Arthrosis (osteoarthritis or deforming osteoarthritis (DOA), or deforming arthrosis) is a disease of the joints, in which the articular cartilage is affected in the initial stages, then the surrounding muscles, ligaments, nerves and also bone tissue are involved in the pathological process.
Osteoarthritis is a disease that develops for various reasons. These include metabolic disorders, trauma, intoxication, etc.
Patients usually call "osteoarthritis" any joint disease in which pain, limited mobility, and other concerns are observed in the area of one or more joints, which is not always true. Osteoarthritis and concomitant pain develop as a result of "aging" of the joints, due to the influence of various negative factors, however, the causes of joint pain can be infections and injuries, and in these cases we are talking about other pathologies.
Osteoarthritis statistics
Up to 70% of patients at the reception of a general practitioner, therapist, neurologist, surgeon, rheumatologist complain of joint pain. Most often these are pains in the lower back and in the area of large joints (knee, hip). Worldwide, up to 70% of long-term disability cases account for osteoarthritis. Enough patients - up to 10% of those who seek help from a doctor as a result of advanced osteoarthritis become disabled and need constant help. Arthrosis is one of the main reasons for a person’s premature departure from a full social life; in statistics, it is second only to coronary heart disease.
The chance of developing osteoarthritis increases with age: in people over 50 years old, this happens in 27% of cases, in older people over 70 years old, the prevalence is 97%, which is due to the cumulative age-related load on the jointsand the expiration of their normal functioning.
Causes and development
The main factor in the development of osteoarthritis is malnutrition of the articular cartilage, which leads to its destruction. It is not so important why this happens (overweight, professional sports, work habits, hormonal disorders, congenital joint defects, etc. ), the result is the same:
- changes in articular cartilage begin leading to loss of elasticity; microcracks appear in cartilage thickness;
- the blood supply to the joints is interrupted, the production of joint fluid is reduced, the mechanics of the joints change;
- then all the structures of the joints, adjacent muscles, nerve endings are involved.
The degenerative disorders listed lead to the development of symptoms of osteoarthritis, and the disease "begins" at the moment when the constant mechanical load becomes stopping for the joint (or joints) and begins the processes of its destruction.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
Unlike other joint pathologies, osteoarthritis develops over many years, long-term and invisible to humans. The moment the body signals a problem in the joints with severe pain, the pathological process in it has already begun.
Pain is the main symptom of osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis), in the initial stages the pain is not very pronounced, weak, more comparable to anxiety. Unpleasant sensations in the joints that arise after the load disappears on its own, without any medical intervention or medication, but they quickly become apparent and restrict the normal movement of the person.
The pain can also occur at rest or at the beginning of the movement (the so-called "beginning"), for example, in the morning after sleep or after sitting for a long time during the day in one position, switch during the movement. Night rest pains are also characteristic of osteoarthritis, which also quickly subsides with the onset of physical activity. Patients facing joint problems usually say that to eliminate the discomfort it is necessary to "stretch the bones", "wake up the joints", which, in general, characterizes this condition quite accurately.
Painful feelings arise not only because of disturbances in one's joint work. When all the components of the joints, muscles and nerve endings are involved in the process, the pain becomes varied and excruciating: "shooting" along the nerve, spreading through the muscle. The blood supply to the joints, nerves, muscles is disturbed, degenerative changes occur rapidly in them.
Temporary or permanent limitations of joint mobility (contractures) develop due to serious pathological changes in joint and muscle tissues. For example, with osteoarthritis of the thigh joints, the limb is shortened, the pelvis is "tilted" and the spine is curved.
Chewing in the joints in the initial stages is almost invisible, but as the disease progresses during movement, it becomes constant. This symptom psychologically worries patients with osteoarthritis even more than pain, as it indicates serious disorders, aging of the body and in particular of the musculoskeletal system.
In the later stages of osteoarthritis, joint deformity occurs, which is accompanied by loss of all articular surfaces with bending, bone growth, a decrease in the amount of articular fluid, and subluxation of the joints.
stages
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, several stages of osteoarthritis are distinguished.
In the first stage, pain at rest and with moderate strain is absent, appearing only after a high load (fitness, carrying heavy loads, running) or after a long static position. A person does not experience limitations and difficulty in movement. No drug treatment is required.
In the second stage, the pain is pronounced and persistent, quickly arises under the influence of provocative factors (long walk, physical activity), does not disappear by itself. The patient is restricted in movement, the mobility of certain joints is severely restricted - knee, hip and others. Medical help is required, a treatment regimen should be prescribed, including medications and non-medicated methods.
In the third stage, the patient moves with difficulty, needs constant care, the pain is excruciating. As a rule, to restore the quality of life, surgical treatment (endoprosthetics) and mass physiotherapy are needed.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis appear at a young age and in this case it is necessary not to ignore them, but to consult a doctor. Timely treatment will support the normal function of the joints and help prevent the rapid progression of the disease.