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arthrosis

Osteoarthritis of the joint on the toe

Osteoarthritis and arthritis are pathological processes in the human body that affect various joints. Because of the similarity of these terms, many people are not aware of the difference between the two. In reality, however, arthritis and osteoarthritis are not the same disease. And they have significant differences. It is important to investigate their main symptoms so that if they occur, you can go to a hospital right away. You also need to know which doctor treats osteoarthritis in order to contact a qualified honey in a timely manner. Specialist.

No self-medication. See your doctor at the first sign of illness.

Osteoarthritis of the joints is a complex degenerative disease that involves the destruction of cartilage tissue in the joints. This pathological process is the most common joint disease in the world. According to the latest statistics, around 80% of the world's population suffer from it. But most people don't have a clear idea of what osteoarthritis is. With this disease, various changes and rearrangements occur in the joint ends of the bones over a long period of time, and inflammatory processes develop. As a result, the periarticular tissues degenerate.

Many people ask the same question - how is arthritis different from osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is a pathology that causes damage to both large and small joints. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease affecting the entire human body. The changes in the body don't just affect the joints. The most common disease in arthritis is the heart and kidneys. If the correct treatment is not given, complications and even death can result.

The likelihood of developing osteoarthritis or arthritis increases significantly between the ages of 40 and 50. The disease affects women and men equally. The disease occurs in healthy people and has recently become significantly younger (people over 30 have osteoarthritis). Therefore, it is very important to know what osteoarthritis is and how to properly treat this pathology.

causes

As with arthritis, osteoarthritis occurs in the body due to a metabolic failure in certain joints. This leads to a loss of elasticity in the cartilage tissue.

Cartilage in the joints of the extremities can be destroyed by disorders of hormone production, impaired circulation in the joints, and injuries. Some diseases like rheumatoid arthritis can also cause osteoarthritis.

Main reasons:

  • a history of limb injuries;
  • advanced age;
  • severe hypothermia;
  • the presence of inflammatory processes in large and small joints (arthritis and osteoarthritis are two concomitant diseases);
  • increased body weight. In this case, the joints are constantly subjected to additional stress;
  • general poisoning of the body;
  • frequent SARS, acute respiratory infections, and flu;
  • pathological processes in the thyroid gland;
  • Hemophilia;
  • Perthes disease.

Osteoarthritis of the joints can also develop in a person due to genetic disorders - collagen mutations, dysplasia.

Symptoms

Osteoarthritis symptoms appear almost immediately. The first sign of the development of a pathological process is severe pain when putting a load on a particular joint. The pain subsides once the joint is at rest. In medical circles, the following groups of osteoarthritis symptoms are distinguished:

  • Pains.Sharp pain only occurs when performing certain movements. Its localization is at the site of the affected joint. There are practically no complaints at night because the joint is at rest. Pain in a calm state can manifest itself only during the progression of osteoarthritis;
  • the mobility of the joints decreases.This applies to both osteoarthritis and arthritis. In the initial stages of the disease, this symptom does not cause the patient much worry. But soon the muscles start to cramp. The gap between the joints almost completely disappears;
  • crunch.The reason for its occurrence lies in the fact that due to the disease, the softness of bone rotation in the joint decreases. Its sound is "dry";
  • Deformation of the affected joint.This is due to the multiplication of osteophytes. This symptom is the last to appear. Treating osteoarthritis at this stage is the most difficult.

Stages of the disease

All of these signs of osteoarthritis occur at different stages in the development of the disease. In medical practice, a distinction is made between three degrees:

  • 1st degree osteoarthritis.The symptoms of osteoarthritis are not pronounced. Most commonly, mild joint pain occurs during exertion or long walking. Pathological changes appear in the fluid and synovium. Treatment for osteoarthritis at this stage is most effective;
  • 2nd degree osteoarthritis.The joint is destroyed. Osteophytes are formed. Pain on exertion and movement increases, a characteristic crunch can be heard in the affected joints;
  • 3rd degree osteoarthritis.This is the most difficult stage in the development of this disease. There is a pathological change in the places of diseased joints. Inflammation develops. The patient feels stiff when moving because the muscles cannot fully contract and perform their functions.

Osteoarthritis of the joints in the third stage of its development is extremely difficult to cure. You have a better chance of success if you find a qualified specialist. Many people ask themselves the question - which doctor treats osteoarthritis? In this case, you need to contact a rheumatologist. This is a close specialist who specializes in the treatment of dystrophic and inflammatory diseases of the connective tissue and joints, such as osteoarthritis and arthritis.

Complications

Failure to start treatment for osteoarthritis at an early stage in its development can lead to the following consequences:

  • complete destruction of the joint;
  • it becomes almost impossible to perform different movements;
  • Disc prolapse;
  • Disability of a person;
  • complete deformation of the joint;
  • the patient's standard of living falls.

treatment

The question of how to treat osteoarthritis is asked by anyone who has shown the first signs of the disease. The easiest way to do this is at the early stages of the development of the pathological process, until the violations become irreversible. The essence of therapeutic measures is to eliminate the causes of the development of osteoarthritis and eliminate inflammation in the joints.

Treatment of osteoarthritis should only be comprehensive. This includes taking drugs (tablets, mixtures) with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Physiotherapeutic procedures are also required.

Principles of osteoarthritis treatment:

  • eliminate excessive stress on the joints;
  • Therapy with anti-inflammatory and pain reliever pills. Chondroprotectors are also actively used in complex therapy for osteoarthritis;
  • Physical therapy;
  • Spa treatment;
  • Magnetic field therapy, electrotherapy, laser therapy, shock wave therapy;
  • intra-articular oxygen therapy;
  • intraosseous blockage;
  • With osteoarthritis, it is important to choose the right diet.

Medication

How do you treat osteoarthritis with medication? This question is most common among patients. Treatment is carried out with three groups of drugs:

intra-articular injection into the joint in osteoarthritis
  • hormonal corticosteroids.Effective for osteoarthritis in the acute stage. Introduction - intra-articular. The tablets are less effective in this case;
  • anti-inflammatory drugs.They are used to reduce inflammation in the joint and relieve pain. Doctors advise patients not to take tablets because they irritate the lining of the stomach to some extent. Therefore, they are most commonly injected into a vein or muscle;
  • Chondroprotectors for osteoarthritis.They are used to restore the structure of the cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate is the most commonly prescribed because this drug is highly effective. The use of chondroprotectors in osteoarthritis leads to positive results in the first stages of the development of the pathological process.

Folk recipes

Most people don't want to take pills or injections these days. Therefore, they ask the question - how to cure osteoarthritis with the help of folk remedies? For the most part, these funds are aimed at increasing the tone of the body, improving blood circulation, relieving pain and increasing immunity. Treatment of osteoarthritis with folk remedies is most effective in the early stages of the development of the pathological process. To treat this disease, recipes based on the following plants are used:

  • Ginger;
  • Kalanchoe;
  • Celery seeds;
  • Castor oil seeds;
  • Cinammon;
  • Turmeric;
  • Horsetail.

Tinctures made from bay leaves, horseradish, garlic and grains of rye are also considered effective. Treatment of osteoarthritis with folk remedies is most effective when combined with medication.

Diet for osteoarthritis

The diet for osteoarthritis has its own peculiarities. It is especially important to monitor your diet during the worsening of the disease. Don't overeat as your body weight and stress on the affected joint will increase. But you can't sit hungry either. Cartilage needs to get the required amount of micronutrients.

The osteoarthritis diet aims to reduce excess weight. Therefore, carbohydrates should be removed from the diet. Sweet, flour and alcoholic drinks are completely excluded.

Fish dishes can be included in the daily diet. Low-fat varieties are preferred. The leading role in the treatment of osteoarthritis is assigned to any favorite dish - jellied meat. Many doctors recommend it as it is a real panacea for the joints. It contains all the necessary trace elements. But the most important ingredient in the dish is natural collagen.

gelled meat in the treatment of osteoarthritis

The diet for osteoarthritis should be regular. It is important to eat in portions. The daily menu should contain foods that are rich in B vitamins, which are necessary for the regulation of the metabolism.

If you adhere to a diet for osteoarthritis, you can achieve a significant improvement in your general condition.

Basic nutritional principles:

  • the menu must be fully balanced;
  • heavy food should not be eaten at night. You can provoke an attack of osteoarthritis;
  • if the disease is not in a stage of exacerbation, then it is better to walk a little after eating.
  • Food should be fractionated;
  • You need to constantly monitor your weight and prevent it from gaining weight;
  • When prescribing pills, it is necessary to clearly regulate their intake and consumption of food (to be taken before or after meals).

Diet for osteoarthritis will not only help get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, but also improve the condition of the joints.

prophylaxis

Preventing osteoarthritis begins with proper nutrition. It is necessary to try to reduce the intake of salt, as well as foods that can disturb the metabolism. These include legumes, fatty meat, and alcohol. The diet includes cabbage, herbs, and fish.

To prevent osteoarthritis, it is necessary to take physical education classes and do warm-up exercises. If possible, it is better to walk a few kilometers. It is also important to monitor your weight and prevent weight gain as this puts additional strain on the sore joints. It is not recommended to take tablets for weight loss, as they can disrupt the metabolism in the body.