Arthrosis (Greek: arthr) is a group of diseases that damage the joints of the human body.
The left side of the photo of a healthy person.On the right, a person with severe arthrosis of the right hip joint.It can be seen that the channel is completely closed.Severe pain occurs and the patient cannot stand up.
There are more than 100 different forms of osteoarthritis.The most common form, osteoarthritis (damage to the joint ends of joint bones) results from joint trauma, joint infection, or age-related factors.
Other forms of osteoarthritis include rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism), gout, psoriatic arthritis and related autoimmune diseases.Septic arthrosis occurs due to infection of the joint.All forms have one common symptom – joint pain.
Symptoms
All types of arthrosis are accompanied by pain, the nature of which determines its type.It is characterized by redness of the skin, limited mobility in the knee joint and changes in its shape.Disease-prone joints often crack unnaturally under stress.The patient may experience difficulties in cases where it is necessary to undergo physical activity.
Elements of the medical history determine the diagnosis.Important elements are the time of onset and the speed of development of the disease, the presence of morning immobility, pain, "locking" of the joint due to inactivity, etc.X-rays and tomography are used for a more accurate diagnosis.
Causes of arthrosis
Osteoarthritis pain occurs due to inflammation that occurs around the joint.Damage to the joints due to disease, daily friction, muscle tension.Joint pain is often constant.The pain may be localized to the affected areas.
Classification of osteoarthritis
Arthrosis is divided into primary and secondary.There are 4 degrees of arthrosis:
Arthrosis of the knee joint 1st degree - softening of the cartilage appears, it can be felt on the surface of the knee.Not visible on x-ray.
Arthrosis of the knee joint, degree 2 - the cartilage begins to wear out and the photo shows a narrowing of the joint gap.
Arthrosis of the knee joint 3rd degree - osteophytes appear, treatment is more difficult.It is difficult to distinguish from the 2nd degree.
Arthrosis of the knee joint 4th degree - bones come into contact with each other, osteophytes increase and distortion of the joint occurs.
Arthrosis of the patellofemoral joint
Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is damage to the cartilage between the knee cap and the thigh bone.Unlike other types of knee OA, which occur on the inside (medial) and outside (lateral) sides of the knee and cause difficulty walking on flat surfaces, patellofemoral osteoarthritis causes pain in the front of the knee when squatting and standing up from a sitting position.In this case, the knee pad helps a lot.Patients who wore the brace daily were observed to have significantly less joint damage on MRI and a reduction in knee pain.
Prevention and treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint
Osteoarthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis, cannot be completely cured without surgery, but measures can be taken to prevent the condition from worsening.Weight management is key to improving symptoms and preventing disease progression.In osteoarthritis, physical therapy is indicated to strengthen the muscles and joints.In particular, ESMA equipment is effective in its treatment.Patients also need medical treatment.When the disease progresses rapidly and the pain is constant, surgery may be suggested.Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis benefits from joint replacement for many people.There are synovial injections - injections of intra-articular fluid.They allow the patient to be free from pain for 8 months, after which the procedure is repeated.Treatment with bee venom is also effective in relieving pain.
X-ray of a knee with an artificial prosthesis after joint replacement surgery.
Prevention of arthrosis
It includes a complex of procedures: massage, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, herbal preparations, nutritional supplements, aromatherapy, heat and cold therapy, therapeutic gymnastics, diet.
According to statistics, more than 43 million Americans today experience pain when bending the knee.According to statistics, this is one of the main causes of disability in the country.About 1 in 7 Americans suffer from it.With age, the probability of developing arthrosis increases.