Along with arthritis, arthropathy is one of the most common joint disorders, especially in the second half of life.Without timely, high-quality treatment, this disease can lead to physical disability.
What is joint disease?
Arthropathy is a disease of the joints that is a process of degenerative changes in the cartilage due to nutritional (trophic) deterioration or structural destruction of the cartilage (e.g. following injury).
Arthritis is a disease characterized not only by the degenerative processes that occur in the joints, but also by their inflammation.
Osteoarthritis deformans is a joint disease, one of its manifestations is the proliferation of bone tissue, resulting in deformation of the ends of bones that make up joints.
Periarticular disease is a dystrophic process in which degenerative changes are observed not only in the joint itself, but also in adjacent tissues (e.g., tendons, ligaments).
Hemarthrosis refers to bleeding within the joint cavity.
Causes of Arthropathy
The main cause of arthropathy is metabolic disorders that occur in cartilage tissue.As a result, the cartilage loses its elasticity and begins to gradually deteriorate.
The causes of metabolic disorders and joint degenerative changes are diverse.These may be:
- hormonal imbalance,
- female,
- Cartilage tissue loses proteoglycans,
- aging of the body,
- Increased stress on your joints due to engaging in certain types of activities or being overweight,
- Various chronic diseases.
For women, arthritis in the ankles and feet may develop from wearing narrow, uncomfortable shoes (including high heels) for long periods of time.Changes in the hand joints occur mainly in professional representatives whose hands bear a large part of the load (while arthropathy is more common in women).
In addition, arthropathy of the knee, hip or ankle joints results from various injuries (post-traumatic arthropathy).
Types and Symptoms of Arthropathy
Arthropathy is classified according to the degree of joint damage:
- Degree 1 - The joint retains mobility with few visible changes on X-rays.Patients may only be bothered by a slight crunch or mild soreness.
- Degree 2 - People with arthrosis experience discomfort in the joint area, impaired mobility of the limbs, periodic pain that becomes more pronounced and persistent, and early signs of joint deformity detected by X-rays or ultrasound.
- Grade 3 - Joint movement is limited, the patient experiences severe pain (even at rest), and characteristic changes are observed on X-rays.
Sometimes experts also differentiate between fourth-degree arthropathy, which is characterized by severe pain and severe deformity in the area.
rheumatoid arthritis
Most commonly, this term refers to the degenerative and destructive changes in joints caused by another disease - rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatoid arthritis itself changes the architecture of the joint surfaces, which leads to a disruption of the joint surface consistency and an exacerbation of degenerative processes in the joints and periarticular tissues.
spondylosis
This is a manifestation of degenerative dystrophic changes in the cervical spine.The main symptoms of osteoarthritis in this area:
- There is a noticeable crunching sound when turning the head,
- Neck pain (especially after sitting or standing for long periods of time),
- Headache,
- Dizziness,
- Fluctuations in blood pressure.
X-rays may reveal cervical subluxation.
In addition, joint disease also has the following characteristics:
- Knee (arthrosis),
- hip joint (coxarthrosis),
- ankle joint (crushatron),
- other parts of the spine,
- Temporomandibular joint, etc.
How and what is used to treat joint disease?
Before deciding how to treat it at home, you should see your doctor and determine the exact cause of the condition.To do this, the doctor usually examines the patient and performs a series of additional laboratory and instrumental tests, including various biochemical blood tests (e.g., acute phase reaction, presence of rheumatoid factor, etc.), as well as radiography, ultrasound, MRI, or CT of the joints.If necessary, this can be supplemented by diagnostic arthroscopy.
Next, the doctor will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment for the joint.
What principles are based on the treatment of joint disease?
- Eliminate the cause.For rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, treat the underlying disease and achieve stable remission.
- Joint nutrition, metabolism and blood circulation are normalized.For this purpose, chondroprotectants, hyaluronic acid preparations, drugs that improve local and systemic blood flow, antiplatelet drugs and vitamins are used.
- Symptomatic treatment.Usually, for severe pain, anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs with good analgesic properties are prescribed.
Apply ointments, gels, and creams with anti-inflammatory and dispersing effects to the joint area topically, 2-3 times a day, compress with dimethicone, and rub.
physical therapy
To relieve pain and inflammation, erythema-dose ultraviolet irradiation, laser therapy, ultrahigh frequency, microwave, electrophoresis, and phonophoresis are widely used.In addition to physical therapy procedures, regular joint therapy exercises and hydrotherapy can also help treat joint disease.
surgical treatment
Usually this is a partial or complete replacement of the joint or its plastic surgery.It can be performed in a traditional manner or using endoscopic and minimally invasive procedures, including arthroscopy.If conservative treatment does not achieve the desired results, and there is severe joint deformation and loss of mobility, surgical treatment is required.
prevention
First, preventing joint disease includes diet, exercise, and avoiding hypothermia.
diet
Joint nutrition does not require any strict restrictions.Generally speaking, this is eating a balanced diet that includes all major food groups, drinking enough fluids, and fresh vegetables and fruits.Many experts recommend regularly adding aspics, soups and other similar dishes to the menu, unless prohibited by a doctor.The only important limitation is the caloric content of the food.It is necessary to monitor your weight, as excess weight can accelerate wear and tear on your joints.
Spicy and burning foods themselves do not have a significant effect on joint disease, but it should be remembered that many people with this disease are forced to use painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, most of which have a negative impact on the gastric mucosa.It is also recommended to limit foods that are rich in cholesterol and cause increased blood viscosity so that the blood supply to the joints is not compromised.For these reasons, if you suffer from joint disease, it is recommended to exclude such dishes from your daily menu.
exercise
Exercise and physical activity improve circulation and blood supply to joint tissues and also strengthen muscles.The most useful exercises for joint disease are swimming, walking and skiing.Great for hip and knee arthritis when combined with overweight, cycling or stationary bike exercises.
Avoid hypothermia
When a person dresses according to the weather, the joints "love" evenly to protect all parts of the body from the cold.Any localized hypothermia leads to a weakening of the body's defenses, leading to the subsequent development of joint inflammation and joint degenerative processes.