The human musculoskeletal system is often affected by diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis. Because of the similar names, patients confuse these diagnoses when in fact they have little in common.
Despite all the differences, only a specialist can accurately determine the disease after a series of examinations and tests. Therefore, do not postpone the visit to the clinic at the first signs of joint pathology. Let's look at the symptoms, the specific course and the treatment methods of osteoarthritis and arthritis in detail.
Features of the mechanism of disease development
Development of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (or osteoarthritis) is a chronic degenerative disease of the joints that most often occurs due to age-related changes in the body. Wear and tear on the joint leads to degenerative processes: bone growth ("salt deposits"), friction and trauma to the cartilage, replacement of joint tissue with connective tissue or ossified tissue. The disease develops slowly, gradually, at first only slight discomfort and crunching in the joint are felt.
Osteoarthritis is most common in older people, but professional athletes and people with injuries are also at risk. The disease usually affects one or more large joints.
Development of arthritis
In contrast to osteoarthritis, arthritis is inflammatory in nature and can occur in people of all ages. This disease is systemic and can affect both joints and other human organs: heart, kidneys, nervous system. Arthritis is very noticeable – even a layperson will notice it.
Arthritis most often occurs against the background of an infectious or bacterial disease, but it can also be a sign of autoimmune diseases.
When joint inflammation is caused by the activity of pathogenic bacteria or an infection, the disease usually begins abruptly and can affect many joints at the same time, affecting both large and small joints.
Both diseases can lead to acquired chronic pain, which is now considered a clinical syndrome in its own right.
Comparison of osteoarthritis and arthritis
| Comparative characteristics | arthrosis | arthritis |
|---|---|---|
| Age of cases | In most cases - 65-75 years | Any |
| Caused | Degenerative-dystrophic changes due to metabolic disorders, deterioration of joint blood circulation | Inflammatory process caused by an infectious, bacterial or autoimmune disease |
| Joints involved | One or more large joints | A large number of large and small joints are often affected symmetrically |
| Blood test results | The average statistical indicators have not changed | An inflammatory process is detected, sometimes an increased value of rheumatoid factor |
| Painful sensations | The pain increases, appears after training, at the beginning of the disease there is only discomfort and crunching | The pain can occur immediately after sleep, is often migratory in nature and from the onset of the disease the sensations are intense |
| External changes | In the early stages – no, swelling is possible in post-traumatic cases | Sometimes the skin over the joint becomes red and swelling may occur |
| Picture of the joint | Deformations, narrowing of the joint space, bone spines and growths can be traced; X-ray diagnostics usually provide a clear picture of the changes that occur | In the initial stages, no changes are visible; in advanced cases, bone erosion and ankylosis are possible |
| Medication | Preparations with chondroitin and glucosamine, symptomatic - NSAIDs, with rapid progression - corticosteroids. | Symptomatic - NSAIDs, sometimes - antibiotics, in autoimmune diseases - corticosteroids |
Causes of disease development
Causes of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a chronic process and always develops slowly. The blood supply to the joint gradually deteriorates, as a result of which the tissue does not receive the necessary nutrition. The cartilage changes its structure, becomes rough and friction occurs. The main carriers of this disease are older people, whose metabolism in the body slows down with age, and overwork, obesity and injuries also become noticeable.
The disease that occurs due to metabolic disorders is called primary arthrosis.
According to statistics, degenerative joint changes in most cases affect older women who are overweight. Most often, such patients have a genetic predisposition to diseases of this type.
In addition to older age, osteoarthritis can also occur in middle-aged and even young people in rare cases. The most common reasons include:
- Professional sports with heavy strain on the joints;
- Hard physical work;
- advanced arthritis;
- previous injuries or surgeries.
In the cases listed above, osteoarthritis is secondary. A predisposing factor for the development of the disease is obesity. Sometimes this type of disease can be a consequence of damage to the nervous system, which leads to insufficient sensitivity of the joint. In addition, the disease can be caused by systemic damage to connective tissue.
Causes of Arthritis
Arthritis, in contrast to arthrosis, has many different forms and manifestations that only an experienced specialist can distinguish. Each type has its own cause:
- Reactive- occurs as a complication of infectious and bacterial infections, most often in the intestine and urogenital area.
- Rheumatoidis an independent autoimmune disease that affects the joints symmetrically.
- Contagious- characterized by joint inflammation due to the activity of pathogenic bacteria and infections. Arthritis is also found in the adult population, which occurs against the background of viral hepatitis.
- gout- manifests itself as a result of gout through the accumulation of uric acid salts in the joint tissue.
- psoriasis- a consequence of the manifestations of psoriasis, which is observed in about 10-15% of people with this diagnosis.
- Traumatic- may occur due to injury to the joint or periarticular tissue.
- Rheumatic- is a consequence of rheumatism, most often caused by a streptococcal infection.
In addition, there are types of diseases that are characteristic only of children, for example, juvenile arthritis, which often occurs against the background of an infection, fungal or bacterial disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
Joint pain, which directly depends on the intensity of movement and physical activity, is the main symptom of osteoarthritis. The disease often manifests itself in the knee, hip and ankle joints. Small joints are rarely affected.
Aches and pains in this disease disappear at rest and gradually increase when trying to move. Apart from pain in the joint area, the patient does not worry about anything else; there is no increased body temperature, fever or joint swelling. Over time, with osteoarthritis, the crunching and clicking in the joints can be heard more and more clearly and the ability to move is gradually restricted.
Arthritis symptoms
Prolonged inflammation of the joint can provoke arthrosis and, conversely, without appropriate treatment of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joint cavity, an inflammatory process can occur. The symptoms of arthritis are completely different from the signs of osteoarthritis. Firstly, these diseases have different types of joint pain. In arthritis, the pain is often independent of physical activity and can occur at rest or at night. Pain sensations can be paroxysmal, "flying" and move from one joint to another. The inflammation in this disease also extends to the periarticular tissue.
Secondly, arthritis can be distinguished from arthrosis by a number of other symptoms: general malaise, weakness, increased body temperature, involvement of small joints (fingers, wrists).
Treatment approach
Pain relief
In both arthritis and osteoarthritis, the main goal of drug treatment remains to relieve pain symptoms. According to research, the most effective are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs based on phenylacetic acid, which are successfully used in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, these NSAIDs have fewer side effects and complications compared to other drugs in the same spectrum.
The study of NSAIDs is based on a drug from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which has become the standard for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. The drug appeared more than 45 years ago, but during this time it has not lost its effectiveness even in comparison with the latest painkillers.
In addition, a few years ago a study was published in the medical journal Lancet comparing the effects of various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The most effective drug came from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which not only relieved pain, but also improved joint function.
In addition to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, other drugs are also used to treat arthritis and arthrosis.
Arthritis treatment
The correct treatment of arthritis is always complex, long-term and systematic. It should aim to eliminate the cause and reduce pain and inflammation.
Some of its forms, including infectious diseases, are treated only in hospital. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, antimycotics and analgesics are used to eliminate the causes and depending on how the disease developed.
Even in the treatment of reactive arthritis, the main task remains the destruction of the infection that causes it. Most often the cause is an intestinal or genitourinary disease: chlamydia, salmonellosis, etc.
Gout, rheumatic and psoriatic arthritis occur against the background of exacerbation of chronic diseases of the same name, therefore it is initially necessary to achieve stable remission. Special medications are used to treat these diseases, as well as physiotherapeutic methods and a special diet.
The treatment of rheumatoid diseases includes drugs from the group of sulfonamides and immunosuppressants. When treating this autoimmune disease, it is important to strictly adhere to the dosage of medication. In severe cases of the disease, corticosteroids are used - hormonal drugs that can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, but have many side effects.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
With arthrosis, the cartilage needs additional nutrition and restoration, so chondroprotective drugs containing chondroitin and glucosamine are often prescribed for treatment. This is the main drug therapy prescribed to patients with this diagnosis.
In the initial stage, the main role is played by physiotherapeutic procedures: electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, as well as therapeutic exercises, diet and massage.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis
If the osteoarthritis is in the first stage and the disease has not yet progressed, treatment can be carried out by a local therapist or family doctor.
In the early stages of this disease, the joint requires improved blood supply and increased production of synovial fluid. In addition, as long as the disease has not progressed, it is necessary to strengthen the surrounding muscles and ligaments to stabilize the joint. Drug treatment includes taking chondroprotectors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and drugs with a vasodilator effect. Remedial gymnastics, physiotherapy and massage have proven to be effective. For overweight patients, a diet to reduce body weight and relieve pressure on the joints is recommended.
The second and third degrees of arthrosis, in which degenerative-dystrophic changes are pronounced, are always monitored by a rheumatologist, arthrologist, orthopedic traumatologist and surgeon. Most often at these stages the process begins to progress rapidly and conservative treatment has only a symptomatic effect.
The final degree of the disease, at which the limb with the diseased joint can be completely immobilized, usually requires surgical intervention and arthroplasty.
If you have been diagnosed with arthritis
When it comes to arthritis, the list of doctors treating people becomes noticeably longer, as there are many more causes for this disease. However, in this case, the therapist should first be examined on site, who will determine which specialist should be contacted next based on the medical history.
Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis are always treated by rheumatologists and immunologists. In the case of psoriasis, these doctors are joined by a dermatologist.
A vertebrologist specializes in diseases of the spine and treats patients with arthritis of the spine.
In case of rheumatism, consultation and observation of a cardiologist is required. When arthritis is caused by an intestinal or genitourinary infection, the main treatment specialist is a gastroenterologist, urologist, or gynecologist.
prevention
First of all, women over 45 years old and men over 55 years old need to think about the prevention of arthrosis and arthritis - at this time, hormonal changes begin in the body, metabolism slows down, and blood flow in the joints worsens. Preventive measures are particularly relevant for people with a hereditary predisposition to endocrine and metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Particular caution should also be exercised by people whose work is closely related to physical activity that has a negative effect on the joints.
The most important primary prevention measures are:
- Control of body weight: Excess weight puts additional strain on the joints and the entire musculoskeletal system;
- a balanced diet that contains the right balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants;
- moderate physical activity: gymnastics, daily exercises, swimming, walking;
- Give up bad habits: Alcohol and tobacco products disrupt the body's metabolism and weaken the immune system.
If symptoms of joint disease have already been identified, secondary prevention measures take effect:
- compliance with primary prevention measures;
- therapeutic exercises prescribed by a doctor and carried out outside periods of exacerbation;
- Use of special orthopedic aids: walking sticks, insoles, bandages, corsets;
- regular or continuous drug treatment;
- regular check-ups by specialists.