Surely, most people at least once in their life experienced inconvenience and discomfort caused by pain in the back and joints. Of course, it is good if they are short-term due to banal physical exertion, but what if it is a serious disease that requires the participation of professional specialists?
A change in cartilage or subchondral sclerosis is the most common cause and one of the radiological symptoms of such unpleasant diseases as osteochondrosis or osteoarthrosis. It should be noted that the concept of "osteoarthritis" combines not one, but a whole group of diseases with similar morphological, biological and clinical features. At the same time, the entire joint is involved in the process, including the subchondral bone, capsule, ligaments, periarticular muscles and the synovial membrane. The main clinical symptoms of ostearthrosis include the deformation and pain of the joints, which subsequently leads to their insufficient functionality. This is especially felt by people of advanced age.
In general, osteoarthritis belongs to the group of the most common joint diseases. The reasons for its development can be not only mechanical (bruises, injuries, etc.), but also biological factors (impaired formation of new cells of the subchondral bone (subchondral sclerosis) and articular cartilage). In addition, the presence of genetic diseases is of great importance in the diagnosis of osteoarthrosis.
Distinguish between primary and secondary osteoarthritis. The reasons for the first, as a rule, cannot be established. It is also called idiopathic, i.e. special or peculiar. In contrast, the causes of secondary osteoarthritis are obvious - these are mechanical damage to the joints of various origins (metabolic disorders (metabolism), endocrine diseases, inflammatory processes in the joints, injuries, etc.).
To detect osteoarthritis, X-ray diagnostics is successfully used. She points to a number of symptoms that reflect changes in bone tissue and articular cartilage, including subchondral sclerosis. An x-ray symptom of osteoarthrosis at an early stage is osteophytes - bone growths along the edges, which are manifested first by sharpening the edges of the joints surfaces (subchondral sclerosis of the articular surfaces), and then, gradually growing, they are transformed into massive bone lips and spikes. The presence of significant changes in the articular cartilage is confirmed by a different degree of narrowing of the joint space. Moreover, the gap can narrow on one side and simultaneously expand on the other, which also indicates joint instability.
In addition, X-ray diagnostics allows you to identify subchondral sclerosis of the locking plates. Their thickening also indicates instability of the joint and appears, as a rule, due to mechanical trauma or due to age-related changes in the joints in elderly people.
Osteoarthrosis often contributes to the loss of the depreciation function of articular cartilage, which protects bone tissue from physical and mechanical overloads. The compensating factor in this case is subchondral sclerosis, i.e. compaction or thickening of the bone tissue of the subchondral cancellous bone.
The most common in Russia is developed by N. Kosinskaya. X-ray classification of osteoarthritis in accordance with the stages of development. So, for example, the first stage of the disease is characterized by the presence of a slight narrowing of the joint space and marginal bone growths. The occurrence of subchondral syndrome and a more pronounced narrowing of the joint space suggests a second stage of osteoarthrosis. And, finally, the third stage is a sharp and significant narrowing of the gap, accompanied by cystic formations and flattening of the surface of the joints.
Usually, treatment of osteoarthritis is a rather lengthy and time-consuming process. Its basic principles include, first of all, limitation of physical activity, physiotherapy, compliance with the orthopedic regime, etc.