These two words are quite similar in understanding listening, so many people who pronounce the words “arthritis” and “arthrosis” don’t even suspect that they are completely different diseases, even though they are related to common problems. In fact, both of these diseases are very serious and it is worth knowing the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis, if only so as not to embarrass them in conversation, because the topic of health is one of the "eternal" topics when one person communicates with another.
What is arthritis
Arthritis is a disease that affects most middle-aged people (under the age of 40), although there may be exceptions. According to statistics, few people suffer from arthritis, no more than 2% of the total population. However, arthritis is basically a serious inflammatory process in which joint problems are only a visible part of widespread inflammation.
In arthritis, the main cause of the disease lies much deeper than the swelling of the joints, as well as pain that does not leave the patient even during rest at night (sometimes these pains only intensify). This inflammation can be caused by an infection or a malfunction of the immune system. Joints are not the only organs affected by inflammation. Often a strong blow falls on such internal organs of a person as the liver, heart and kidneys. If the problem of arthritis is ignored, it is very dangerous not only for human health, but even for his life.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is generally an age-related change that a person undergoes, usually closer to the middle of the second half of life. Often, the mechanism of the development of arthrosis is caused by severe injuries in the form of fractures and joint damage in people older than 45 years.
Medical statistics say that osteoarthritis affects every third person over the age of 50 and every second person over the age of seventy. In general, about 10% of the population of our planet suffers from osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the knees and hip joints in the elderly. In addition, the joints of the fingers and ankles may be exposed to arthrosis.
Reasons for developing the disease
It is clear that the causes of each disease are completely different.
For arthritis, these can be:
- Injuries of various origins, to a greater extent, recurrent injuries associated with professional activities can cause illness;
- Infections such as tuberculosis, fungal infections, SARS, influenza;
- Vitamin deficiency and resulting metabolic imbalance;
- Body overload;
- Nervous system disorders;
- Malfunctions of your immune system;
- Have a genetically inherited predisposition to arthritis.
Arthritis are frequent companions of people in such occupations as seamstress, hairdresser, massage therapist, loader, construction worker.
Regarding osteoarthritis, here are the factors of disease development as follows:
- Excess weight affecting joint function;
- Poor nutrition;
- Prolonged hypothermia;
- They have previously suffered (perhaps even a very long time ago) various types of injuries;
- Body intoxication;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Past infectious diseases;
- Manifestations of autoimmune disorders;
- Perthes' disease manifested in altered blood flow to the femoral head;
- Thyroid disorders;
Hereditary predisposition to the development of arthrosis, which is transmitted at the genetic level.
Painful symptoms of arthritis
With arthritis, there is severe pain in the joints, especially when walking or other physical activities. The joint itself noticeably swells, and the skin around the joint becomes hot to the touch. Also, the skin may turn red. The patient develops a feeling of weakness, it is very difficult for him to make any movements with the affected arm or leg. It is especially difficult in the morning after a night's rest. When he presses on the joint, the patient feels severe pain. When performing movements, joints affected by arthritis can seriously crunch. The patient may have a fever, and the patient himself may have chills at this time. In acute arthritis, all symptoms appear simultaneously and suddenly. In chronic arthritis, the symptoms increase slowly and gradually.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
In osteoarthritis, doctors distinguish four main symptoms of the disease:
- Joint pain.The pain is strong and sharp. It begins at the moment when the movement begins and subsides with the transition to a state of rest. At night, the person has virtually no pain, and by choosing a comfortable position, the patient can sleep peacefully. Feelings of pain increase as the disease progresses. The pain is also worse in cold and rainy weather;
- Crunching joints.Due to the reduced freedom and softness of bone rotation, a strong crunch is heard in the joint. Experts distinguish arthritic crunch by some "dry" sound. The more the disease develops, the stronger the creaking in the joints. The characteristic of crunch in osteoarthritis is that crunch is almost always accompanied by pain;
- Limitation of the mobility of the joint itself.In osteoarthritis, in many cases the limb is immobilized. This is due to the fact that there is an increase in bone formations and narrowing of the joint space, which first leads to limited mobility, and then to complete immobilization of the joint;
- Joint deformity.As a rule, this symptom is characteristic of the late stages of arthrosis development, when osteophytes grow.
Clinical differences between arthritis and osteoarthritis
It is quite clear that arthritis and osteoarthritis have different genesis as diseases. If arthritis is the result of a malfunction of the immune system or an infectious disease, then arthrosis is more related to diseases that arise from the aging process of the body. Accordingly, based on this, the clinical picture of the manifestations of arthritis and arthrosis will also differ.
Arthritis of the fingers
Thus, with arthritis of the fingers, the patient has severe pain that does not subside during rest and rest. In addition, the skin around the affected joints becomes red.
Arthritis can affect a different number of joints from one (monoarthritis) to several (polyarthritis). The joints are swollen. A reaction to pressing on the joint can be a sharp pain.
As for crunch in the joint, it may or may not be present.
Osteoarthritis of the fingers
It most often occurs in the elderly, and in women arthrosis occurs about 10 times more often than in the stronger sex. The main site of localization are the joints between the phalanges of the fingers.
Every movement of the fingers causes uncomfortable pain to the patient. However, at rest the pain is practically absent. The joints are swollen and there may be redness of the skin around the affected joint. Osteoarthritis is always accompanied by "dry" crunch of the joints.
The same picture is observed in cases of arthritis and arthrosis of the toe joints.
Chondreoprotective treatment
In arthritis and osteoarthritis, cartilage is destroyed by contact with a rough and rough bone surface. As a result, the process of synovial fluid production is disturbed, the cartilage is deprived of nutrition, and the joint is deprived of the lubrication necessary for its normal work.
Chondroprotector prevents these pathological processes. The active substance of the chondroprotector is glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Dosage forms for the release of these substances are different and doctors can use them depending on the situation.
Today, chondroprotectors are produced in the form:
- Solutions for injection;
- tablets;
- Creams, ointments and gels.
Chondroprotective treatment should be started before the cartilage has completely collapsed. Unfortunately, such treatment is absolutely useless when the cartilage is destroyed. The next thing to remember when treating with chondroprotectors is the duration of treatment. The fact is that the process of cartilage regeneration is quite long and that the minimum course of treatment should be six months, but practice shows that treatment with chondroprotectors lasts on average a year and a half to two years. If the restoration is not completed, the destruction of the cartilage continues. Chondroprotectors generally do not have any side effects on the patient's body, the maximum observed in practice are mild intestinal disorders. The only complication can occur in the treatment of chondroprotectors in people suffering from diabetes mellitus. When treated, the insulin dose should be calculated correctly because chondreoprotectors contain glucose. The use of chondreoprotectors during pregnancy, as well as for the treatment of children, is also not recommended.
Today in the arsenal of doctors who deal with the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis there are a number of effective drugs for treatment.
Start treatment with chondroprotectors under the supervision of a doctor, otherwise the treatment may be ineffective.
Treatment with folk remedies
For arthritis, traditional medicine recommends several effective recipes:
- Apple cider vinegar.This substance is added to water (1 teaspoon per glass of water). The resulting solution is drunk before meals;
- Potato wrap.Get green tubers for the compress.
Wash, cut into pieces without peeling. The potatoes are heated in water at a temperature of 38 degrees. The compress is then applied to the sore spot. The layer of potatoes should be 1, 5 - 2 centimeters. You need to bet at night. The course of treatment in this way is seven to ten days.
Fats in the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis
In the initial stages of arthritis development, as well as osteoarthritis, the use of ointments for external use can help treat the patient. The specialist will select the appropriate medication based on the results of the examination.