The human musculoskeletal system is often affected by diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis.Because of the similar names, patients confuse these diagnoses, although they actually have little in common.
Despite all the differences, only a specialist can accurately determine the disease after a series of examinations and tests, so you should not postpone a visit to the clinic at the first signs of joint pathology.Let's take a detailed look at the symptoms, specific development and treatment methods of arthrosis and arthritis.
Characteristics of the mechanism of disease development
The formation of arthrosis
Arthrosis (or osteoarthritis) is a chronic degenerative disease of the joints, which most often occurs due to age-related changes in the body.Wear and tear of the joint is associated with degenerative processes: bone growth ("salt deposition"), friction and trauma of cartilage, replacement of joint tissues with connective or ossifying tissues.The disease develops slowly and gradually, at first only mild discomfort and cracking can be felt in the joint.
Osteoarthritis occurs most often in older people, but professional athletes and people with injuries are also at risk.The disease usually affects one or more large joints.
The development of arthritis
Arthritis, unlike arthrosis, is inflammatory and can occur at any age.This disease is systemic and can affect joints and other human organs: heart, kidney, nervous system.Arthritis manifests itself very clearly - even a non-specialist can notice it.
Arthritis most often occurs against the background of an infectious or bacterial disease, but it can also be a sign of autoimmune pathologies.
If arthritis is caused by the activity of pathogenic bacteria or an infection, the disease most often begins suddenly, can affect several joints at once, and in the process both large and small joints are affected.
Both diseases can lead to acquired chronic pain, which is now considered an independent clinical syndrome.
Comparison of arthrosis and arthritis
| Comparative characteristics | Arthrosis | Arthritis |
|---|---|---|
| The age of cases | In most cases - 65-75 years | Any one |
| They | Degenerative-dystrophic changes due to metabolic disorders, deterioration of blood supply to the joint | An inflammatory process caused by an infectious, bacterial or autoimmune disease |
| The affected joints | One or more large joints | Many joints, large and small, are often symmetrically affected |
| Blood test results | The average statistical indicators did not change | An inflammatory process is detected, sometimes an increased value of rheumatoid factor |
| Painful feelings | The pain increases, appears after exercise, at the beginning of the disease there is only discomfort and crunching | The pain can appear immediately after sleep, it is often of a migratory nature, and the sensations are intense from the beginning of the disease. |
| External changes | In the early stages - no, swelling is possible in post-traumatic cases | Sometimes the skin over the joint turns red, there may be swelling |
| Image of the joint | Traceable deformation, joint space narrowing, bone spurs, growths;X-ray diagnostics most often give a clear picture of the changes that have occurred | In the initial stage, no changes are visible;in advanced cases, bone erosion and ankylosis are possible |
| Drug treatment | Preparations with chondroitin and glucosamine, symptomatically - NSAIDs, with rapid progression - corticosteroids. | Symptomatically - NSAIDs, sometimes - antibiotics, in case of autoimmune diseases - corticosteroids |
Causes of the disease
Causes of arthrosis
Arthrosis is a chronic process and always develops slowly.The blood supply to the joint gradually deteriorates, as a result of which the tissues do not receive the necessary nutrition.The structure of the cartilage changes, it becomes rough, friction occurs.The main carriers of this disease are elderly people, whose metabolism in the body slows down with age, and overload, overweight and injuries also make themselves felt.
The disease that occurs as a result of metabolic disorders is called primary arthrosis.
According to statistics, degenerative changes in the joints mostly affect older women who are overweight.Most often, such patients have a genetic predisposition to this type of disease.
In addition to old age, arthrosis can also occur in rare cases in middle-aged and even young people.The most common reasons are:
- professional sports with high loads on the joints;
- heavy physical work;
- advanced arthritis;
- previous injuries or surgeries.
In the cases listed above, arthrosis will be secondary.Obesity is a predisposing factor in the development of the disease.Sometimes this type of disease can be the result of damage to the nervous system, which leads to insufficient sensitivity of the joint.In addition, the disease can be caused by systemic damage to the connective tissue.
Causes of arthritis
Arthritis, unlike arthrosis, has many forms and manifestations that only an experienced specialist can distinguish.Each type has its own reason:
- Jet- it occurs as a complication of infectious and bacterial infections, most often intestinal and urinary tract infections.
- Rheumatoidis a distinct autoimmune disease that symmetrically affects the joints.
- Infectious- characterized by arthritis due to the activity of pathogenic bacteria and infections.Arthritis, which occurs against the background of viral hepatitis, can also be found among the adult population.
- Gouty- manifests itself as a consequence of gout due to the accumulation of uric acid salts in the joint tissues.
- Psoriasis- a consequence of the manifestations of psoriasis, which is observed in approximately 10-15% of people with this diagnosis.
- Traumatic- it can occur due to damage to the joints or periarticular tissues.
- Rheumatic- a consequence of rheumatism, most often caused by a streptococcal infection.
In addition, there are diseases that are characteristic only of children, for example, juvenile arthritis, which often occurs against the background of an infection, fungal or bacterial disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms of arthrosis
Joint pain, which directly depends on the intensity of movement and physical activity, is the main symptom of arthrosis.The disease often manifests itself in the knee, hip and ankle joints.Small joints are rarely affected.
Discomfort and pain with this disease go away at rest and gradually increase when you try to move.Apart from joint pain, the patient has nothing to worry about;no elevated body temperature, fever or joint swelling.Over time, in the case of arthrosis, the creaking and clicking of the joints can be heard more and more clearly, and movement is gradually limited.
Arthritis symptoms
Prolonged inflammation of the joint can provoke arthrosis, and vice versa, without proper treatment of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joint cavity, an inflammatory process can occur.The symptoms of arthritis are completely different from the symptoms of arthrosis.First of all, these diseases are associated with different types of joint pain.In the case of arthritis, the pain is often independent of physical activity and may occur at rest or at night.The feeling of pain is paroxysmal, "flying", and can move from one joint to another.In this disease, the inflammation also extends to the periarticular tissues.
Secondly, arthritis is distinguished from arthrosis by a number of other symptoms: general malaise, weakness, increased body temperature, involvement of small joints (fingers, wrists) in the process.
Treatment approach
Pain relief
In the case of both arthritis and arthrosis, the main goal of drug treatment remains the relief of pain symptoms.According to research, the most effective are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs based on phenylacetic acid, which are successfully used in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.In addition, these NSAIDs have fewer side effects and complications than other drugs in the same spectrum.
The study of NSAIDs is based on a drug belonging to the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which has become the standard for the treatment of acute and chronic pain.The drug appeared more than 45 years ago, but during this time it has not lost its effectiveness compared to the latest pain relievers.
Also, a few years ago, a study was published in the Lancet medical journal comparing the effectiveness of different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis.The most effective drug was from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which not only alleviated pain, but also improved joint function.
In addition to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, other drugs are used to treat arthritis and arthrosis.
Treatment of arthritis
Adequate treatment of arthritis is always complex, long-term and systematic.Its purpose is to eliminate the cause, relieve pain and inflammation.
Some of its types, including infectious diseases, are treated only in hospital settings.To eliminate the causes and depending on the origin of the disease, broad-spectrum antibiotics, antifungal agents and pain relievers are used.
The main task in the treatment of reactive arthritis is still the destruction of the infection causing it.The cause is most often an intestinal or urogenital disease: chlamydia, salmonellosis, etc.
Gouty, rheumatic and psoriatic arthritis occurs against the background of the exacerbation of chronic diseases of the same name, therefore, first of all, a stable remission must be achieved.For this purpose, special drugs are used to treat these diseases, as well as physical therapy methods and a special diet.
Treatment of rheumatic disease includes sulfonamide drugs and immunosuppressants.Accurate dosing of medications is important in the treatment of this autoimmune disease.In severe cases of the disease, corticosteroids are used - hormonal drugs that can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, but have many side effects.
Treatment of arthrosis
In the case of arthrosis, cartilage requires additional nutrition and restoration, so chondroprotective drugs containing chondroitin and glucosamine are often prescribed for treatment.This is the main drug therapy prescribed to patients with this diagnosis.
In its initial stage, the main role is played by physiotherapy procedures: electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, as well as physiotherapy, diet and massage.
Which doctor should I see?
If you have been diagnosed with arthrosis
If the arthrosis is in the first stage, when the disease has not yet developed, the local therapist or general practitioner can take care of the treatment.
In the early stages of the disease, the joint needs better blood supply and increased synovial fluid production.In addition, until the disease has progressed, the surrounding muscles and ligaments should be strengthened to stabilize the joint.Drug treatment includes taking chondroprotectors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and vasodilators.Physiotherapy, physiotherapy and massage proved to be successful.For overweight patients, a diet is recommended to reduce body weight and relieve the load on the joints.
The second and third degree of arthrosis, in which degenerative-dystrophic changes are strongly expressed, is always monitored by a rheumatologist, arthrologist, orthopedic traumatologist and surgeon.Most often, in these stages, the process develops rapidly, and conservative treatment has only a symptomatic effect.
The last stage of the disease, in which the limb with the diseased joint can be completely immobilized, usually means the need for surgical intervention and endoprosthesis.
If you have been diagnosed with arthritis
In the case of arthritis, the list of treating doctors increases noticeably, since there are many more causes of this disease.In this case, however, the local therapist must first be examined, who will determine, based on the medical history, which specialist should be consulted next.
Autoimmune pathologies such as systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis are always treated by rheumatologists and immunologists.In the case of psoriasis, a dermatologist is added to these doctors.
A vertebrologist specializes in diseases of the spine and treats patients with spinal arthritis.
In case of rheumatism, consultation and monitoring by a cardiologist is necessary.If the arthritis is caused by an intestinal or urogenital infection, the main doctor will be a gastroenterologist, urologist or gynecologist.
Prevention
First of all, women over 45 and men over 55 should think about preventing arthrosis and arthritis - this is when hormonal changes begin in the body, metabolism slows down, and blood flow in the joints deteriorates.Preventive measures are especially important for those with a hereditary predisposition to endocrine and metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Special care should also be taken by people whose work is closely related to physical activity that has a negative effect on the joints.
The main measures of primary prevention are:
- weight control: excess weight causes additional stress on the joints and the entire musculoskeletal system;
- a balanced diet that includes the right balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants;
- moderate physical activity: gymnastics, daily exercises, swimming, walking;
- giving up bad habits: alcohol and tobacco disrupt the body's metabolism and suppress the immune system.
If symptoms of joint disease have already been detected, secondary preventive measures should be used:
- adherence to primary preventive measures;
- therapeutic exercises that are prescribed by a doctor and are carried out outside the period of exacerbation;
- use of special orthopedic devices: canes, insoles, bandages, laces;
- course or continuous medication;
- regular preventive examinations carried out by specialists.