Osteoarthritis (osteoarthrosis or distorting osteoarthrosis (DOA), or distorting osteoarthritis)- joint disease, in which articular cartilage is assigned to the initial stages, then muscles, ligaments, nerves, as well as bone tissue, are included in the pathological process.
Osteoarthritis is a disease that develops due to various causes.These include metabolic disorders, injuries, poisoning, etc.
Patients generally call "osteoarthritis" any joint disease in which pain, mobility restrictions and other unpleasant sensations in the area of one or more joints are observed, which is not always true.The osteoarthritis and the pain associated with it develop following the "aging" of the joints, due to the effects of various negative factors, however, the causes of joint pain can be both infections and injuries, and in these cases, we are talking about other pathologies.
Statistics
Up to 70% of patients to appoint a general practitioner, therapist, neurologist, surgeon, rheumatologist complain of joint pain.Most often, it is pain in the lower back and in the area of large joints (knee, hip).Around the world, and in Russia in particular, up to 70% of cases of long -term incapacity for work are osteoarthritis.There are many patients - up to 10% of those who composed the doctor due to advanced osteoarthritis receive a handicap and need constant assistance.Arthrosis is one of the main reasons for the premature departure of a person from a full -fledged social life, in statistics, it is the second behind coronary diseases.
The probability of developing osteoarthritis increases with age: in people over 50, it occurs in 27% of cases, in the elderly over the age of 70, the prevalence is 97%, due to the load -related age on the joints and the expiration of their normal functioning.
Causes and development
The main factor in the development of osteoarthritis is a violation of the nutrition of joint cartilage, which leads to its destruction.It is not so important, as a result of what it happens (great excess weight, professional sport, characteristics of work, hormonal disorders, congenital defects, etc.), the result is the same: the result:
- In joint cartilage, changes begin, which causes loss of elasticity;In the thickness of the cartilage, microfissures appear;
- The blood supply of the joint is disrupted, the production of joint fluid is reduced, joint mechanics change;
- Then, all joint structures, adjacent muscles and nerve endings are involved.
The degenerative disorders listed lead to the development of arthritis symptoms, and the disease "begins" at the time when the constant mechanical load becomes transcendental for the joint (or joints) and triggers the processes of its destruction.
Symptoms
Unlike other joint pathologies, osteoarthritis has been developing for many years, for a long time and imperceptibly for humans.As the body signals the problem in the joint suffering from intense pain, the pathological process is already launched.
Pain is the main symptom of osteoarthritis (osteoarthrosis), in the early stages of unpsed pain, weak, more comparable to discomfort.The unpleasant sensations in the joints occur after the charge of the charge independently, without any medical or medicinal intervention, but they quickly become tangible and limit the usual human mobility.
The pain can occur at the rest or at the very beginning of the movement (the "start -up", for example), for example, in the morning after sleep or after a long session during the day in a position, when it moves, they pass.Arthrosis is also characterized by night rest, which also decreases quickly with the start of motor activity.Patients encountered by joint problems generally say that to eliminate unpleasant sensations, "knead bones", "awaken the joints", which, in general, quite precisely characterizes this condition.
The pain occurs not only because of the disorders of the joint itself.When all the components of the joint, the muscles and nerve endings are involved in the process, the pain becomes diversified and painful: "shooting" along the nerve spreading along the muscle.The blood supply of joints, nerves, muscles is disrupted, degenerative changes occur quickly.
Temporary or constant restrictions on joint mobility (contracture) develop due to serious pathological changes in joint and muscular tissues.For example, with the osteoarthritis of the hip joints, the shortening of the member, the "bias" of the basin and the curvature of the spine occur.
The crunch in the joints at the initial stages is almost invisible, but as the disease develops during the movement, it becomes constant.This symptom psychologically concerns patients with osteoarthritis even more than pain, as it indicates serious troubles, body aging and the musculoskeletal system in particular.
In the last stages of osteoarthritis, the joint is deformed, which is associated with the loss of the curvature of all joint surfaces, bone growth, a decrease in the quantity of joint fluid and a subluxation of the joint.
Steps
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, several stages of osteoarthrosis are distinguished.
At the first stage, there is no rest pain and during a moderate load, they only appear after a high load (physical shape, weight transfer, operation) or after a long static position.A person does not undergo restrictions and movement difficulties.Drug treatment is not necessary.
In the second stage of the pain, pronounced and constant, quickly arises under the influence of the factors caused (prolonged walking, physical activity), do not go from them.The patient is limited in motion, the mobility of certain joints - knee, hip and others is highly limited.Medical assistance is required, a treatment diet should be prescribed, including drugs and non -drug methods.
In the third step, the patient moves with difficulties, needs constant care, painful pain.As a rule, surgical treatment (endoprosthetic) and massive physiotherapy are necessary to restore quality of life.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis already appear at a young age, and in this case, it is necessary not to ignore them, but to consult a doctor.The treatment prescribed in a timely manner will support the normal joint function and will help avoid rapid progress of the disease.