In the past few decades, the number of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue has increased, as evidenced by statistical data.Pathologies of the spine and joints take the "honorable" third place after diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems.
The pain and stiffness of the joints not only significantly reduces the quality of life, but also often leads to serious consequences - deformation and disability.It is not surprising that 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 based on symptoms, as these diseases manifest in different ways.Arthritis is a group of inflammatory changes in the joints, in which all joint elements are involved in the pathological process - capsule, joint membrane, cartilage tissue.
The typical signs of arthritis of any etiology are as follows:
- redness, swelling and severe pain when touched;
- the pain does not decrease at rest;
- the pain syndrome is pulsating, aching 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 poisoning - fever, malaise, weakness, sweating, etc.
In arthrosis, only the cartilage tissue is affected: it becomes loose and thin due to fluid loss.As a result, the bones of the joint rub against each other, aggravating the pathological process.As the disease progresses, the cartilage tissue cracks and some of its fragments and debris settle on the epiphyses of the bones.
Unlike arthritis, arthrosis does not cause an inflammatory response for a long time.Swelling and redness may occur only in the final stages, when bony growths or a fluid-filled joint cavity puts pressure on the surrounding structures.
The characteristic symptom of arthrosis is the onset of pain, which appears in the morning or after a long rest.Daytime physical activity, especially vigorous activity, is always associated with pain, which subsides with rest.For example, arthrosis of the knee joint can be felt while walking, running or squatting.However, in the morning these movements will help relieve stiffness.
The difference between arthritis and arthrosis is also the duration of morning stiffness - it disappears within a few minutes due to the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue.In case of arthritis, the stiffness can last more than an hour because a large amount of fluid (exudation) 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 toes, it is difficult for a person to take the first steps in the morning when he gets out of bed.Due to the shift of the center of gravity to the heels 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 treatment characteristics.
For various reasons
In more than half of the cases, arthrosis develops after an injury and is not necessarily serious.Constant microtraumas that accompany the professional activities of athletes, builders and other representatives of physical labor have a much worse effect on the joint.
Regularly occurring chronic injuries usually go unnoticed, and various damages "accumulate" in the joint.The cartilage gradually thins and cracks, the joint capsule tears, 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 common.Multiple severe bone fractures are often complicated by arthrosis, and sometimes by complete immobility of the joints.
Another cause of arthrosis is genetic predisposition - hereditary characteristics of metabolism and skeleton.But even in this case, it cannot be guaranteed that arthrosis will be inherited from generation to generation.However, the risk of disease continues to increase.
Since excess body weight causes an excessive load on the entire musculoskeletal system, all elements of the joints suffer.In a young person, the cartilage tissue resists pressure.And in old age, when the elasticity of cartilage decreases, excess weight can accelerate cartilage wear.
Arthritis can also cause degeneration of cartilaginous structures, as arthritis changes the composition of 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 healed or not.
Prolonged psycho-emotional stress, oddly enough, does not have the best effect on joint health.Due to the sharp release of stress hormones (steroids), the permeability of the 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 occurrence of arthrosis is not enough.The mechanism of cartilage degeneration is typically triggered by a combination of several factors.
The origins of arthritis and arthrosis are fundamentally different.Arthritis can be caused by:
- infection;
- malfunction of the immune system, when leukocytes begin to attack the body's own cells;
- injuries and excessive stress on the joints - for example, massage therapists often develop arthritis in their hands, weightlifters have a weak point in the knees, and boxers and tennis players have shoulder joint damage;
- congenital skeletal disorders;
- pathologies of the nervous system and endocrine system, as well as hormonal imbalance during menopause;
- allergic reactions;
- heredity;
- metabolic disorders;
- poisoning 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 what caused the damage to the joint, the balance of destructive and restorative processes is disrupted.This means that there are too many damaged, dead cells that do not have time to be utilized.And the new functional cells are not enough to replace the dead ones.As a result, the joint malfunctions.
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 which structures are affected by the pathological process.
In case of arthritis, the synovial membrane becomes inflamed and the quality of the synovial fluid changes.Damaged cells are also there.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 their function are replaced by connective tissue with the formation of scars.In addition, the new scar tissue is unable to provide a shock-absorbing function and has no elasticity.
Since joint dysfunction occurs for a variety of reasons and can be associated with hormonal, metabolic, and mechanical factors, understanding these causes is an important consideration.It largely depends on them what kind of treatment arthritis or arthrosis requires.
Differences in treatment
There is a certain regimen for the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis.The goal of arthritis therapy is to stop the inflammatory process;the goal of treating arthrosis is to restore the cartilage tissue.This is another difference between the two diseases.The only similarity is that in both cases painkillers are used.
Self-medication in this case will not bring success and may worsen the situation.Even an experienced specialist cannot always determine, based on external signs, how arthritis differs from arthrosis of the knee joint.An accurate diagnosis can only be made after receiving the research results.
In the acute period, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in a short course to treat arthrosis.In case of severe pain, intra-articular blocks are performed with anesthetic and glucocorticosteroids.The therapy can be supplemented with local agents - ointments and gels.
The main way to treat arthrosis is to take 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, you can 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.
Physiotherapy is of great importance in arthrosis.With the help of exercises, you can achieve good results, namely:
- relieves tension and increases the tone of weakened muscles;
- reduces the intensity of pain;
- increases joint space and improves joint mobility;
- improves blood circulation and metabolic processes in the affected tissues.
The therapeutic tactics of arthritis depends on its origin.In the case of allergic, infectious and gouty forms, antihistamines, antibacterial drugs and agents for removing excess uric acid are prescribed.In most cases, symptomatic therapy is carried out using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hormones.
Rheumatoid arthritis therapy includes basic drugs and biological drugs containing bacteriophages.
Vitamin complexes containing B vitamins are prescribed for any type of arthritis.
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 endoprostheses or reconstructive arthroplasty.The indication for this type of surgery is a poor prognosis due to the complete destruction of cartilage tissue.
Conclusions
Thus, arthritis can be distinguished from arthrosis based on the characteristic signs that accompany these diseases.It is important to know that arthrosis most often affects the hips and knees, somewhat less often the ankles 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, the corresponding joint of the left hand starts to bother you almost immediately.
However, it should be remembered that it is impossible to diagnose yourself, since similar symptoms can be observed in other pathologies - tendinitis, arthritis, bursitis and many others.Therefore, in case of joint discomfort and pain, diagnostics must be carried out to find out their cause.
The early stages of arthrosis are quite treatable;in advanced cases, restoration of joint function is only possible with surgery.In the case of arthritis, the prognosis depends not only on the type of disease, but also on the quality of the treatment provided.Timely treatment of post-traumatic arthritis leads to complete recovery in most patients.Removing the allergen also guarantees healing in the allergic form of the disease.
The main factor influencing a favorable prognosis is the early detection and immediate treatment of the disease.Be healthy!