Quite often in old age, a pathology such as polyosteoarthrosis occurs in people. What is it and how to treat this disease, can only tell a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable, since the disease is chronic and covers almost the entire musculoskeletal system. It gradually progresses, leading to serious complications and even disability. Pathology occurs most often after 50 years. According to statistics, mainly women are exposed to it. This is due to the functioning of their endocrine system and the structure of connective tissue.
Polyosteoarthrosis: what is it and how to treat it
Osteoarthrosis is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It is characterized by the destruction of articular cartilage, as a result of which bone takan also suffers. As such, the diagnosis of "polyosteoarthrosis" does not exist. The prefix "poly" is used in medicine to indicate a pathology that has captured several organs at once. Therefore, if osteoarthrosis affects three or more joints, then they speak of "polyosteoarthrosis". The hip, knee, and joints of the fingers and toes are usually affected, and the spine may also be affected.
According to ICD 10, the code for this disease is M15. It is attributed to diseases of the musculoskeletal system. But polyarthrosis is isolated in a separate group. In another way, this pathology is called generalized osteoarthrosis or arthritic disease.
Since the pathology is characterized by a chronic course and the occurrence of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joints, the treatment should be aimed at normalizing nutrition and metabolic processes in the tissues and restoration of joint functions. All therapeutic measures should prevent the further progression of the pathology and return the patient the ability to move independently.
The mechanism of development of pathology
As a result of the destruction of cartilage, which most often occurs in older people due to age-related changes, a narrowing of the joint gap occurs. The joint capsule is deformed, after which the bones that make up the joint begin to gradually break down. Osteophytes are formed on them, which restrict movement in the joint. Due to the friction of bones that are not protected by more cartilage, they begin to collapse and deform against each other. Therefore, the disease is sometimes called "deforming polyosteoarthrosis."
Causes of the appearance of pathology
The usual arthrosis of one joint may appear in a young person, for example, due to trauma or increased stress. But such a pathology as polyosteoarthrosis is characteristic mainly of older people. According to statistics, after 65 years, almost 90% of the population suffers from this disease. Scientists have not yet fully figured out what factors cause pathology. It is noted that it can be inherited, most likely due to the genetic features of the structure of articular cartilage. But polyosteoarthrosis can cause other reasons:
- increased stress on the joints;
- muscle-ligamentous system weakness;
- diabetes;
- endocrine diseases;
- excess weight;
- hormonal disruptions;
- metabolic disorders;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- infectious diseases - gonorrhea, syphilis, tuberculosis.
Usually, elderly people develop primary polyosteoarthrosis, which appears due to disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system or metabolic processes. As a result of this, the cartilage tissue is gradually destroyed, which causes discomfort and aching pain.
Symptoms of the disease
Typically, a person gradually develops a pathology such as polyosteoarthrosis. What is it and how to treat the disease, some know, since they went to the doctor on time. But sometimes patients start a pathology, not paying attention to the first symptoms: a crack in the joints, pain after an increased load. And they begin treatment already in the late stages of pathology. In this case, the doctor can make a diagnosis already at the external examination of the patient, since severe deformation of the joints begins. This is especially evident on the hands. The fingers are bent, there is a thickening in the phalanges.
In addition, there are several other characteristic symptoms of the disease:
- joint pain, first appearing after exercise, aching, then more severe, constantly tormenting the patient;
- stiffness in the joints, more pronounced after rest;
- with damage to the spine, a decrease in sensitivity, a violation of cerebral circulation, numbness of the limbs may develop;
- due to the constant irritation of soft tissues, inflammatory processes occur;
- muscle atrophy develops, weakness in the limbs.
Polyosteoarthrosis: developmental stages and varieties
Snchel disease almost does not manifest itself. But it is at the initial stage that it is easiest to cure. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the first symptoms. If the disease has passed into the second stage of development, medical methods are already becoming less effective, comprehensive treatment is necessary. And in the advanced stage, joint deformation appears, osteophytes are formed, and only surgery can help in this case.
Pathology refers to ICD 10 to the code M15, which includes various polyarthrosis. This can be primary generalized osteoarthrosis, secondary multiple, erosive, as well as polyarthrosis of unspecified etiology. In addition, nodular polyosteoarthrosis, characterized by the formation of thickenings on the joints, most often on the phalanges of the fingers, belongs to a separate group. They are called the nodes of Heberden or Bouchard.
Pathology diagnostics
What is this "polyosteoarthrosis" and how to treat pathology, only a doctor can say. Therefore, when the first signs of joint damage appear, you should consult a specialist. First of all, such a patient is assigned an x-ray examination of the joints. The development of the disease can be detected already at the initial stage. You can see the narrowing of the joint space, the seal of the cartilage. Then, deformation of the joint capsule and the formation of osteophytes can be detected. To clarify the diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging, scintography, arthroscopy can be prescribed.
Features of the treatment of polyosteoarthrosis
This disease causes severe pain and limitation of the patient’s mobility, greatly reduces working capacity, up to disability. To prevent this, you need to start treatment as soon as possible. It must be comprehensive. In this case, it is very important to take into account the causes that caused the destruction of cartilage tissue and affect them.
Start therapy with limiting the load on the affected joints. This helps prevent their further destruction and reduce pain. In addition, the use of drugs aimed at relieving pain and inflammation, relaxing muscles and restoring cartilage tissue is very important.
In complex treatment, physiotherapeutic procedures are also used. A special diet for polyostearthrosis helps restore normal nutrition of the cartilage and saturate the tissue with the necessary trace elements. In addition, often a change in nutrition is necessary to reduce weight, which can cause joint damage.
Drug therapy
Various medications are prescribed for joint polyosteoarthrosis to alleviate symptoms and to stop the progression of pathology. There is no specific drug therapy for this disease. It is believed that it is impossible to fully restore the function of articular cartilage, you can only slow down their destruction and facilitate patient movement.
All drugs must be prescribed by your doctor. When choosing them, individual characteristics of the patient’s health, the degree of tissue destruction, and the causes of the development of pathology are taken into account. Usually several groups of drugs are prescribed.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of tablets, injections or ointments help relieve pain and swelling. The most effective are Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Piroxicam, Celecoxib.
- For severe pain, corticosteroid hormones are used in the form of intra-articular injections. It can be "Hydrocortisone", "Diprospan", "Dexamethasone".
- To normalize blood supply and tissue nutrition, Trental or Curantil are used. These drugs improve blood circulation. In addition, anticoagulants are effective.
- Chondroprotectors are also required - means that restore cartilage. Most often it is "Glucosamine Sulfate" or "Chondroitin".
- To improve metabolic processes, special drugs are used, for example, Fosfaden. It is also necessary the use of vitamin-mineral complexes.
Physiotherapy
With exacerbation of pain, a decrease in physical activity is necessary. But in general, a patient with polyosteoarthrosis needs exercise. True, they should be gentle so as not to lead to a more rapid destruction of the joint. All exercises should be selected by a specialist. First, physical therapy classes are conducted under the guidance of a doctor, then the patient can do it independently. The goal of exercise therapy should be to strengthen the muscular-ligamentous apparatus, improve joint mobility. It is necessary to be engaged daily, not less than 30 minutes.
Auxiliary treatments
Physiotherapeutic procedures are very effective to reduce pain in the joints and reduce the inflammatory process. Most commonly used are:
- electrophoresis;
- phonophoresis;
- magnetotherapy;
- electromyostimulation;
- magnetotherapy;
- radon and carbon baths;
- mud applications.
It is also important to change lifestyle and follow a special diet. Patients with polyosteoarthrosis need to monitor their weight, not allowing it to increase. In nutrition, it is necessary to abandon semi-finished products, smoked meats, sausages, canned foods. You need more fruits and vegetables, and jelly, jellied meat, fish and meat broths are useful for restoring cartilage.
Forecast and consequences
If treatment is started on time, the pathology may not cause the patient much discomfort. The range of motion in the joints can be restored. But it is rarely possible to completely restore the function of cartilage tissue . Most often, the joints are gradually deformed. In the most severe cases, this leads to disability.
If conservative therapy does not bring the desired effect, surgical treatment is used to restore joint mobility. It can be arthroscopy or endoprosthetics - replacing a joint with an artificial prosthesis. This allows you to save the patient from suffering and restore his freedom of movement.