Osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis or deforming arthritis (OA), or deforming osteoarthritis) is a disease of the joints, in which the articular cartilage is affected in the initial stages, then the surrounding muscles, ligaments, nerves, as well as bone tissue areincluded in the pathological process.
Osteoarthritis is a disease that develops for a variety of reasons. These include metabolic disorders, trauma, poisoning, etc.
Patients generally call "osteoarthritis" any joint disease in which there is pain, limited mobility, and other discomfort in 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 welet's talk about other pathologies.
Osteoarthritis Statistics
Up to 70% of patients receiving a general practitioner, therapist, neurologist, surgeon, rheumatologist complain of joint pain. Most often, it is pain in the lower back and in the large joints (knee, hip). Around the world, up to 70% of long-term disability cases are due to osteoarthritis. A large number of patients - up to 10% of those who seek medical help after advanced osteoarthritis are disabled and need constant help. Osteoarthritis is one of the main reasons for the premature departure of a person from a full social life; in statistics, it is only exceeded by coronary heart disease.
The probability of developing osteoarthritis 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 duethe cumulative age-related load on the joints and on expiration. of their normal operation.
Causes and development
The main factor in the development of osteoarthritis is malnutrition of the articular cartilage, which leads to its destruction. No matter why it happens (big excess weight, professional sports, work habits, hormonal disorders, birth defects of the joints, etc. ), the result is the same:
- changes begin in the articular cartilage which lead to loss of elasticity; microcracks appear in the thickness of the cartilage;
- the blood supply to the joint is disturbed, the production of joint fluid decreases, the mechanics of the joint change;
- then all the structures of the joint, the adjacent muscles, the nerve endings are involved.
The listed degenerative disorders lead to the development of symptoms of osteoarthritis, and the disease "begins" when the constant mechanical load becomes prohibitive on the joint (or joints) and begins the processes of its destruction.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
Unlike other joint pathologies, osteoarthritis develops over many years, long term and imperceptible to humans. By the time the body signals a problem in the joint with severe pain, the pathological process has already started.
Pain is the main symptom of osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis), in the early stages the pain is not very pronounced, weak, more comparable to discomfort. The unpleasant sensations in the joints that arise after the load go away on their own, without any medical or drug intervention, but they quickly become noticeable and limit the person's usual mobility.
The pain can also occur at rest or at the very beginning of movement (this is called "starting"), for example, in the morning after sleep or after sitting for a long time during the day in one position, moving on during the day. movement. Nighttime resting pains are also characteristic of osteoarthritis, which also decreases rapidly with the onset of physical activity. Patients with joint problems usually say that in order to eliminate the discomfort it is necessary to "stretch the bones", "wake up the joints", which, in general, characterizes this condition quite precisely.
Painful sensations do not arise only due to disturbances in the work of the joint itself. When all the components of the joint, muscles and nerve endings are involved in the process, the pain becomes varied and excruciating: "pulling" along the nerve, spreading through the muscle. The blood supply to the joints, nerves, muscles is disturbed, degenerative changes quickly occur in them.
Temporary or permanent limitations in joint mobility (contractures) develop due to severe pathological changes in joint and muscle tissue. For example, with osteoarthritis of the hip joints, the limb is shortened, the pelvis is "askew" and the spine is curved.
The tightening of the joints at first is almost invisible, but as the disease progresses during movement, it becomes constant. This symptom psychologically worries patients with osteoarthritis even more than the pain, since it indicates serious disorders, the aging of the organism and the musculoskeletal system in particular.
In the later stages of osteoarthritis, joint deformity occurs, which is associated with loss of all joint surfaces with curvature, bone growths, decrease in the amount of joint fluid, and joint subluxation.
Steps
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, there are several stages of osteoarthritis.
At the first stage, pain at rest and with moderate exertion is absent, appears only after a high load (fitness, carrying heavy loads, running) or after a long static position. A person does not experience movement restrictions and difficulties. No drug treatment is required.
At the second stage, the pain is pronounced and constant, occurs quickly under the influence of provoking factors (long walking, physical activity), does not go away on its own. The patient is limited in his movements, the mobility of some joints is severely limited - the knee, hip and others. Medical assistance is required, a treatment regimen should be prescribed, including drug and non-drug methods.
At the third stage, the patient moves with difficulty, needs constant care, the pain is excruciating. As a rule, to restore the quality of life, surgical treatment (stent) and massive physiotherapy are required.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis appear at a young age, and in this case, they should not be ignored, but consult a doctor. Prompt treatment will support normal joint function and help prevent the rapid progression of the disease.