Arthritis and arthrosis are complex diseases that affect the joints.Due to similar symptoms, many people think that these diseases are the same, but it is not so.Arthritis and arthrosis differ in the causes of the disease, the nature of its development, the area of damage and require completely different treatment.
Suppose two people went to the doctor complaining of joint pain.One was diagnosed with arthritis and the other with arthrosis.While the two patients sat in line, they had time to briefly discuss their health problems.
It turned out that their symptoms are very similar: their joints ache, they do not bend or open with full force, they rest neither at night nor during the day.Even the diagnoses are similar, yet they are different.What is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis, if both diseases affect the joints?
what is arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of joints.It is always preceded by damage to the bone or cartilage tissue by some factor or the other.
Destroyed cells release biologically active substances, which trigger an inflammatory response.The vessels in the affected area dilate and fill with blood: due to this, immune cells emerge in the joint tissue to fight the damaging factor.
At the same time, the liquid part of the blood leaves the vascular bed and edema forms, which limits the area of inflammation.In this way the body protects itself from extensive damage caused by bacteria, foreign bodies and chemicals.
After complete or partial removal of the pathogenic agent, the healing mechanism is triggered.If the damage was minor, normal tissue function is restored.Deeper defects heal through a scar, an area of rough connective tissue that does not return the normal function of an organ.
Arthritis goes through all these stages:
- change - damage;
- Exudation – formation of edema;
- Spread - Treatment.
Reason
There are a lot of causes of this disease, we list the main ones:
- Streptococcal infections (tonsillitis, scarlet fever) often cause a complication - arthritis;
- Aggressive autoantibodies – proteins that the body produces to fight its own tissues;This condition develops when there is an error in the immune defense, causing it to treat the joints as a foreign element to the body – rheumatoid arthritis;
- Violation of purine metabolism leads to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints - gout;
- Allergic reactions may involve joint tissues with the development of an inflammatory response – allergic arthritis;
- Long-term use of certain drugs causes inflammation (isoniazid, D-penicillin, hydralazine, proboin) - drug-induced arthritis;
- Bacteria enter through the bloodstream or during surgery – infectious arthritis;
- Viral or bacterial infection of any location can indirectly affect the joint tissue – this is reactive arthritis;
- Acute injury – recent damage (impact, bruise, capsule rupture).
symptoms
The disease is characterized by an acute initial stage, that is, against the background of complete health, a person has severe pain in the joint.Autoimmune forms are characterized by symmetric damage to the small joints – interphalangeal joints of the fingers, wrist and elbow.
In most cases, arthritis begins with inflammation of the joint between the big toe and the middle of the foot.With bacterial and reactive arthritis, large joints are usually affected on one side: knee, hip, sacral (at the junction of the spine with the pelvic bones).
Arthritis develops on the background of fever and general weakness, which is usually preceded by a sore throat.Severe inflammation of bone, cartilage tissue and synovium may be accompanied by fever, general intoxication: headache, weakness, loss of appetite.
The skin over the joint becomes red and feels warmer to the touch than other areas.Externally, it looks swollen and increases in volume.If the lesion occurs only on one side, a difference is visible between the healthy limb and the diseased limb.
Limited motion is associated with swelling and pain.If there is little inflammation in the joint cavity, it works almost perfectly.With a pronounced pathological reaction, the entire synovial cavity can be filled with fluid - in this case, mobility is sharply limited.
treatment
Treatment is carried out by a general practitioner, rheumatologist or traumatologist - if the cause is mechanical damage.Therapy is aimed at eliminating the provoking factor and stopping inflammation.
For bacterial and reactive arthritis, antibiotics are required, for autoimmune arthritis – cytostatics or glucocorticoids, for allergic arthritis – glucocorticoids and antihistamines.
During arthroscopy the inflammatory fluid is removed with a syringe or special suction.The joint remains immobile for the entire duration of the acute inflammation.Next, the patient is shown therapeutic exercises to restore joint mobility.
doctor's advice
From personal practice and the work experience of colleagues, compresses with gelatin have worked well for inflammation in the joints of any etiology.These are easy and cheap to implement.You need to fold the gauze in several layers, the length and width should be such that it is enough for the sore joint.Dip folded gauze in warm water, squeeze and straighten.Sprinkle a thin layer of gelatin on top, roll it up so that it stays inside like a bag and does not fall out.Lay it over the joint, wrap it with a plastic bag and secure with a bandage and/or adhesive plaster.You can apply the compress for up to 3 hours, do this 2 times a day for 2 weeks.Usually the effect is felt on the 4-5th day of use, but therapy must be continued to achieve the desired results;If the course is interrupted, the pain will return.
what is arthrosis
Arthrosis (otherwise osteoarthritis) is a degenerative disease.It is based on deterioration in nutrition, slow recovery and gradual thinning of the articular cartilage.
Simply put, the cartilage layer wears out faster than it is restored.The articular surfaces of the bone are exposed.They are not as smooth as cartilage and rub forcefully against each other as they move.The bone plates are partially destroyed, and mild chronic inflammation develops.
As the disease progresses, bone spines grow in the joint – a protective response of the tissue to continued damage.They prevent the surfaces from sliding relative to each other, and joint mobility is impaired.
In most people, arthrosis begins to progress after 30-40 years, lasts for years, with mild or moderate symptoms.
Osteoarthritis of the vertebral joints is commonly called osteochondrosis.
Reason
There are predisposing factors that cause the development of pathology at an early age and complicate its course:
- heavy physical activity in athletes;
- obesity;
- History of joint injury;
- vascular disease;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- Violation of the normal configuration of the joint, for example, with flat feet;
- prolonged exposure to vibration;
- In women – hormonal imbalance or menopause.
symptoms
Large joints are usually affected on one side: knee, hip, sacrum.This disease starts without any attention.At first, pain is rare and associated with significant physical activity.
The discomfort goes away on the same day or after a few days if the person takes rest.As the disease progresses, the pain increases in intensity and also occurs with normal daily activities.
The mobility of the joint gradually decreases and as a result of the disease it is completely destroyed.Movement in the affected limb causes severe pain.Osteoarthritis can worsen depending on the type of arthritis – fluid accumulates in the joint cavity, the skin over it becomes red and hot.After the inflammatory response subsides, the course of the disease returns to its previous course.
treatment
Arthrosis is treated by a traumatologist, an orthopedist, and sometimes a surgeon.Therapy is aimed at restoring metabolic processes in cartilage, improving joint nutrition and eliminating the inflammatory reaction.Treatment is lifelong, may be continuous or may consist of a course of medications.
During the interictal period, chondroprotectors are prescribed in the form of tablets and ointments, therapeutic exercises and massage.In case of exacerbation, chondroprotectors are administered intravenously or intramuscularly along with pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs.A traumatologist may inject protective medications directly into the joint every few months.
Advanced stages of the disease require surgical intervention, during which the diseased joint is replaced with an artificial joint.
difference between diseases
| Signature | Arthritis | arthrosis |
| cause of disease | Swelling | degeneration of cartilage tissue |
| present | acute with exacerbation, chronic | chronic |
| Pain | intense from the beginning, more pronounced in the morning | It is weak in the beginning of the disease, but gradually increases.Increases in the evening and after exercise |
| Agitation | It is necessary to "stretch" - in the morning after sleep, the joints are least mobile. | Mobility gradually decreases, morning stiffness does not occur |
| affected joint | The small joints of the hands and feet are affected symmetrically.Older people suffer from bacterial infections | one or more large joints on different sides of the body |
| blood test | General blood tests, pronounced inflammatory changes in rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, antibodies to pathogens | no feature change |
| x-ray | Phasic changes, osteoporosis – loss of bone tissue, cysts in the bones | Gradual changes, including deformity of the joint space, appearance of bone spines and growths. |
| basic treatment | anti inflammatory drugs | Chondroprotectors |
A common feature of both diseases is the progressive course with gradual loss of mobility.Autoimmune arthritis often appears at an early age, when a person is still careless about his health.
It should be remembered that any pain in the joints that lasts for a long time occurs under certain conditions - this is a serious reason for consulting a doctor.It is important to diagnose the disease in time and start treatment in order to slow down the development of the pathological process.