People of different ages, especially after the age of 40-50, often have joint problems, but without the help of a specialist it is difficult to determine which disease is developing. Common diseases are arthritis and osteoarthritis. What is the difference, how to treat, how to prevent joint pathologies?
Expert advice on the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system will be useful to many. It is important to understand how to recognize arthritis and osteoarthritis in order for treatment to be successful.
general signs
Joint pathologies have a common root in the name. Translated from the Greek "arthron" means "joint".
Osteoarthritis and arthritis are joint damage. The pathological process is accompanied by discomfort, pain, damage to cartilage tissue, mobility of the problem area is limited. Both arthritis and osteoarthritis interrupt the patient's normal course of life.
When differentiating diseases, it is important to take into account all signs, carry out the necessary studies and analysis.
Joint pathologies have many differences, incorrect diagnosis reduces the quality of treatment.
Basic information about joint pathologies
It is important to understand not only the similar and distinct signs of osteoarthritis and arthritis, but also the causes, types and characteristics of the course of joint pathologies. Understanding the provoking factors, under the influence of which negative processes in the cartilage tissue start, will help to prevent diseases.
| Arthritis | osteoarthritis | |
|---|---|---|
| The reasons | Inflammation in the context of systemic pathology or infection of joint tissue | Destruction of cartilage during tissue wear and tear, most often in old age. Inadequate metabolism causes loss of elasticity, changes in cartilage structure, abrasion, partial or complete destruction of cartilage tissue. |
| Provoking factors | Infectious diseases, allergies, injuries, hypothermia, disturbances in metabolic processes, heredity, stress, vitamin deficiency | Aging of the body, excess weight, injuries, malnutrition, autoimmune pathologies, deterioration of the blood supply to cartilage and bone tissue, inflammatory processes in the body, malfunction of the thyroid gland, excessive stress on the joint, hypothermia, hereditary predisposition |
| types of pathology | monoarthritis, polyarthritis | Primary (cartilage damage with lack of nutrients, poor blood circulation). Secondary - the disease develops in the affected joint, most often after injury |
| forms of the disease | Purulent, rheumatoid, juvenile, gouty | Four stages: from a slight narrowing of the joint space to a noticeable deformity with complete closure of the joint space |
| complications | The prolonged presence of an infectious agent in the joints and other organs impairs health, reduces immunity. Limb mobility is impaired, during periods of exacerbations, tissues swell, hurt, it is difficult to perform many familiar movements | In the absence of treatment: complete destruction of the joints, immobilization of the limb, negative changes in the intervertebral discs |
| Prediction | With timely treatment, elimination of the inflammatory process, many types of arthritis can be completely cured. | The disease is difficult to treat, in most cases it becomes chronic. Osteoarthritis is an irreversible process; it is impossible to restore 100% the quality of cartilaginous tissue. Competent therapy improves the condition of the cartilage, maintains the functionality of the limbs, but if certain rules are violated, the disease progresses. |
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis
Joint pathologies have more differences than similar signs. It is easy to distinguish arthritis from osteoarthritis with knowledge of the etiology of the disease.
Information for patients:
- arthritis develops against the background of an inflammatory process in the joint, arthrosis is a consequence of degenerative processes, degenerative changes in the cartilaginous tissue;
- both pathologies have an acute and chronic form, but arthritis occurs with more pronounced symptoms, inflammation actively spreads not only to the joint, but also to other areas;
- arthrosis is a prolonged disease, remission is longer, cartilage is gradually destroyed without severe tissue inflammation.
The table describes the differences in joint pathologies according to the main characteristics:
| Arthritis | osteoarthritis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cause of pathological changes | Infection that causes acute and chronic inflammation | Degenerative-dystrophic changes, gradual destruction of cartilage tissue. The main reason is negative processes in the context of aging of the body. |
| The nature of the pathology | More acute than osteoarthritis, remission alternates with active inflammation | Prolonged, most often slow, with periods of exacerbation |
| affected area | The infection spreads far beyond the joint zone. Develops monoarthritis (in one joint), polyarthritis (several areas are affected, e. g. polyarthritis of the fingers) | Joint tissue in one area, eg osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Other organs are not involved in the destructive process |
| location zone | Smaller joints: wrist, fingers, hands, ankle. The knee area is also at risk | Large joints: hip, knee, big toe, less often, phalanges of fingers and ankle |
| age of patients | More often - up to 40 years | The main category is people aged 45 and over, most often between 55 and 60 |
| Group of risk | Young men. The development of the disease is associated with dangerous bacterial and viral infections, limb injuries. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed in children and adolescents | Women after 45-50 years. Degenerative processes develop in the context of menopause. In men, dystrophic changes in cartilage often develop against the background of a high load on the joints during life with the difficult nature of the work associated with lifting weights, monotonous movements. |
How to distinguish by symptoms
It is easier to recognize the onset of the disease with an infectious type of pathological changes.
Osteoarthritis usually does not manifest itself for a long time, patients often go to the doctor with a moderate second stage of the disease.
Pay attention to the main signs of joint pathologies. Even a slight discomfort in the joints should raise the suspicion of the development of negative processes in the cartilaginous tissue.
Correct and timely diagnosis helps to distinguish arthritis from osteoarthritis and prescribe the correct treatment.
Arthritis symptoms:
- swelling or severe swelling of the problem area;
- the skin in the affected area turns red;
- the diseased joint becomes inflamed;
- the affected area is hot to the touch, with active inflammation, penetration of a dangerous pathogen, the general temperature rises;
- when moving, a sharp pain is heard, at rest, pulsation, "twitch", pain in the area of inflammation does not go away;
- often the infection affects other parts of the body, the state of health worsens, weakness develops, chronic pathologies become more active;
- Negative processes usually develop in the fingers, hands, ankle, less often in the knees.
Osteoarthritis Symptoms:
- undulating nature of pain. At an early stage, the pain is weak, the intensity does not increase for a long time;
- gradually the pain increases, in the morning stiffness is heard in the problem joints;
- as dystrophic changes develop, mobility of the affected area decreases; in advanced cases, complete immobility is possible due to cartilage destruction;
- the main localization sites are the hip joints (coxarthrosis), the spine (spondylarthrosis), the knees (gonarthrosis).
The main methods of treatment of diseases
Patients often believe that the "tested" recipe for arthritis, proposed by a neighbor, will certainly help with osteoarthritis. Ignorance of the nature of the disease often harms the joints, worsens the condition of the body.
For example, in arthritis, there is an active inflammatory process, the infection spreads to a large area of tissue. Warming is strictly prohibited, but often patients warm their aching knees with arthritis in hopes of healing. The result is just the opposite: heat accelerates the development of the inflammatory process, the infection penetrates with blood and lymph flow into new parts of the joints, other organs, the disease progresses.
The main differences in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis are related to the nature of the pathological processes. The therapy scheme, the use of drugs, folk methods, a complex of exercise therapy, physiotherapy is developed by a rheumatologist, orthopedist or arthrologist. In the advanced stages of osteoarthritis (less often with arthritis), help from an orthopedic surgeon is needed.
Information for patients! With osteoarthritis, warm bandages are effective, cold compresses are recommended to relieve inflammation in arthritis.
Osteoarthritis treatment
Basic principles:
- the main task is to normalize the state of cartilaginous tissue. The doctor prescribes chondroprotectors with hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. A long course of treatment improves the elasticity of cartilage tissue, restores blood circulation, metabolism, stops degenerative-dystrophic processes;
- in severe cases, drugs from the NSAID group are needed to relieve pain, eliminate inflammation that has developed during the abrasion of joint tissue. But as the main tool in the treatment of arthrosis, they are ineffective;
- physiotherapeutic procedures, special exercises are useful;
- patients successfully apply traditional methods. Homemade ointments, decoctions, compresses, baths, tinctures are made with natural ingredients. Proper use of compounds relieves pain, improves joint mobility;
- with the complete destruction of the cartilaginous tissue, surgical treatment is performed - arthroplasty. Osteoarthritis cannot be completely cured, you can only maintain joint health, prevent exacerbations.
arthritis therapy
Basic principles:
- the first stage is the fight against pathogenic bacteria, dangerous viruses, under the influence of which the inflammatory process began. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are needed;
- it is important not only to destroy the causative agent of the infection, but also to strengthen the immune system;
- recommended protein diet, vitamin therapy, dairy products. It is mandatory to refuse alcohol, strong coffee, sweet sodas, black tea (preferably green);
- physiotherapy gives an excellent effect: electrophoresis with anti-inflammatories, magnetic and laser therapy, therapeutic baths. After stopping the inflammatory process, the exercise therapy complex, massage will help restore mobility to the diseased joint. Useful folk methods without the use of heat.
There is a significant difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis. Knowledge of the features of joint diseases will help the patient to control the course of the pathological process, competently use all available treatment methods. Under the guidance of an experienced doctor, you can deal with any joint pathology.