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Osteoarthritis – this is a disease not only of the joints, but also of the articular cartilage of a non-inflammatory nature, is chronic. Osteoarthritis comes on in small steps, not immediately. For starters, you just feel a sharp tingling in the knee, joints. Going down the stairs, felt a little pain. Of course, it will pass in a couple of seconds. But the disease will develop, and after a while you will not sleep well at night, because your joints will hurt a lot. As a rule, people go to the doctor only when it is already very difficult to walk. And very in vain, because it is easier to cure the disease in the early stages of development.
If osteoarthritis has already developed to an advanced stage, then these changes can no longer be reversed. But at the same time, the disease is not incurable, because if you consult a doctor in time, you can prevent unpleasant consequences.
The knee has cartilage that reduces pressure on the articulating bones. In a healthy state, the cartilage receives enough fluid to squeeze it into the joint under a certain load. Then lubrication appears in the joint. But when the cartilage is destroyed, this function is not able to be performed.
Of all the ailments that are associated with the joints, osteoarthritis is the most common.
Most often, the disease affects females aged 45 to 55 years. If we talk about the age after 60 years, then in this case almost everyone faces deforming osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis symptoms
The insidiousness of osteoarthritis of the joints lies in the fact that its manifestations on the radiograph are observed in very many, but at the same time people do not experience any specific discomfort, pain syndromes.
In the vast majority of cases, the symptoms develop progressively. The first indication should be:
pain that gets worse even when you try to exercise;
in some cases, there is a syndrome of joint stiffness in the morning. This takes place within a maximum of half an hour after the patient has begun his usual exercise;
due to the aggravation of the general state of health and joints, they are much less mobile;
trying to touch the joints or make a movement that is painful.
After the formation of primary manifestations, osteoarthritis in 90% of cases continues its slow progression, which causes a violation of motor functions. But in some cases, degenerative processes in the joints can stop for a while or even begin to regress.
At the same time, the damage in the area of the joint becomes more and more, it loses its usual degree of mobility and may become locked in a bent position. Bone tissue, cartilage and other tissues become more and more, which provokes a sharp increase in the joint. There is a coarsening of the cartilage, in connection with this, during the implementation of the movement, specific and unusual sounds are heard. In the joints, which are located at the fingertips, the so-called “bone nodules” are formed, which greatly complicate movement.
It is important to remember that the algorithm for the formation of an ailment in the area of the knee and hip joints is quite different from each other. In osteoarthritis, parts of the knee joint experience stretching and, at the same time, lose stability. While in the area of the hip joint, on the contrary, there is an obvious deterioration in functionality and motility. The common thing is the occurrence of serious pain.
Another common symptom of the disease should be considered pain in the lumbar region. Slight pain and stiffness are formed as a result of damage to the joints in the spine.
However, over time, the bone tissue grows and squeezes the nerve endings, which provokes:
numbness;
violation of the degree of sensitivity in various parts of the body.
In more rare cases, when squeezing of blood vessels occurs, a disorder of visual functions, dizziness, as well as nausea and vomiting are diagnosed. In addition, bone growths can put pressure on the esophagus and cause serious difficulty when trying to swallow food.
Thus, the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the joints are more than obvious and it is quite difficult to confuse them with any other disease.
Causes of osteoarthritis
In order for osteoarthritis to appear, several reasons are necessary. Firstly, it is age, because with age, cartilage loses its ability to function normally and absorb or release fluid. Because of this, the cartilage cracks. It can wear out a lot and become thinner or disappear altogether.
In a normal state of health, during the implementation of movement in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe joints, rather insignificant friction is formed. Thanks to this, the joints do not “age” for a very long time, especially if they are not overloaded too much or if they have not been previously damaged.
Osteoarthritis of the first order is formed as a result of a disruption in the work of those cells that synthesize the constituent elements of cartilage. Because of this, the articular cartilage begins to lose its elasticity, becomes thinner and eventually cracks. It looks like this: a smooth and slippery coating of cartilage acquires a rough surface, as a result, the joint can no longer continue its usual work.
There is also difficulty in sliding the articular coatings, a kind of crunch appears, combined with painful sensations and limited movement.
The cause of the formation of osteoarthritis of the joints may be another disease or its consequence, for example:
Paget’s disease;
infection;
shape change;
getting injured;
joint overload.
Osteoarthritis of the joints, obtained in this way, is called secondary. Also, an increased degree of risk can be discussed in cases where it is associated with work or any other activity that involves overloading the joints. They can be both physical and related to the cooling of the limbs. This group includes builders and even professional athletes.
Those people who lead a hypodynamic lifestyle can also be included in the risk category. This is due to the fact that too much weight and, in particular, obesity are one of the fundamental factors in the formation of the presented pathology.
Coxarthrosis is a complex form of osteoarthritis. It occurs if the metabolism in the hip joint has been disturbed.
Bruises, fractures, dislocations, severe injuries also affect the development of osteoarthritis.
Quite often, osteoarthritis of the joints is faced by those who are sick with diabetes and other hormonal and endocrine ailments.
How to reduce stress on joints in osteoarthritis?
It is not recommended to allow excessive body weight; in case of damage to the knee or hip joints, it is necessary to walk with a cane; if the joints of the big toes hurt, you need to choose comfortable loose shoes; when kneeling, put a pillow under them.
Such a disease often develops in representatives of certain professions. For example, football players suffer from arthrosis of the knee joints, and typists suffer from arthrosis of the hand joints.
Flat feet and excess weight lead to large loads on the joints.
In order to prevent the onset of the disease, it is necessary to lose weight, exercise carefully, avoid curvature of posture, wear special insoles with flat feet, and do not abuse wearing high heels.
If arthrosis is a hereditary disease in your family, then you should especially monitor your weight, physical activity and posture.
In order for age not to become the cause of the disease, it is necessary to take special preparations for the joints.
Osteoarthrosis Treatment
The process of treatment of all joints is directly dependent not only on the stage of the inflammatory process, but also on the type of disease. So, treatment can be inpatient, outpatient and sanatorium-resort.
In addition, a special massage, physiotherapy-type procedures and therapeutic exercises are prescribed. In some, especially severe cases, all diseases that are associated with the joints are treated with surgical intervention: arthrodesis, arthroplasty and also joint replacement.
It is important to remember that all joint diseases are more than preventable in many cases. For this it is recommended:
do not hesitate to contact a specialist in case of injury;
remember the principles of healthy and proper – dietary – nutrition;
prevent the formation of excess weight and any cooling of the limbs.
Sudden physical exertion is also undesirable and, of course, it is imperative to treat foci of chronic infections in the body in time. These include chronic tonsillitis and caries. Another way to avoid the occurrence of osteoarthritis of the joints is to maintain immunity in the winter and take vitamin and mineral complexes.
Speaking about surgical intervention, it should be noted a number of operations that will help facilitate all the life processes of the patient. The most common method of treatment, as mentioned earlier, is arthroplasty of the joint that is affected by the disease.
No less popular are such methods as: arthroscopic debridement of the joint and periarticular osteotomy:
Arthroscopic joint debridement – this is cleaning, which is carried out using a special device (arthroscope). They make uniform punctures through which the destroyed sections of cartilage are removed from the joint area. This operation will be especially fruitful in the initial stages of osteoarthritis of the joints. Most patients say that their pain has decreased, and stiffness has disappeared when moving after such a procedure. But it should be remembered that even during debridement, osteoarthritis recedes only for a few years, after which the patient’s condition becomes the same again. After that, it is necessary either to carry out a second operation, or to carry out an even more complex one.
Periarticular osteotomy — this is an operation consisting of many stages, the degree of efficiency of which is much higher than the previously presented method. The essence of the intervention is that the bone tissue next to the joint affected by osteoarthritis should be sawn and fixed at a different angle. This is done in order to change the distribution of mechanical type load in the joint area. Due to this, after surgery, the patient’s health improves significantly and remains the same for at least five years.
Such a positive effect from the implementation of the operation will be the greatest in the early stages of the development of osteoarthritis.
Prevention of osteoarthritis
Even at a young age, you should monitor your joints and prevent osteoarthritis, do not overload these parts of the body. If you already have osteoarthritis of the knee, hip or ankle joints, you should not stay in a sitting position for a long time, as this impairs blood flow to the affected joints. No need to jump or run a lot, squat. Try to alternate stress on your joints with rest. When resting, it is best to lie down or sit down and stretch your legs, but do not cross your legs or tuck your legs under you.
However, with arthrosis, you need to play sports, but give yourself moderate exercise. Go in for swimming: in this sport, the muscles are involved, but the joints do not work. Take bike rides, but ride on flat roads. The same applies to running or walking. Skiing also takes some of the stress off your joints.
Prevention of osteoarthritis of the joints includes only wellness procedures familiar to everyone. For example, walking on a fairly solid surface, it is desirable that it takes place at a slow pace and not less than 20-30 minutes a day. Also, excellent prevention will be classes in the pool, a short but regular ride on special bicycles and skiing.
In order to relax the joints, it will be necessary to avoid long runs, jumps, squats, long walks, especially on bumpy surfaces and stairs. It is recommended to avoid prolonged stay in any one unnatural position, for example, sitting on bent legs, or standing.
In case of damage to the joints of the upper limbs, weight lifting, push-ups should be minimized. Especially when it comes to hot water. At the same time, it will be necessary to carry out special exercises that are aimed at strengthening the muscles, and exercises on exercise bikes are also perfect.
It is also very important in order to prevent osteoarthritis of the joints to choose the right shoes. It must certainly be soft, comfortable and exclusively with a small heel, that is, no more than two or three cm.
The wearing of special elastic fixators and the use of various means for additional support, which are selected on an individual basis, are encouraged. Equally important is maintaining an optimal diet. It consists in adding more fruits, as well as berries, vegetables and herbs. It is recommended to replace sufficiently fatty poultry meat or, in extreme cases, fatty fish.
Experts note the need to consume a large amount of dairy products, because they contain the components necessary for the body, including calcium. Sausages, confectionery and chocolate, as well as most flour products, should also be completely removed from the menu.
Subject to all the measures presented, it will be possible to achieve not only a decrease in the body index, but also the enrichment of one’s own body with vitamin complexes and microelements. After all, they are necessary for a successful fight against the disease.
Thus, osteoarthritis of the joints is quite common. It has quite obvious symptoms and causes of formation. In this regard, the correct and adequate approach to its treatment and subsequent prevention is important. This will be the key to the health of the joints, and, therefore, all life processes.