Causes of arthritis and treatment of the disease. Infectious Arthritis: Causes

An adult has more than 200 bones. All of them are interconnected. A joint is a movable joint that forms a strong, but also movable structure. Quite often, in these formations, an inflammatory process begins to develop, which captures the internal and external shells of the joint. There are diseases such as arthritis, arthrosis. The reasons can be very different, we will try to get acquainted with them in more detail.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a whole group of inflammatory lesions of the joints that capture almost all the components of this compound. The origin of the disease can be different: allergic, traumatic, infectious, reactive, dystrophic, and more.

A variety of causes of arthritis lead to the fact that this disease is widespread among people of different ages. Most often, of course, it manifests itself in the middle and senior, but does not bypass children and adolescents. Arthritis is a serious problem for the whole society, as it has a severe and prolonged, sometimes chronic course, which can lead to disability and, consequently, to disability.

Types of Arthritis

The classification of arthritis is quite complex and multilateral. There are several units that can help to better understand the nature of this disease.

By the involvement of the joints arthritis is:

1. Monoarthritis, when the inflammatory process is observed in only one joint.
2. Polyarthritis captures several mobile joints.

This disease is quite insidious, it can proceed in different ways, depending on which they emit:

1. Acute arthritis, always signs of it appear completely unexpectedly for a person, if improper treatment is carried out, this form can become chronic.
2. Chronic arthritis develops and proceeds quite slowly.

According to the international rheumatological classification, arthritis also occurs:

• Infectious arthritis, the reasons in this case lie in infectious diseases. These include rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis.
• Dystrophic arthritis, for example, gout, osteochondrosis.
• A traumatic lesion can begin to develop after a joint injury.
• Arthritis associated with other diseases of the body. These can be cancers, digestive tract problems, connective tissue diseases.

Not only the type of disease, but also the causes of arthritis should affect the choice of treatment methods, therefore self-medication in this case should not be allowed. This can not only not give any result, but also exacerbate the situation.

Arthritis: causes

Given the high prevalence of this disease, we can conclude that there are many reasons that can provoke it. All of them can be divided into several groups:

1. Infectious causes:

• Viral infections.
• Infectious diseases.

2. Traumatic causes indicate that a joint injury was once sustained, but it was not possible to get rid of it to the end. This category of causes is especially true for people who engage in heavy physical labor.

3. Immunological causes include several factors at once:

• Bad ecology.
• Improper nutrition is another cause of arthritis.
• Lack of vitamins and minerals.
• Passion for coffee and caffeinated drinks.

4. Genetic causes imply a hereditary predisposition. If there are arthritis sufferers in the family, then the chance of getting this disease also increases.

It can be concluded that there are both external and internal causes. What kind of arthritis they cause is unknown. The most common arthritis of the knee joint. In children, the reasons for the development of the disease are also found, not to mention the adult population.

Risk factors and disease provocateurs

Some factors can be mentioned, in the presence of which the chances of developing arthritis are further increased. These include:

• Concomitant diseases of the joints.
• Chronic infectious diseases.
• Age after 45 years.
• Female. It was noted that the beautiful half of humanity is much more likely to become patients of rheumatologists.

But there are not only causes of arthritis, but also provocateurs that can trigger the development of the disease. These are the following factors:

• Viral or bacterial infections.
• Joint injuries.
• Surgery
• Childbirth.
• Frequent abortions.
• The presence of allergies.
• Vaccination.

Given the causes and risk factors, we can say that arthritis can overtake absolutely anyone.

Symptoms of the disease

If arthritis of the shoulder joint develops, the causes affect the symptoms of the disease. Symptoms also appear depending on the severity of the disease, the rate of progression.

But you can name the main symptoms that appear with almost any type of arthritis:

1. Pain sensations of different intensity and strength. They can be barely noticeable or completely unbearable.
2. Around the affected joint there is swelling and swelling. This is especially noticeable if the child has arthritis. The reasons do not play any role.
3. Redness of the skin.
4. The site becomes hot to the touch.
5. In a chronic condition, arthritis can be manifested by deformation of the joint.
6. Restriction of movements.
7. A crunch appears during the movements.
   

In addition to symptoms that are more local, extraarticular symptoms can be listed:

• Eye diseases.
• Lung problems.
• Heart pain, pericarditis.
• The gastrointestinal tract is disturbed.
• Renal failure.
• Pathology of blood vessels.

All these manifestations can accompany, for example, arthritis of the ankle joint, the causes of this disease can be any. In this regard, it is very important that a relationship be established between them and the disease during the examination of the patient.

Acute arthritis of the ankle joint: causes, prognosis, treatment

Ankle joints are almost constantly in motion. They have a big burden to maintain the entire body weight. Arthritis of these joints can lead a person not only to disability, but in general to a loss of ability to move.

In medicine, the following reasons are noted that can provoke the development of this disease:

1. The accumulation of uric acid salts in the joints.
2. Alcohol abuse.
3. Passion for strong tea and coffee.
4. A diet consisting of fatty dishes.
5. Bath procedures.
   

Despite the causes of arthritis, the symptoms may be as follows:

• The ankle joint begins to swell.
• There is pain.
• The skin turns red and the temperature in the affected area rises.
• General weakness, well-being worsens.
• Body temperature rises.

Very often, at the first stages of development, arthritis does not manifest itself in any way, but if you have the following symptoms periodically, then you should pay attention to this and visit a doctor:

• There is pain with strong movements, for example, with flexion and extension of the foot.
• They began to notice that the shoes, which until recently were good, became small. This means that the joint is swelling.

If you do not pay attention to the first signs and do not start treatment, then arthritis of the toes progresses further , causes and provoking factors only accelerate the process. In a few years, the joint can collapse almost completely.

The treatment methods for this type of arthritis are almost the same as with other forms. We will talk about this a little lower.

Rheumatoid arthritis

If rheumatoid arthritis develops, the causes of this disease can be any, but regardless of this, an immune system failure necessarily occurs in the body. Protective cells become active and begin to fight the joints, perceiving them as foreign agents.

The most common cause of rheumatoid arthritis is infectious disease. After the transferred flu or acute respiratory viral infections, pathogens can remain in the body, which enter the joints with a blood stream. This is where immune cells can begin to respond.

In addition, doctors also note that severe hypothermia, trauma or stressful situations can also trigger the development of this type of arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is of several types:

• Juvenile.
• Seropositive.
• Seronegative.
• Arthritis of the elderly.

Each form is characterized by its symptoms.

Seronegative arthritis is manifested by an increase in lymph nodes, body weight is sharply lost, fluctuations in daily temperature are observed. Most often, pathological changes affect only one joint.

Seropositive arthritis can develop rapidly or very slowly. It begins to manifest itself as morning stiffness in movements, swelling of the joints, the appearance of pain.

Juvenile arthritis has this name because it affects very young patients.

We examined what rheumatoid arthritis is, the causes and symptoms of the disease, we also examined, and now we will focus on treatment. The following areas of therapy can be distinguished:

1. Medication.
2. Physiotherapy.
3. Nutrition correction.
4. Spa treatment.
   

The most effective result will be if the methods are used together and the therapy is started on time.

Arthritis of the shoulder joint

This joint has increased mobility, which allows you to make a variety of movements and withstand loads. All this at some point leads to the failure of the joint, the inflammatory process begins to develop. What could be the reason for this:

1. Strong hypothermia.
2. Heavy physical exertion.
3. Shoulder injuries.
4. Lack of movement.
5. Infectious diseases.
6. Osteoarthrosis.

Considering the reasons, we can conclude that it is quite possible to prevent the development of the disease. If it is not always possible to avoid infectious diseases, then increase physical activity and avoid hypothermia for everyone.

Arthritis in children

Inflammation of the joints is such an insidious disease that it does not bypass even children, and of very different ages. If we talk about the reasons that can provoke the development of this disease in a child, then we can note:

• Joint injuries.
• Past infectious diseases.
• Immune system disorders.

Thus, in children it has the same reasons as in adults, arthritis, and the treatment will completely depend on them. Also, the age of the child, a type of arthritis, affects the choice of treatment tactics.

Joint arthritis can be diagnosed in infants, although this is problematic, given the age of the patient. The parent should be wary of detecting the following symptoms:

1. The child cries during movements, for example, when shifting, massage.
2. Elevated body temperature without signs of a cold.
3. Swelling and redness appear in the joints.
4. The kid tries to move the sick limb less.

In older children, the symptoms are almost the same, only a child can tell parents about their feelings. In this case, you should not postpone the visit to the doctor, the earlier treatment is started, the more effective the result.

As a rule, rheumatoid arthritis has a favorable prognosis, the joints do not collapse and disability is not threatened, but if rheumatism is added, then this is already dangerous, because with inadequate and untimely treatment leads to the development of heart defects.

Arthritis Treatment

Arthritis in its course goes through several stages. Each therapy has its own goals, methods and treatment are selected. If conservative methods are predominantly relevant in the initial stages of the disease, then surgical intervention may be indicated in the third and in the presence of complications.

Any therapy has several goals:

• Relieve pain.
• Suspend or slow down the progression of the disease.
• Resume normal joint function.
• Prevent the development of complications.

To achieve these goals, use:

1. Drug therapy.
2. Physiotherapeutic procedures.
3. Massotherapy.
4. Physical exercise.
5. Orthopedic techniques.
6. Spa treatment.
7. Alternative methods of treatment.

Any treatment will be more effective if it is carried out in combination.

Drug treatment

Whatever the causes of arthritis of the hands, for example, it is impossible to do without taking medication. The following drugs are prescribed:

• Anti-inflammatory, for example, “Diclofenac”, painkillers, it can be: “Baralgin”, “Ketorol”. These drugs alone can not get rid of the disease, but they eliminate the most basic symptom - pain.
• Chondroprotectors that help restore cartilage in the joint.
• If there is a purulent process or if the cause of arthritis is an infection, then antibiotics are definitely prescribed.

After using drugs, it is possible to relieve inflammation and eliminate pain, other treatment methods can be used.

Physiotherapy and Arthritis

Physiotherapeutic procedures provide significant assistance in the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases. This may include:

• Ural Federal District.
• Electrophoresis with painkillers.
• Phonophoresis with Hydrocortisone.
• Massage.
• Mud therapy.
• Warming up.
• Therapeutic baths.
• Hydromassage.

All these procedures greatly facilitate the patient's condition. Whatever the causes of arthritis of the fingers, combined with medical treatment, physiotherapy improves the patient's quality of life.

Nutrition and exercise therapy

During the treatment of arthritis, you will have to reconsider your diet. Here are just some nutritional recommendations:

1. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.
2. Fatty meat should be replaced with fish and seafood.
3. Limit the use of fried foods, give preference to boiled and stewed.
4. Reduce salt intake.
5. Remove salty, spicy dishes, seasonings from the diet.
6. On the table should be greens.

Subject to these recommendations, the body increases the intake of useful and necessary vitamins and minerals, which favorably affects the condition of the joints.

Without special exercises in the treatment of arthritis is also not enough. Depending on the type of arthritis and its severity, the LFK doctor individually selects a set of exercises. It must be performed regularly, without sudden movements.

For example, with arthritis of the ankle joint, the following exercises can be recommended:

1. Rolling from heels to toe.
2. Walking on the inside of the foot.
3. Jumping on toes.
4. Walking on the heels.
5. In the sitting position, pull the socks towards you.
6. You can perform some exercises in water, there the load on the body is minimal.
7. Exercise bikes are also helpful.
   

If you perform physical exercises in combination with other methods of treatment, then the effect will come much faster.

Traditional medicine against arthritis

In the bins of folk healers for the treatment of arthritis, tips are also stored, here are some of them:

• Pour fresh branches of spruce with boiling water, insist, lower legs for 30 minutes. After the procedure, you must immediately go to bed.
• Heat dry flax seeds, place in a tissue bag and apply to a diseased joint.
• Heat a sheet of fresh cabbage, grease it with honey and wrap it around the diseased joint. Be sure to place cellophane on top and wrap it with a scarf.
• Take chalk, grind it, mix with kefir and apply this pulp to the damaged joint. This procedure is best done at night.
• Beat a raw chicken egg with 2 tablespoons of salt, apply to a bandage and wrap a joint. As the dressing will dry, you can still lubricate it with a mixture.

Using folk methods, it is necessary to consider that without the use of traditional methods of treatment, a positive effect for a long time is impossible to achieve.

Arthritis Life

It often turns out that the disease still catches up with us, which means that we must somehow adapt to live with it. Since arthritis is a long-term disease, sometimes chronic, you will have to follow some rules that will improve the quality of life:

1. It is necessary to try to load the joints as little as possible.
2. Exercise regularly that help stretch.
3. Follow all doctor's recommendations.
4. A full night's rest is required.
5. Correct your diet.

No specialist can give you a 100% guarantee for getting rid of arthritis, but if you follow all the recommendations, you can not only ease your condition, but also continue to live as before.

Disease prevention

We examined what arthritis of the joints (causes, treatment) is, but we must not forget about prevention. The main preventive measures include the following:

1. Control your weight.
2. Adhere to a rational and nutritious diet.
3. Limit the amount of meat, fatty and fried foods in the diet.
4. Exclude alcohol and smoking.
5. Do not expose the body to hypothermia.
6. Carefully treat infectious diseases.
7. To live an active lifestyle.
8. Avoid heavy physical exertion.
9. Before going to bed, it is useful to massage all joints.

Only following all these recommendations can you protect yourself from a disease such as arthritis. If it was not possible to avoid the disease, then the prognosis will completely depend on timely treatment, the causes and type of arthritis.