Degenerative joint disease of the joints is usually diagnosed in young men and women, and its development can lead to the destruction of cartilage tissue. The characteristic symptom of the initial illness is severe soreness, even when the limbs are unloaded at rest. In order to reduce discomfort and prevent the destruction of cartilage structure, complex treatment methods are prescribed.
What is this disease
Osteoarthritis is a terrible common chronic disease that affects most people in the entire population.
The pathological feature is inflammatory lesions of the cartilage tissue of the small and large joints. Due to the degenerative changes of cartilage, the capsule around the joint, synovium, muscle and ligament structure and bone tissue are affected. The root cause of this pathological development is believed to be metabolic disorders. The disease cannot be completely cured, but the patient can only be relieved, which is why arthritis that gradually destroys the joint system is dangerous. Arthropathy is usually diagnosed in old age, but it has also occurred in young people in their 20s. It is important to diagnose the initial stage of its development. This will prevent new complications and help the body solve the problem.
Reasons for development
Violation of the metabolic processes of the joints will trigger the onset of the disease. Pathology is the presence of one or more joints at the same time. Other common causes of arthritis are:
- Hormonal changes in menopausal women;
- Violation of the blood supply of the joints;
- Continuous low temperature
- Chronic injury
- Advanced age;
- Excess weight;
- Increased joint pressure;
- Autoimmune disease
- Thyroid disease;
- hemophilia;
- Herpes
- hepatitis;
- Allergies that affect the structure of bones and joints;
- Varicose veins;
- Strict diet or unbalanced diet;
- Excessive physical exercise;
- Genetic
- Unfavorable environment.
Changes in arthritis have been observed in people who have to work under difficult physical conditions. These are special professions:
- miner
- bricklayer;
- Metallurgist
- blacksmith
- Angler.
Stages and characteristic symptoms
The signs of arthritis develop gradually and increase with the development of the pathology. Arthritis is divided into 3 stages:
- In the first stage, there is no morphological change, only the synovial component of the synovial fluid is destroyed. As a result, the cartilage tissue absorbs less nutrients and quickly loses elasticity and endurance. There was inflammation in the joint cavity, and the pain began to bother.
- In the second stage, the degradation process is more active. The cartilage of the joints is gradually destroyed, and uric acid cannot be completely discharged from the body. As a result, the first bone growth appears in the joints. This limits the movement of the joints, so the inflammation continues to develop, and the continuous pain in the limb muscles is troubled.
- Grade III is manifested as complete thinning of the articular cartilage tissue, and deformation of the joint itself is also observed. There are signs of axial changes in the limbs. Moreover, degenerative disease in the ligament device starts, as a result of which the limbs can no longer move normally, combined with the natural range of motion, excessive exercise has been observed. In the third stage, joint pain is constant, and a person cannot lie quietly, sleep, or rest. Complete malnutrition of the joint may destroy the function of the affected limb.
Other symptoms
The disease causes characteristic physical signs of a person, and is usually divided into 4 groups:
- pain. Severe joint pain does not go away for a long time, this is the first symptom of pathological development. The soreness is caused by any exercise or physical activity, but the body will get better during rest and the discomfort will be reduced.
- The symptoms of tightening are manifested in the worsening stage of arthritis. Due to the fact that the cartilage tissue of the joint is deformed for a long time, the bone structures start to contact each other and rub against each other. As the degree of tightening increases, the pain syndrome will also develop.
- Impaired joint range of motion. Progressive osteoarthritis leads to an increase in bone formation. As a result, muscle tissue spasm, and the joint gap gradually decreases. The pressure in the joints increases, which also makes the limbs unable to be fixed.
- Joint deformities. The rapid growth of osteophytes can cause modification of the compound, but this symptom has developed in later stages.
Various joint arthritis
Distinguish idiopathic or primary arthritis from secondary arthritis. The first category is independent diseases, which occur due to physiological changes related to age. But the secondary form appears in the context of chronic injury and can appear at any age (20 or 30 years). Considering which joint is affected, the difference in arthritis is as follows:
- Shoulder or elbow joint;
- Hip or knee joint;
- spine.
Similarly, this disease can also occur:
- refined;
- not specified.
Why is it dangerous?
The reason why acute arthritis is terrible is that with the development of pathology, the spine will participate in the degeneration process, which leads to the appearance of hernia. Therefore, it is important to use conservative methods where possible to effectively treat arthritis in the early stages of development. If drugs are not provided in time or patients try to cure themselves, the following diseases will occur:
- Deformation and destruction of joint components;
- Limited physical activity;
- Disability;
- Since the intervertebral disc has receded, this violates the biomechanics of the spine.
Diagnostic procedure
Before prescribing an effective treatment for joint disease or removing the affected area, it is important to know the exact diagnosis. Therefore, after the initial examination, send the patient through:
- General clinical analysis of blood and urine;
- If knee synovitis is suspected, the synovial fluid should be punctured.
- A sample used for histological examination of biological pathogens.
Perform instrument diagnosis-radiography. If the patient has gonorrhea (especially varicose veins), an X-ray examination of the knee joint should be performed. With hip dysplasia and arthritis, this area of the musculoskeletal system was examined. In order to determine the type of damage to the cartilage structure, ultrasound, MRI or CT scans are recommended.
How to treat?
Medicine and surgery
Early arthritis can be treated with conservative therapy. Doctors choose drugs strictly according to personal plans. If a person suffers from gastric ulcer or other diseases of the gastrointestinal organs, oral administration is contraindicated. In this case, the injection will produce the appropriate effect. The correct drug prescription will help enhance the activity of metabolic processes in the disaster-affected area. The effective drug group can extend the remission time of the drug:
- Anti-inflammatory (medicine;
- Hormonal steroids;
- Cartilage protective agent.
If conservative methods do not produce results, surgery should be performed. In order to relieve joint pain, palliative surgery is required. When the joint is completely destroyed, surgery will be performed to replace it, which is called joint replacement. As new technologies have made progress in the field of prosthetics, people who have joint replacements can lead a different and fulfilling life.
Sports therapy, physiotherapy, massage
Exercise therapy is the name of a therapy developed by famous physicians. This is a set of physical exercises that must be performed on a special simulator. Regular exercise will help normalize the condition of the joints and improve their function. This means that it is recommended to exercise in a specialized hospital that specializes in diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
The chiropractor’s massage procedure will help normalize the blood supply and nutrition in the affected area, so the condition of the joints will gradually improve. If the cause of arthritis can be accurately determined and there are no contraindications, physical therapy procedures should be prescribed, such as:
- Electrophoresis
- Magnetic therapy;
- Laser Treatment
- Mud therapy
- Medical applications based on natural resins.
The need for dieting
If obesity causes arthritis, it is recommended that patients eat to help normalize their weight, which will greatly reduce the burden on the joints and improve their function. In order to make cartilage tissue recover faster, doctors recommend that patients eat more jelly and broth boiled on the bones. Due to the collagen contained in these dishes, connective tissue will begin to regenerate and repair faster. It is also important to monitor the balance and integrity of the diet. Food should be diversified, rich in vitamins, trace elements and macroelements.
prevention
In order to avoid the progress of such dangerous and serious diseases, it is important to apply a load to the joints, especially the joints of the lower limbs. Avoiding injuries and fractures is also worth it, after which the risk of arthritis will increase tenfold. It is important to maintain an active lifestyle, do morning exercises regularly, eat correctly and monitor your weight. Because of these rules, it is possible to protect oneself from the occurrence of destructive pathology or recurrence.