Joint problems can be of a different nature. In order to determine what kind of disease of the joints of the legs bothers you, you need to conduct a series of examinations and carefully analyze the symptoms. Ideally, the doctor should make the diagnosis, he also prescribes treatment. The difficulty is that many diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system are very similar in their manifestations. In modern medicine, it is customary to distinguish two large categories: arthritis and arthrosis. There are also mixed forms, but they are much less common.
Osteoarthritis ... With this term, medical specialists designate damage to the articular cartilage due to pathologies of a degenerative-dystrophic nature. By and large, arthrosis is a disease of the joints of the legs, the focus of the disease is most often located in the lower extremities, since they take on the weight of the whole body.
The disease can be caused by a number of factors. These include: too much load on the legs caused by being overweight or just standing work, various joint injuries sustained during sports or operations, impaired metabolism (salt deposition also applies), natural wear and tear of joints due to age, hereditary predisposition , chronic rheumatism, diseases affecting the connective tissues (for example, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis).
So, you suspect yourself of such a disease of the joints of the legs as arthrosis. What manifestations should I pay attention to first of all? The first and, perhaps, the main symptom is acute pain in the knees. At first, it occurs only during walking, as the disease progresses, pain intensifies and does not go away even with a state of complete rest. Gradually, the bones begin to thicken and deform, the muscles adjacent to them gradually atrophy.
If you are tormented by regular pain in the knee joint, treatment should be started immediately. Any doctor will tell you that first of all it is necessary to eliminate the damaging factor. For example, if the disease is caused by being overweight, the patient is recommended to lose weight, if the joints suffer from the fact that the person is constantly on his feet, you need to think about your lifestyle and try to reduce stress. But, of course, this is not enough for a full treatment. The specialist will prescribe you a course of special drugs designed to improve blood circulation in the joint tissues and restore the cartilage structure.
In order for this disease of the joints of the legs to leave you forever, you will have to regularly engage in physical therapy, manual therapy and massage also help. However, if the disease has reached the last stage, joint restoration is possible only with the help of surgical intervention.
Arthritis ... This group of diseases is characterized by an inflammatory process in the joint tissue. Inflammation in most cases is caused by infection and is often accompanied by inflammation of the ligaments and tendons.
An arthritis disease in the joints of the legs usually affects people with reduced immunity and the presence of a chronic infection in the body. All skin lesions on the feet, such as non-healing calluses and cracks, can also lead to the development of arthritis. Among the most common symptoms, swelling, severe pain, and fever should be noted.
First of all, remember: if the ankle joint is affected by the inflammatory process , the treatment will be fundamentally different from the treatment of knee arthrosis. The diseased leg must be kept at rest and all loads should be excluded. Bed rest is usually accompanied by the use of antibiotics and hormonal drugs. Some varieties of arthritis are treated locally with all kinds of ointments, gels and compresses. All procedures are assigned comprehensively.