The human musculoskeletal system is often affected by diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism.Because of the similar names, patients confuse these diagnoses, although in fact there is little in common between them.
Despite all the differences, only a specialist can accurately determine the disease after a series of tests and examinations, so you should not postpone a visit to the clinic at the first signs of joint pathology.Let us consider in detail the symptoms, specific development and treatment methods of arthritis and arthritis.
Characteristics of the mechanism of disease development
Development of joints
Arthritis (or osteoarthritis) is a chronic degenerative disease of the joints, which most often occurs due to age-related changes in the body.Deterioration of the joint involves degenerative processes: bony growths ("salt deposits"), friction and trauma to the cartilages, replacement of articular tissues with connective or ossified ones.The disease develops slowly, gradually, at first only slight discomfort and tingling in the joint are felt.
Osteoarthritis is more common in older people, but professional athletes and people who have suffered injuries are also at risk.The disease usually affects one or more large joints.
Arthritis development
Arthritis, unlike arthritis, is inflammatory in nature and can occur in a person of any age.This disease is systemic and can affect both joints and other human organs: heart, kidneys, nervous system.Arthritis manifests itself very clearly - even a non-specialist will notice it.
Arthritis most often occurs in the context of an infectious or bacterial disease, but it can also be a sign of autoimmune pathologies.
If inflammation in the joints is caused by the activity of pathogenic bacteria or an infection, then the disease usually begins abruptly, can affect a large number of joints at the same time, and involves large and small joints in the process.
Both diseases can lead to acquired chronic pain, which is now considered an independent clinical syndrome.
Arthritis and arthritis compared
| Comparative characteristics | Arthritis | Arthritis |
|---|---|---|
| Age of cases | In most cases - 65-75 years old | Any |
| Reason | Degenerative-dystrophic changes due to metabolic disorders, deterioration of blood supply to the joint | Inflammatory process caused by infectious, bacterial or autoimmune disease |
| Involved joints | One or more large joints | A large number of joints, both large and small, are often symmetrically affected |
| Blood test results | The average statistical indicators have not changed | An inflammatory process is detected, sometimes an increased value of the rheumatoid factor |
| Painful sensations | The pain increases, appears after exercise, at the beginning of the disease there is only discomfort and tingling | The pain can appear immediately after sleep, often has a migratory character and from the beginning of the disease the sensations are intense |
| External changes | In the initial stages - no, in post-traumatic cases swelling is possible | Sometimes there is redness of the skin over the joint, there may be swelling |
| Picture of the joint | Deformation, narrowing of the joint space, bone spines, growths can be identified.Most of the time, X-ray diagnostics give a clear picture of the changes that are occurring | In the initial stages, no changes are visible.In advanced cases, bone erosion and ankylosis are possible |
| Pharmaceutical treatment | Preparations with chondroitin and glucosamine, symptomatic - NSAIDs, with rapid development - corticosteroids. | Symptomatic - NSAIDs, sometimes - antibiotics, for autoimmune diseases - corticosteroids |
Causes of disease development
Causes of joints
Arthritis is a chronic process and always develops slowly.The blood supply to the joint gradually deteriorates, as a result of which the tissues do not receive the necessary nutrition.The cartilage changes its structure, becomes rough and friction occurs.The main carriers of this disease are the elderly, whose metabolism in the body slows down with age, and overload, excess weight and injuries also make themselves felt.
The disease that occurs due to metabolic disorders is called primary arthropathy.
According to statistics, degenerative changes in the joints in most cases affect elderly women who are overweight.Most often, such patients have a genetic predisposition to diseases of this type.
In addition to old age, arthropathy can rarely occur in middle-aged and even young people.The most common reasons include:
- professional sports with heavy loads on the joints.
- hard physical labor;
- advanced arthritis;
- previous injuries or surgeries.
In the cases mentioned above, the arthropathy will be secondary.A predisposing factor for the development of the disease is obesity.Sometimes this kind of disease can be a consequence of damage to the nervous system, which leads to insufficient sensitivity of the joint.In addition, the disease can be caused by systemic damage to the connective tissue.
Causes of arthritis
Arthritis, unlike arthropathy, has many different forms and manifestations, which only an experienced specialist can distinguish.Each type has its own cause:
- Jet- occurs as a complication of infectious and bacterial infections, most often intestinal and genitourinary.
- Rheumatoidis a distinct autoimmune disease that affects the joints symmetrically.
- Infectious- characterized by inflammation of the joints due to the activity of pathogenic bacteria and infections.Also among the adult population you can find arthritis that occurs in the context of viral hepatitis.
- gout- manifests itself as a consequence of gout due to the accumulation of uric acid salts in the tissues of the joints.
- Psoriatic- a consequence of the manifestations of psoriasis, which is observed in about 10-15% of people with this diagnosis.
- Traumatic- can occur due to injury to the joint or peri-articular tissues.
- Rheumatic- is a consequence of rheumatism, most often caused by streptococcal infection.
In addition, there are types of diseases that are characteristic only for children, for example, juvenile arthritis, which often occurs in the context of an infection, fungal or bacterial disease.
Symptoms
Arthritis symptoms
Joint pain, which directly depends on the intensity of movement and physical activity, is the main symptom of arthritis.The disease often manifests itself in the knee, hip and ankle joints.Small joints are rarely affected.
Discomfort and pain with this disease pass at rest and gradually increase when you try to move.Apart from the pain in the joint area, the patient is not worried about anything else.there is no elevated body temperature, fever or joint swelling.Over time, with arthropathy, popping and clicking in the joints are heard more and more clearly, and movement is gradually limited.
Arthritis symptoms
Prolonged inflammation of the joint can cause arthropathy and, conversely, without proper treatment of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joint cavity, an inflammatory process can occur.The symptoms of arthritis are completely different from the signs of arthritis.First, these diseases have different types of joint pain.With arthritis, pain is often independent of physical activity and may occur at rest or at night.Pain sensations can be paroxysmal, "fly", move from one joint to another.The inflammation in this disease also extends to the peri-articular tissues.
Secondly, arthritis can be distinguished from arthritis by a number of other symptoms: general malaise, weakness, increased body temperature, involvement of small joints (fingers, wrists) in the process.
Therapeutic approach
Pain relief
For both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the main goal of drug therapy remains the relief of pain symptoms.According to research, the most effective are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs based on phenylacetic acid, which are successfully used in the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases.In addition, these NSAIDs have fewer side effects and complications compared to other drugs of the same spectrum.
The study of NSAIDs is based on a drug from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which has become the standard for the treatment of acute and chronic pain.The drug appeared more than 45 years ago, but during this time it has not lost its effectiveness compared to even the latest painkillers.
In addition, several years ago, a study was published in the medical journal Lancet that compared the effects of various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis.The most effective drug was from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which not only relieved pain, but also improved joint function.
In addition to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, other drugs are used to treat arthritis and rheumatism.
Treatment of arthritis
The correct treatment of arthritis is always complex, long-term and systematic.It should be aimed at eliminating its cause, relieving pain and inflammation.
Some of its types, including infectious ones, are treated only in a hospital setting.To eliminate the causes and depending on the origin of the disease, broad-spectrum antibiotics, antifungal drugs and analgesics are used.
In the treatment of reactive arthritis, the main task also remains to destroy the infection that caused it.Most often the cause is a disease of the intestine or genitourinary system: chlamydia, salmonellosis, etc.
Gout, rheumatic and psoriatic arthritis appear in the context of the exacerbation of chronic diseases of the same name, so first of all it is necessary to achieve a stable remission.For this purpose, special drugs are used to treat these diseases, as well as physical therapy methods and a special diet.
The treatment of rheumatoid disease includes drugs from the group of sulfonamides and immunosuppressants.In the treatment of this autoimmune disease, it is important to maintain accurate doses of the drugs.In severe cases of the disease, corticosteroids are used - hormonal drugs that can slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, but have many side effects.
Treatment of arthritis
In the case of arthritis, the cartilage needs additional nutrition and restoration, so chondroprotective drugs containing chondroitin and glucosamine are often prescribed for treatment.This is the main drug therapy prescribed to patients with this diagnosis.
In its initial stage, the main role is played by physiotherapeutic procedures: electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, as well as therapeutic exercises, diet and massage.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you have been diagnosed with arthritis
If arthropathy is in the early stages, when the disease has not yet progressed, a local healer or general practitioner can provide treatment.
In the initial stage of this disease, the joint needs improved blood supply and increased synovial fluid production.In addition, while the disease has not progressed, it is necessary to strengthen the surrounding muscles and ligaments in order to stabilize the joint.Drug therapy includes taking chondroprotectors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and drugs that have a vasodilator effect.Therapeutic exercise, physiotherapy sessions and massage have been shown to be successful.For overweight patients, a diet is recommended to reduce body weight and reduce the load on the joints.
The second and third degree of joints, in which degenerative-dystrophic changes are strongly expressed, are always monitored by a rheumatologist, arthrologist, orthopedic traumatologist and surgeon.Most of the time, in these stages the process begins to develop rapidly and conservative treatment has only a symptomatic effect.
The last stage of the disease, in which the limb with the affected joint can be completely immobilized, usually implies the need for surgery and endoprosthetics.
If you have been diagnosed with arthritis
In the case of arthritis, the list of treating doctors increases significantly, since there are many more causes for this disease.However, in this case, the first to be examined should be the local therapist, who, based on the medical history, will determine which specialist you should contact next.
Autoimmune pathologies such as systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis are always treated by rheumatologists and immunologists.In the case of psoriasis, a dermatologist is added to these doctors.
A chiropractor specializes in diseases of the spine and treats patients with spinal arthritis.
For rheumatism, consultation and follow-up by a cardiologist is required.If the arthritis is caused by an intestinal or genitourinary infection, the primary treating specialist will be a gastroenterologist, urologist, or gynecologist.
Prevention
First of all, women over 45 and men over 55 should think about the prevention of arthritis and arthritis - at this time hormonal changes in the body begin, metabolism slows down and blood flow to the joints worsens.Preventive measures are especially important for those with a hereditary predisposition to endocrine and metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Special attention is also needed for people whose work is closely related to physical activity that negatively affects the joints.
The main primary prevention measures are:
- Body weight control: excess weight causes additional stress on the joints and the entire musculoskeletal system as a whole.
- a balanced diet that contains the right balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants.
- moderate physical activity: gymnastics, daily exercises, swimming, walking.
- giving up bad habits: alcohol and tobacco products disrupt the body's metabolism and suppress the immune system.
If symptoms of joint disease have already been detected, secondary prevention measures apply:
- compliance with primary prevention measures;
- therapeutic exercises, which are prescribed by a doctor and performed outside periods of exacerbation;
- use of special orthopedic devices: canes, insoles, bandages, corsets.
- course or continued drug therapy;
- regular preventive examinations by specialists.