Arthrosis (osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis deformans (AOD) or arthrosis deformans) is a disease of the joints, in which the articular cartilage is affected in the early stages, so the surrounding muscles, ligaments, nerves and also the bone tissue are included in the pathological process.
Arthrosis is a disease that develops for several reasons. This includes metabolic disturbances, trauma, intoxication, etc.
Patients usually call "arthrosis" any joint disease in which pain, limited mobility and other discomfort are observed in the region of one or more joints, which is not always true. Osteoarthritis and associated pain develop as a result of "aging" of the joints, due to the influence of various negative factors, however, the causes of joint pain can be infections and injuries, and in these cases we are talking about other pathologies.
arthrosis statistics
Up to 70% of patients at the reception of a general practitioner, therapist, neurologist, surgeon, rheumatologist complain of joint pain. Most of the time, it is pain in the lower back and in the area of the large joints (knee, hip). Worldwide, up to 70% of cases of long-term disability are responsible for osteoarthritis. Many patients - up to 10% of those who seek medical help for advanced osteoarthritis - suffer from a disability and need constant help. Arthrosis is one of the main reasons for a person's premature exit from a full social life; in statistics, it is second only to coronary heart disease.
The probability of developing arthrosis increases with age: in people over 50 years old, it occurs in 27% of cases, in people over 70 years old the prevalence is 97%, which is due to the accumulated load related to age in joints and expiration of their normal functioning.
Causes and development
The main factor in the development of arthrosis is malnutrition of the articular cartilage, which leads to its destruction. It's not that important because it happens (great excess weight, professional sports, work habits, hormonal disorders, congenital joint defects, etc. ), the result is the same:
- the changes start in the articular cartilage that lead to loss of elasticity; microcracks appear in the thickness of the cartilage;
- blood supply to the joint is cut off, joint fluid production decreases, joint mechanics change;
- then, all joint structures, adjacent muscles, and nerve endings are involved.
The listed degenerative disorders lead to the development of symptoms of arthrosis, and the disease "begins" when the constant mechanical load becomes prohibitive for the joint (or joints) and starts the processes of its destruction.
Symptoms of arthrosis
Unlike other joint pathologies, arthrosis develops over many years, in the long term and is unnoticeable to humans. By the time the body signals a joint problem with severe pain, the pathological process has already begun.
Pain is the main symptom of arthrosis (osteoarthritis), in the early stages the pain is little pronounced, weak, more comparable to discomfort. The unpleasant sensations in the joints that arise after loading go away on their own, without any medical or drug intervention, but they quickly become noticeable and limit the person's usual mobility.
Pain can also occur at rest or early in the movement (so-called "onset"), for example, in the morning after sleeping or after sitting for a long time during the day in one position, passing during movement. Night pain at rest is also characteristic of arthrosis, which also decreases rapidly with the onset of physical activity. Patients with joint problems often say that to eliminate the discomfort it is necessary to "stretch the bones", "wake up the joints", which, in general, characterizes this condition very accurately.
Painful sensations arise not only due to disturbances in the functioning of the joint itself. When all components of the joint, muscles and nerve endings are involved in the process, the pain becomes varied and unbearable: it "fires" along the nerve, spreading through the muscle. The blood supply to the joints, nerves and muscles is disturbed, degenerative changes rapidly taking place in them.
Temporary or permanent limitations in joint mobility (contractures) develop due to serious pathological changes in joint and muscle tissues. For example, with arthrosis of the hip joints, the limb is shortened, the pelvis is "skewed" and the spine is curved.
<3_img_blockxx>Tightness in joints in the early stages is almost invisible, but as the disease progresses during movement, it becomes constant. This symptom psychologically concerns the patient with arthrosis even more than pain, as it indicates serious disorders, the aging of the body and, in particular, the musculoskeletal system.
In the later stages of arthrosis, joint deformation occurs, which is associated with the loss of all joint surfaces with curvature, bone growth, decreased amount of joint fluid and joint subluxation.
Stages
Depending on the severity of symptoms, various stages of osteoarthritis are differentiated.
In the first stage, pain at rest and with moderate exertion is absent, it appears only after a high load (physical conditioning, carrying heavy loads, running) or after a long static position. A person does not experience movement restrictions and difficulties. No drug treatment is needed.
In the second stage, the pain is pronounced and constant, it appears quickly under the influence of provocative factors (long walk, physical activity), it does not go away on its own. The patient has limited movement, the mobility of certain joints is severely limited - knee, hip and others. Medical assistance is required, a treatment regimen must be prescribed, including medications and non-drug methods.
In the third stage, the patient moves with difficulty, needs constant care, the pain is unbearable. As a rule, to restore quality of life, surgical treatment (endoprosthesis) and massive physical therapy are necessary.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis appear at an early age, and in this case it is necessary not to ignore them, but to consult a doctor. Timely treatment will support normal joint function and help prevent rapid disease progression.