Over the past decades, the number of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue has increased, as evidenced by statistical data.Pathologies of the spine and joints occupy an “honorable” third place after diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems.
Pain and stiffness in the joints not only significantly reduce the quality of life, but also often lead to serious consequences: deformities and disabilities.It is not surprising that patients often have no idea what arthritis and osteoarthritis are.After all, it is much more important for them to know how to get rid of the disease.
Various symptoms
Osteoarthritis is distinguished from arthritis by the symptoms present, since these diseases manifest themselves in different ways.Arthritis is a group of inflammatory lesions of the joints, in which all joint elements are involved in the pathological process - capsule, synovial membrane, cartilaginous tissue.
The characteristic signs of arthritis, whatever the etiology, are as follows:
- redness, swelling, and severe pain when touched;
- the pain does not subside with rest;
- the pain syndrome is throbbing, aching or acute in nature;
- the joint is hot to the touch;
- stiffness in the morning, which disappears after half an hour - an hour;
- symptoms of general intoxication – fever, malaise, weakness, sweating, etc.
With osteoarthritis, only cartilage tissue is affected: due to fluid loss, it becomes loose and thin.As a result, the bones of the joint rub against each other, aggravating the pathological process.As the disease progresses, the cartilaginous tissue cracks and its individual fragments, detritus, are deposited on the epiphyses of the bones.
Unlike arthritis, osteoarthritis does not cause an inflammatory response over a long period of time.Swelling and redness may only occur in the later stages, when bony growths or a fluid-filled joint cavity put pressure on surrounding structures.
A characteristic symptom of osteoarthritis is beginning pain, which occurs in the morning or after a long rest.Daytime physical activity, particularly strenuous, is always accompanied by pain which eases with rest.For example, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is felt when walking, running or squatting.However, in the morning, these movements help relieve stiffness.
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis also lies in the duration of morning stiffness: with the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue, it disappears within a few minutes.In arthritis, stiffness may last for more than an hour because a large amount of fluid (exudate) accumulates in the joint cavity overnight.However, this difference can be considered conditional, since advanced forms of osteoarthritis are also characterized by long-term stiffness.
In cases of osteoarthritis of the foot or toes, a person has difficulty taking the first steps in the morning when getting out of bed.Due to the shift in the center of gravity towards the heel or toe, the gait gradually changes and lameness appears.
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is not only the symptoms, but also the causes.In addition, each of these diseases has its own therapeutic characteristics.
Various reasons
In more than half of cases, osteoarthritis develops following an injury, not necessarily serious.Constant microtraumas that accompany professional activities of athletes, builders and other representatives of physical labor have a much worse effect on the joint.
Chronic injuries that occur regularly usually go unnoticed and various damage “builds up” in the joint.The cartilage gradually thins and cracks, the joint capsule tears, and microfractures of bone tissue occur.As a result, the bones become deformed and favorable conditions are created for the development of osteoarthritis.
It should also be noted that car accidents are becoming more and more common, in which people of all ages are injured.Multiple and severe fractures with bone fragmentation are often complicated by osteoarthritis, and sometimes total immobility of the joints.
Another cause of osteoarthritis is considered to be genetic predisposition - hereditary features of metabolism and skeletal structure.But even then, there is no guarantee that osteoarthritis will be passed down from generation to generation.However, the risk of getting sick still increases.
Since excessive body weight creates excessive stress on the entire musculoskeletal system, all joint elements suffer.In a young person, cartilage tissue can resist pressure.And in old age, when cartilage elasticity decreases, excess weight can accelerate cartilage wear.
Arthritis can also cause degeneration of cartilage structures because inflammation in the joint changes the composition of the synovial fluid and cartilage tissue.And since arthritis almost always disrupts local blood circulation, the development of secondary osteoarthritis is possible.It doesn't matter whether the arthritis is cured or not.
Oddly enough, prolonged psycho-emotional stress does not have the best effect on joint health.Due to a strong release of stress hormones (steroids), the permeability of blood vessels decreases and the blood supply to the joints deteriorates.This leads to a decrease in the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, which is part of the synovial fluid and is responsible for its viscosity.Thanks to hyaluronic acid, bones slide even with significant damage to the joint structure.
It should be noted that in most cases, a single cause of osteoarthritis is not enough.Generally, the mechanism of cartilage degeneration is triggered by a combination of several factors.
Arthritis and osteoarthritis have a fundamentally different origin.Arthritis can be caused by:
- infection ;
- a dysfunction of the immune system when leukocytes begin to attack the body's own cells;
- injuries and excessive stress on the joints - for example, massage therapists often develop arthritis in the hands, the weak point of weightlifters is the knees, damage to the shoulder joint occurs in boxers and tennis players;
- congenital skeletal anomalies;
- pathologies of the nervous and endocrine systems, as well as hormonal imbalances during menopause;
- allergic reactions;
- heredity;
- metabolic disorders;
- poisoning by toxic substances, bites of poisonous insects;
- severe or prolonged hypothermia of the body;
- alcohol abuse;
- unbalanced diet, lack of vitamins and minerals.
Whatever the reason that caused the damage to the joint, the balance between destructive and restorative processes is disrupted.That is, an excessive number of damaged and dead cells are created that do not have time to be used.And new functional cells are not enough to replace dead cells.As a result, joints function poorly.
If both diseases affect the same element - the joint, then what is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?And why are the symptoms so different?The answer to these questions lies in the structures affected by the disease process.
With arthritis, the synovial membrane becomes inflamed and the quality of joint fluid changes.There are also damaged cells.The response to their excess is swelling of the capsule itself and neighboring tissues.
The difference between osteoarthritis is that damaged cells are concentrated in the cartilage, where another protective mechanism is triggered: cells that have lost their functionality are replaced by connective tissue with the formation of scars.In addition, the new scar tissue is not capable of performing a shock-absorbing function and does not have elasticity.
Since joint dysfunction occurs for a variety of reasons and can be associated with hormonal, metabolic, and mechanical factors, understanding these causes is an important aspect.The treatment required for arthritis or osteoarthritis largely depends on them.
Treatment differences
There is a certain treatment regimen for arthritis and osteoarthritis.Treatment of arthritis aims to stop the inflammatory process;The goal of osteoarthritis treatment is to restore cartilage tissue.This is another difference between these two diseases.The only similarity is that in both cases painkillers are used.
In this case, self-medication will not bring success and may worsen the situation.Even an experienced specialist will not always determine by external signs how arthritis differs from arthrosis of the knee joint.Only after receiving the research results is an accurate diagnosis made.
For the treatment of osteoarthritis in the acute period, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for a short course.In case of severe pain, intra-articular blocks with anesthetic and glucocorticoids are performed.Therapy can be supplemented with local agents - ointments and gels.
The main method of treating osteoarthritis is taking chondroprotectors - drugs based on substances that promote the regeneration of cartilage tissue and inhibit the development of the degenerative process.The most effective is the introduction of hyaluronic acid into the joint cavity - with the help of several injections it is possible to restore mobility to the joint and relieve the patient of pain.
If necessary, vasodilators may be prescribed to improve blood circulation and muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasms.
Physiotherapy is of great importance for osteoarthritis.With the help of exercises, you can achieve good results, namely:
- relieve tension and increase the tone of weakened muscles;
- reduce pain intensity;
- increase joint space and improve joint mobility;
- improve blood circulation and metabolic processes in affected tissues.
Therapeutic tactics for arthritis depend on its origin.For allergic, infectious and gouty forms, antihistamines, antibacterial drugs and agents for removing excess uric acid are prescribed.In most cases, symptomatic treatment is carried out using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hormones.
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis includes basic drugs and biological drugs containing bacteriophages.
For arthritis of any type, vitamin complexes containing B vitamins are prescribed.
In severe cases, surgical intervention is performed, which can be of several types:
- synovectomy;
- arthrotomy;
- joint resection;
- cheilectomy;
- arthrodesis;
- arthroscopy.
The presence of destructive changes in the joint may require stents or reconstructive arthroplasty.The indication for this type of operation has a poor prognosis due to the complete destruction of the cartilaginous tissue.
Conclusions
Thus, arthritis is distinguished from osteoarthritis by the characteristic signs that accompany these diseases.It is important to know that osteoarthritis most often affects the hip and knee, and a little less frequently the ankle and interphalangeal joints.
In most cases, arthritis can be recognized by symmetrical damage to the joints: if the right wrist joint becomes inflamed, the corresponding joint on the left hand begins to bother almost immediately.
However, it should be remembered that it is impossible to self-diagnose, since similar symptoms can be observed with other pathologies - tendinitis, synovitis, bursitis and many others.Therefore, in the event of discomfort and pain in the joints, it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis to find out the cause.
The early stages of osteoarthritis are completely treatable;in advanced cases, restoration of joint function is only possible through surgery.In arthritis, the prognosis depends not only on the type of disease, but also on the quality of the treatment provided.Prompt treatment of post-traumatic arthritis leads to complete recovery in most patients.Elimination of the allergen in the allergic form of the disease also guarantees recovery.
The main factor influencing a favorable prognosis is early detection and immediate treatment of the disease.Be healthy!