Arthrosis (osteoarthritis or deformation osteoarthritis (DOA), or deforming arthrosis)- Joint disease, in which joint cartilage is affected in the early stages, then muscles, ligaments, nerves and bone tissues, are included in the pathological process.
Arthrosis is a disease that develops due to various causes.This includes metabolic disorders, injuries, intoxication, etc.
Patients usually call “arthrosis” of any joint disease in which pain, restrictions on mobility and other unpleasant sensations in the area of one or more joints are observed, which is not always true.Osteoarthritis and pain associated with it develop as a result of joint "aging" due to the effects of several negative factors, however, the causes of joint pain may be infections and injury, and in these cases we are talking about other pathologies.
Statistic
Up to 70% of patients in the appointment of a general practitioner, therapist, neurologist, surgeon and rheumatologist complain of joint pain.Most of the time, they are pain in the lower back and in the area of large joints (knee, hip).Worldwide, and in Russia, in particular, up to 70% of long -term disability cases for work falls on osteoarthritis.There are many patients - up to 10% of those who consisted of the doctor as a result of advanced arthrosis receive disability and need constant assistance.Arthrosis is one of the main reasons for the premature departure of a person from a complete social life in statistics, losing only to coronary heart disease.
The probability of developing arthrosis increases with age: in people over 50, it occurs in 27% of cases, in older people over 70 years old, the prevalence is 97% due to the load related to the age -financed age and the expiration of its normal functioning.
Causes and Development
The main factor in the development of arthrosis is a violation of joint cartilage nutrition, which leads to its destruction.It is not so important, as a result of which this happens (great overweight, professional sport, work characteristics, hormonal disorders, congenital sets, etc.), the result is the same: the result:
- In joint cartilage, changes begin, which leads to a loss of elasticity;In the thickness of the cartilage, microcracks appear;
- The blood supply for the joint is disturbed, the production of joint fluid is reduced, the mechanics of the mute joint;
- Then all joint structures, adjacent muscles and nerve endings are involved.
The degenerative disorders listed lead to the development of arthrosis symptoms, and the disease "begins" at the moment when the constant mechanical load becomes transcendental to the joint (or joints) and triggers the processes of its destruction.
Symptoms
Unlike other joint pathologies, arthrosis has been developing for many years, for a long time and imperceptibly for humans.By the time the body signals the problem in the articulation with intense pain, the pathological process is already launched.
Pain is the main symptom of arthrosis (osteoarthritis), in the early stages of not very expressed pain, weak, more comparable to discomfort.Unpleasant joint sensations occur after load independently, without any medical or medicinal intervention, but quickly become tangible and limit usual human mobility.
Pain can occur at rest or at the beginning of the movement (the “beginner” called), for example, in the morning after sleep or a long session during the day in a position, when they move, pass.Arthrosis is also characterized by night rest, which also quickly decreases with the onset of motor activity.Patients found by joint problems often say that to eliminate unpleasant sensations, "kneading bones", "wakes up joints," which generally characterizes this condition quite accurately.
Pain arises not only due to disturbances of the articulation itself.When all joint components, muscles, and nerve endings are involved in the process, the pain becomes diverse and painful: “firing” along the nerve that spreads along the muscle.The blood supply for joints, nerves, muscles is disturbed, degenerative changes occur rapidly in them.
Temporary or constant restrictions on joint mobility (contracture) develop due to serious pathological changes in joint and muscle tissues.For example, with arthrosis of the hip joints, limb shortening, the pelvis “inclination” occurs and the curvature of the spine from the spine.
The articulation crisis in the early stages is almost invisible, but as the disease develops when moving, it becomes constant.This symptom refers psychologically to patients with arthrosis even more than pain, as it indicates severe disorders, body aging and the musculoskeletal system in particular.
In the posterior stages of arthrosis, the joint is deformed, which is associated with loss to curvature of all joint surfaces, bone growth, a decrease in the amount of joint fluid and a joint subluxation.
Stages
Depending on the severity of symptoms, various stages of osteoarthritis are distinguished.
In the first step, there is no rest pain and, during the moderate charge, they appear only after a high load (fitness, weight transfer, operation) or after a long static position.A person does not experience restrictions and difficulties in movement.The drug treatment is not necessary.
In the second stage of pain, pronounced and constant, arise rapidly under the influence of provocative factors (prolonged walk, physical activity), do not go through their own.The patient is limited in motion, the mobility of certain joints - knee, hip and others is strongly limited.Medical assistance is required, a treatment regime should be prescribed, including medicines and non -Drug methods.
In the third stage, the patient moves with difficulty, needs constant care, painful pain.As a rule, surgical (endoprothetic) treatment and massive physiotherapy are needed to restore quality of life.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis are already at an early age, and in this case it is necessary not to ignore them, but to consult a doctor.Opposite prescribed treatment will support the normal function of the joints and will help to avoid the rapid progress of the disease.