🧘🏻 🤚🏾 ☎️ Symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis. The consequences of osteoarthritis 👩🏻‍🔧 🚸 🧖🏾

Pathologies of the musculoskeletal system never pass without consequences for the general condition of the body. The progression of diseases is fraught with the development of serious complications. Osteoarthrosis is a dangerous disease of the musculoskeletal system. Symptoms and treatment of the disease are discussed below.

What is a pathology?

With the development of osteoarthritis, joints undergo degenerative changes . Initially, pathology begins against the background of destructive changes in the cartilage tissue, and then pathological processes affect bone tissue and other components of the joint.

Most often, a patient with an age group from 40 to 60 years old gets to the doctor with this diagnosis.

Treatment of osteoarthritis will depend on the causes of the development of pathology. Usually, a disease is provoked simultaneously by several factors that can be divided into three groups:

Dysplasia. Congenital disorders in the joints leading to the development of the disease.
Injuries.
Inflammatory processes.

The causes that cause osteoarthritis of the joints (we will consider the treatment of the disease later) include:

Age-related changes in cartilage and bone tissue.
Hereditary predisposition.
Congenital pathologies of connective tissue, dislocation of the hip joint.
Joint Injury
Reinforced physical activity.
Infectious diseases.
Disorders of metabolic processes.
Rheumatic diseases.
Frequent hypothermia.

There are some risk factors that also play an important role in the development of osteoarthritis:

Obesity.
Joint surgery.
Pathologies in the endocrine system.
Professional exercise.
Hormonal changes, for example, may require treatment of osteoarthritis of the hands or other joints during menopause.
Flat feet.
Spinal curvature.

The combination of several groups of factors or causes increases the likelihood of developing pathology.

Varieties of forms of the disease

Treatment of osteoarthritis is selected according to the type of disease. Allocate:

Primary osteoarthritis or it is also called idiopathic.
Secondary, developing under the influence of certain factors: arthritis, dysplasia, trauma.

In addition to forms of the disease, the following types of damage are also noted:

Coxarthrosis. This is osteoarthritis of the hip joint, the treatment is rather complicated, and in its absence, the likelihood of disability is high. The patient loses the ability to move independently.
Gonarthrosis. Damage to the knee joint is observed. Often a provocateur of the development of pathology is a serious injury. The patient hardly gets out of bed in the morning, but gradually the pain goes away as the muscles and ligaments warm up.
Pathology of the ankle joint. The disease often develops after an injury, such as a dislocation. Gradually, deformation of the lower leg is observed.
Osteoarthrosis of the elbow joint. It leads to loss of mobility in this joint in any direction.
Treatment of osteoarthrosis of the shoulder joint will prevent loss of mobility in this department. Patients with the development of the disease complain of the inability to raise a hand without pain.

Therapy may have its own nuances for each kind of pathology, but a competent specialist should deal with it.

The degree of development of osteoarthritis

Treatment of the disease will depend on the degree of pathology. They determine the scale of the spread of the pathological process. They are distinguished by several:

First degree. At this stage of the development of the disease, the patient feels a slight soreness. The danger of this degree is that diagnostic methods are unable to recognize it. Pathological changes can be suspected only by indirect manifestations. Only a study of synovial fluid can confirm suspicion.
The 2nd degree of osteoarthritis is treatable, but it is important to visit a specialist if suspicious symptoms appear. The disease makes itself felt with a crack in the joints, a violation of muscle function.
The third degree of the disease is accompanied by impaired motor function. The patient cannot raise his arm or leg. At this stage of the development of the disease, the cartilage tissue in the joints is almost destroyed, so the affected limb takes on the entire blow.

Symptoms of the disease

The danger of osteoarthritis is that in a radiographic image, pathology is diagnosed in many patients, but they do not feel any symptoms. Signs develop gradually, and the following symptoms can be considered a reason for contacting a doctor:

Joint pain is insignificant, but increases with any physical exertion.
After awakening, stiffness in the joints. She disappears in just half an hour.

When you try to touch the joint, pain is felt.

At the stage of primary manifestations, pathology does not stop its development. Slow progress continues, which increases impaired motor function. Joints become more and more damaged, and mobility is lost. There is an increase in the joint as a result of an increase in bone, cartilage and other tissues.

The cartilage tissue gradually coarsens, and specific movements appear during movements. Experts note that osteoarthritis of the knee joint, the treatment will have its own characteristics, different from the formation of pathology in the hip. In the first case, stability is lost, and in the second pathology, functionality and motility deteriorate.

With the progression of the disease, the following deviations appear:

The pathological process affects the nerve endings.
The patient feels numb.
Sensitivity is disturbed in different parts of the body.
When squeezing blood vessels, vision suffers.
The patient complains of nausea and vomiting.

With the development of pathology, the symptoms are increasingly pronounced, it is simply impossible not to notice the disease.

Symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis may vary depending on the localization of the pathological process.

If destructive changes are observed in the hip joint, then patients complain of:

Joint pain that provokes lameness.
Osteoarthrosis of the 1st degree (we will consider the treatment of the disease below) makes itself felt with pain in the inguinal region and even the knee.
Hip muscle spasm.
As the disease progresses, mobility is impaired.

Manifestations of knee osteoarthritis, treatment will have its own nuances, slightly different:

Soreness appears in one or two knees at once.
The pain during the load intensifies.
Difficulty climbing stairs.

The disease can even relieve symptoms for a while, but then return with renewed vigor.

With the development of osteoarthritis, most often the lesion covers symmetrical joints. Degenerative changes primarily develop in articular formations undergoing increased loads: knee, hip.

Diagnosis of the disease

Treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints is possible only after a final diagnosis. To do this, when unpleasant symptoms appear, you need to visit a doctor. He will conduct the following diagnostic procedures:

Conversation and examination of the patient. The doctor finds out when the pain appeared, what kind of character they are, what factors intensify the pain syndrome.
Inspection of diseased joints allows you to determine the degree of impaired mobility.
A radiograph is mandatory. It will show the area of damage and allow you to determine how affected the joint is.

Blood test for biochemistry.
Ultrasound examination of the joints.
Examination of fluid from the joint bag.

After confirming the diagnosis, treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee joint or any other is prescribed.

Pathology therapy

Joint damage treatment should adhere to the following principles:

Ensure that the necessary volume of blood with nutrients is delivered to the area of the diseased joint.
Reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process.
Rid the patient of pain.
Improve mobility.
Suspend disease progression.

Treatment of deforming osteoarthrosis should be carried out only in a comprehensive manner, several approaches to therapy are combined:

Drug treatment.
Physiotherapeutic.
Prompt.

Drug therapy

The selection of medicines is carried out taking into account the variety of pathology, the degree of its development and the general state of health of the patient. Usually, the following medications are indicated:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process: "Diclofenac", "Movalis", "Ketoprofen." In the early days of treatment, it is better to administer the drugs in the form of injections, and then you can switch to taking the pills.
With severe pain and inflammation, glucocorticosteroids are indicated: Hydrocortisone, Celeston.
Chondroprotectors that can improve the structure of cartilage and stop further joint destruction: Don, Structum, Chondrolon. It is important to consider that drugs from this group must be taken for a long time. Best courses of 2-3 months twice a year.
Treatment of brachial osteoarthritis may require the introduction of drugs into the joint: Synvisc, Ostenil.
As auxiliary agents, external ointments and gels can be used: Voltaren, Fastum Gel, Menovazin.

Acceptance of any drugs during the treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints should be carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor. Self-medication in such situations is fraught with, at best, a lack of effect, and at worst, even greater complications.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

After stopping the acute period, it is recommended to supplement the drug therapy with physiotherapeutic procedures. So you can accelerate the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and restore mobility.

Among all the procedures for this pathology, the most effective are the following:

Magnetotherapy.
Electrophoresis with the introduction of "Dimexidum".
Laser Therapy
Medium wave ultraviolet irradiation.
Hydrogen sulfide baths.
Massage.
Warming up.
Acupuncture.

All procedures contribute to the activation of blood circulation in the area of pathological changes, the elimination of puffiness, the reduction of the inflammatory process, tissue repair and increase cellular immunity.

Surgical treatment of arthrosis

If degenerative disorders in the joints have gone too far and the patient is practically unable to move or drug therapy has not brought the desired results, then they resort to surgery.

Joint replacement is the most common treatment for knee osteoarthritis, but the following methods can be used:

Arthroscopic debridement of the joint. The intervention procedure involves cleaning the joint with a special arthroscope. Punctures are made through which the affected cartilage is removed. This type of surgery gives the best results in the early stages of development. After surgery, patients have reduced pain, increased mobility in the joint. But we must keep in mind that only for a few years the disease recedes a little, and then the symptoms return. Will have to do the operation again or use other techniques.
Periarticular osteotomy. Surgery consists of several stages. During the intervention, the surgeon's task is to saw bone tissue next to the affected joint and fixate it at a different angle. As a result, the load distribution inside the diseased joint changes, the patient's condition improves significantly. The effect of the operation lasts about five years.

Any therapy, even surgical, is more effective the sooner it is started.

Diet for osteoarthritis

Many pathologies in the human body require a review of their diet. Balancing nutrition will help to weaken the manifestations of the disease, ensure the supply of important and necessary vitamins and minerals.

Destructive processes in arthrosis lead to the appearance of free radicals that affect healthy cells. The menu should include foods containing antioxidants that slow down the development of the disease.

On nutrition, you can give the following recommendations:

Eat only fresh foods.
Refuse fast foods and convenience foods.
Give preference to homemade dishes.
Reduce servings to control weight.
Include more fresh vegetables and fruits.
Maintain water balance, provide the necessary amount of water.
In the diet, add products containing collagen, it has a good effect on joint health. Jellied, jelly, aspic should appear on your table as often as possible.

Products with a flavor enhancer, artificial colors and preservatives should be excluded from the diet. These substances are harmful to a healthy person, and with arthrosis they will only aggravate the situation. To maintain spinal health, discard:

Greasy dishes.
Butter.
Confectionery.
Strong tea and coffee.
Carbonated drinks.

Also reduce your intake of marinades, smoked foods. Proper nutrition will be a great addition to the treatment of arthrosis.

Complications of Osteoarthrosis

If the treatment of the disease is not carried out or the medicines and procedures are not selected more efficiently, then the likelihood of complications is high. Among the severe consequences of arthrosis are the following:

Joint deformation, which will practically lead to loss of mobility.
The development of osteoarthritis.
Violation of the functionality of the joints.
Joint destruction.
Osteoporosis.
Fractures.

Only a careful attitude to your health will allow you to detect pathology at an early stage and take the necessary treatment measures.

Osteoarthrosis Prevention

Any pathology can be prevented if you adhere to preventive measures. Treatment of osteoarthritis of the arm or other joints may not be required if:

In the presence of a hereditary predisposition to overweight, monitor your diet and maintain weight within normal limits.
Avoid increased physical exertion on the joints and spine.
Do not lift weights.
Female representatives do not constantly go in high heels. Such shoes can be worn for a maximum of a couple of hours a day, and then choose shoes with heels of average height 4-5 centimeters.
If you already have injuries to the knee or hip joint, you should walk with a cane until it is completely cured, so as not to provoke a dislocation and damage.
To prevent arthrosis on the toes, the shoes should be loose, squeezing is not allowed.
Use orthopedic insoles.
To live an active lifestyle.

Daily exercise feasible exercise.
Treat any infectious and inflammatory diseases regularly. Even tonsillitis or caries in the teeth can become a provocateur of the onset of degenerative changes in the joints.
Constantly strengthen the immune system, especially in the autumn-winter period. In the summer, you need to eat as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible, in the fall and winter take multivitamin complexes.
Avoid hypothermia. Always get dressed for the weather.
Avoid prolonged stay in static poses in which blood circulation is disturbed. Do not squat or work for a long time in a bent position on a summer cottage.
Correctly alternate physical activity and relaxation.

If you experience unpleasant symptoms and any pain during movements, it is important not to ignore them, but to consult a doctor. A diagnosis at an early stage of the disease will not only completely get rid of the problem, but also prevent the progression and development of complications. Without appropriate treatment, osteoarthrosis leads to disability.

Symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis. The consequences of osteoarthritis