The common belief that only elderly people are susceptible to joint osteoarthritis is fundamentally wrong.This disease has different etiologies and can affect people of any age, gender and profession.
Among the reasons that contribute to the development of joint arthrosis are the following:
- primary arthrosis (congenital weakening of the articular cartilage);
- professional activity (sports, dancing, heavy physical work);
- diseases that cause metabolic disorders;
- obesity;
- mechanical deformation of the joints (wearing tight or incorrectly selected shoes);
- genetic predisposition.
This disease is characterized by critical thinning of the articular cartilage and deformation of the joint itself, which causes the patient severe pain and significantly reduces motor activity.According to the WHO, osteoarthritis is one of the main causes of disability and disability in people around the world.
Symptoms and complications of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis can affect both large joints (knee, hip, elbow, etc.) and small ones: joints of the hands, fingers, feet.In the initial stage of the disease, intense pain appears in the joint, which becomes more intense as the disease progresses.When extending and bending the joint, a crunching sound may be heard and movement becomes difficult.Progressive osteoarthritis causes the joint to enlarge and the area around the diseased joint becomes excessively sensitive to touch, cold and heat.
In addition to severe pain and joint deformities, leading to cosmetic defects, untreated joint osteoarthritis causes serious complications.Delay in treatment is associated with the development of the following diseases:
- periarthritis (acute inflammation of the tissues surrounding the diseased joint);
- synovitis (inflammation of the joint membrane);
- Coxarthrosis (irreversible damage to the hip joint).
Complications of joint arthrosis, in turn, lead to complete immobility of the joint, which can become the initial stage of severe disability.
Joint osteoarthritis treatment
The following methods are used to treat arthrosis:
- medicinal;
- physiotherapy;
- surgical.
With the medicinal method, the treatment of osteoarthritis aims to improve cartilage nutrition and alleviate pain (introduction of special nutritional gels in the periarticular region and, additionally, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, gouty and homeopathic medicines).
The physiotherapeutic method is aimed at improving the blood supply to the joint and its mobility, as well as enhancing the effect of drug therapy.The list of physiotherapeutic agents includes:
- Ultrasound therapy;
- reflexology;
- mud therapy;
- radon and hydrogen sulfide baths;
- pulse therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- laser therapy, etc.
The surgical treatment method aims to remove bone formations resulting from arthrosis of the joints and normalize the size of the joint.This method is used only in combination with drug treatment and physiotherapy, since the doctor's task is to eliminate the very cause of arthrosis and reduce the risk of relapse.
The clinic's diagnostic and treatment facilities provide an accurate determination of the causes of joint arthrosis, the degree of joint damage, and also ensure the selection of the optimal treatment plan for each individual patient.The clinic's hardware allows the use of the most modern technologies for the treatment of osteoarthritis, aiming to eliminate this disease as quickly and effectively as possible.