the cartilage tissue.
Conclusions
Thus, arthritis can be distinguished from arthrosis by the characteristic signs that accompany these diseases.It is important to know that arthrosis most often affects the hip and knee joints, a little less often the ankle and interphalangeal joints.
In most cases, arthritis can be recognized by the symmetrical damage to the joints: if the joint of the right wrist becomes inflamed, then the corresponding joint of the left hand starts to bother almost immediately.
However, it should be remembered that it is impossible to diagnose it yourself, since similar symptoms can be observed in other pathologies - tendinitis, synovitis, bursitis and a number of others.Therefore, in the case of discomfort and pain in the joints, it is necessary to undergo diagnostics to determine their cause.
The early stages of osteoarthritis are quite treatable;in advanced cases, restoration of joint function is possible only through surgery.In arthritis, the prognosis depends not only on the type of disease, but also on the quality of the treatment.Timely treatment of post-traumatic arthritis leads to full recovery in most patients.Eliminating the allergen in the allergic form of the disease also guarantees recovery.
The main factor affecting the favorable prognosis is the early detection and immediate treatment of the disease.Stay healthy!