Arthrosis (Greek arthr) is a group of diseases that damage the joints of the human body.
The left side of the image of a healthy person.On the right, a man with severe arthrosis in the right hip joint.It can be seen that the channel is completely blocked.Severe pain occurs and the patient cannot stand up.
There are more than 100 different forms of arthrosis.The most common form, osteoarthritis (damage to the joint ends of the joint bones) is the result of joint trauma, joint infection, or age-related factors.
Other forms of arthrosis include rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism), gout, psoriatic arthritis and related autoimmune diseases.Septic arthrosis occurs due to joint infection.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 reddening of the skin, restriction of mobility in the knee joint and changes in shape.Disease-prone joints often crack unnaturally under stress.The patient may find it difficult to engage in physical activity.
Elements of the medical history determine the diagnosis.Important elements are the time of the onset of the disease and the speed of its development, the presence of inactivity in the morning, pain, "locking" of the joint due to inactivity, etc.X-ray and tomography are used for more accurate diagnosis.
Causes of arthrosis
Osteoarthritis pain is caused by inflammation around the joint.Joint damage due to disease, daily friction, muscle tension.Joint pain is often constant.Pain can be localized in the affected areas.
Classification of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is divided into primary and secondary.There are 4 degrees of arthrosis:
Arthrosis of the knee joint 1st degree - the softening of the cartilage is visible, it can be felt on the surface of the knee.It is not visible on X-ray.
2nd degree arthrosis of the knee joint - the cartilage begins to wear out, and in the picture you can see the narrowing of the joint space.
Arthrosis of the knee joint 3rd degree - osteophytes appear, treatment is more difficult.Grade 2 is difficult to distinguish.
Arthrosis of the knee joint 4 degrees - bones come into contact with each other, osteophytes increase, deformation of the joint occurs.
Arthrosis of the patellofemoral joint
Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is damage to the cartilage between the kneecap and the thigh bone.Unlike other types of knee OA, which occur on the inside (medial) and outside (lateral) of the knee and make it difficult to walk on flat surfaces, patellofemoral osteoarthritis causes pain in the front of the knee when squatting and getting up from a sitting position.In this case, the knee brace helps a lot.Patients who wore braces daily had significantly less joint damage and decreased knee pain on MRI.
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.For osteoarthritis, physical therapy is indicated to strengthen the muscles and joints.In particular, ESMA equipment is effective for its treatment.Patients also require drug treatment.If the disease progresses rapidly and the pain is persistent, 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.Bee venom treatment is also effective in relieving pain.
Radiograph of the knee with an artificial prosthesis after joint replacement surgery.
Prevention of arthrosis
A set of procedures includes: massage, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, herbal preparations, dietary supplements, aromatherapy, heat and cold therapy, health exercises, diet.
According to statistics, more than 43 million Americans today experience pain when bending their knees.According to statistics, this is one of the main causes of disability in the country.About 1 in 7 Americans suffer from it.The probability of developing arthrosis increases with age.