Joint diseases are quite common among all segments of the population. This condition is preceded by many reasons. Determining the difference between arthritis and arthrosis is not always so easy. An inexperienced person will not understand these two concepts at all. After all, in fact, these diseases are associated with damage to the joints and their further deformation.
Signs of arthritis and arthrosis
Arthrosis has several main types, so the symptoms may also vary. In any form, a person experiences unpleasant pain syndrome. Moreover, it can appear when walking or doing physical work. Swelling may occur at the site of the lesion. With arthrosis that has "affected" the knee joint, cramps of the calf muscles may occur. Over time, complete deformation of the joint is possible; this is typical for those cases when a person does not pay attention to the symptoms. The main signs of atritis and arthrosis have some differences.
Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory process. As mentioned above, it occurs against the background of injury, infection and dystrophy. It's quite easy to spot something wrong. A person begins to experience pain when walking, as well as during rest. The patient begins to wake up at night because he is in pain. Evening and night time is the peak of arthritis activity. The pain intensifies significantly, so it is clearly impossible to rest and sleep. Particular attention should be paid to stiffness in the joints, which appears mainly after waking up. This may be the first "bell" of the presence of the disease. Any movements can cause a lot of inconvenience, this indicates that there is most likely an inflammatory process. As arthritis progresses, swelling appears. Over time, redness is noticeable, and when you feel the joint, a sharp pain appears.
Arthritis of the joints
A joint disease characterized by an inflammatory process is called arthritis. It occurs against the background of previous infections. It could be a sore throat, syphilis, measles, gonorrhea. It can be a consequence of a previous injury and even hypothermia. It is characterized by pain when walking and at rest. With severe damage, there is an increase in body temperature, insomnia, lack of appetite and nausea. Arthritis of the joints may worsen several times a year. This condition is characterized by increased symptoms.
The problem is eliminated through drug treatment. If the necessary therapy has not been prescribed, a chronic form of the disease may develop. If treatment is not started in time, it can have serious consequences. It is possible that deforming osteoarthritis will develop, which will lead to loss of performance and disability.
To avoid the development of arthritis, certain preventive measures must be followed. Infectious diseases should be eliminated in a timely manner, the oral cavity should be sanitized, and hypothermia should be prevented. Hardening and taking vitamins in winter play an important role. It is at this time that the body must be supported in every possible way.
Arthrosis of the joints
Arthrosis occurs quite often. It is characterized not only by damage to the joint, but also to bone tissue. An experienced specialist can distinguish arthrosis of the joints from arthritis. The main distinguishing symptom is the presence of a degenerative process. Moreover, this process takes place in the joint itself.
Arthrosis is characterized by pain in the joint; it can intensify as a person performs physical exercise or ordinary walking. In severe cases, mobility is inhibited and the victim may remain disabled. The symptoms of the disease are familiar to almost 15% of the entire population of the planet. With age, this figure begins to increase rapidly. Both women and men suffer from arthrosis. It has two forms: primary and secondary. Primary arthrosis occurs in 50% of all cases. It can develop even in a healthy joint. The main reason is excessive load. Secondary arthrosis develops against the background of previous injuries and inflammatory processes.
The main pathological mechanism is a metabolic disorder in cartilage tissue. This leads to a gradual loss of smoothness and elasticity. Over time, the process begins to transfer to bone tissue, this provokes the growth of osteophytes. Ultimately, the shape of the bone is disrupted. The joints of the lower extremities are most often affected.
Arthrosis is a long-term and slowly progressive disease. Its result is the formation of ankylosis and loss of mobility in the affected joint. It is almost impossible to detect the presence of the disease in the early stages, because it is asymptomatic. Complex therapy will help get rid of the disease and return the person to his former ease of movement. It is advisable to engage in physical therapy. It is important to maintain a correct lifestyle. It is also important to protect the joints from excessive overload.
Diagnosis of arthritis and arthrosis
Diagnostic measures include a lot of procedures. The first step is to collect such an anamnesis. It is important to know whether the person suffered from infectious diseases or whether he had serious injuries. Then the course of arthritis is assessed. An important activity is laboratory testing. This will reveal the level of uric acid and the presence of antibodies to group A hemolytic streptococcus. Instrumental diagnostics of arthritis and arthrosis are also actively used. It includes ultrasound examinations as well as radiography. Computed tomography can be used as an auxiliary measure. This will allow you to get high-quality images and see the lesion. Today, the arthroscopy procedure is especially popular. This technology allows you to study the joint in more detail. X-ray examination is particularly informative. It allows you to get a "picture" of what is happening in additional projections.
Diagnosis of arthrosis is slightly different; it is carried out in several stages. At the first stage, movements in the joint are observed, more precisely, their limitations. It is enough to ask the person to make a few movements. The site of the lesion has a pronounced unevenness, and there are ossified areas on the joint. At the second stage, the joint is limited in movement. If you change its position, you can hear a characteristic crunch. The muscles close to the affected joint are partially atrophied. During an X-ray examination, the presence of bone growths is observed. At the third stage, you can notice a pronounced deformation of the joint.
There are also additional research methods. These include: blood test, synovial fluid analysis. When studying blood, special attention is paid to the ESR indicator. Histological examination of the synovium is often carried out.
What is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis?
Thus, arthrosis is a chronic damage to the joints due to the inflammatory process. It is characterized by their gradual deformation. The cause of the disease may be damage to the cartilage tissue of the articular surfaces. Arthritis manifests itself in the form of severe pain in the joint, in some cases its mobility sharply decreases. Most often, the process occurs in people over 45 years of age, but earlier cases also occur. For the most part, it affects women and people who have congenital defects of bones and joints. Almost 15% of the world's inhabitants suffer from this disease. But there is another type of disease, which is called arthritis. An experienced specialist can determine the difference between arthritis and arthrosis.
Thus, arthritis is a whole group of joint diseases. It is an inflammatory process that develops in the joint. It may appear against the background of injury, infection, or have a dystrophic origin. It is characterized by pain in the joint, as well as swelling of the affected area. This is a dangerous phenomenon, because it can lead to the development of an inflammatory process in the body. The heart, kidneys and liver can come under negative influence. The disease most often progresses in people under 40 years of age.
The main differences between these diseases can be determined by their symptoms. Thus, severe pain with arthrosis appears during moments of heavy load or during movement. At first, the pain is not very severe, but as the situation worsens, the pain syndrome becomes pronounced. With arthritis, pain can be annoying both when walking and at rest. Arthrosis is characterized by the presence of a crunching sound and the joint is inactive. Over time, deformity may develop. Arthritis also leads to deformation, but this process is accompanied by swelling and redness. When you feel the diseased joint, there is a sharp pain. Osteoarthritis most often affects the knee and hip joints. Stiffness in the joints, especially in the morning, and swelling of the fingers are all due to arthritis. If this is an infectious form of the disease, then it is characterized by weakness, sweating and pain throughout the body.
Treatment of arthritis and arthrosis
Treatment strategies for these processes are somewhat different. Arthritis is often called a disease of the young. Today, several varieties of the disease are known. These are reactive, rheumatoid, psoriatic and gouty forms. In this case, joint inflammation is only the beginning of a serious process. Treatment of arthritis and arthrosis should be carried out by an experienced specialist, based on the person’s condition.
The first step is to limit the load on your joints. Anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used to eliminate arthritis. A special role is given to hormonal drugs. These can be ointments and injections. In addition, physical therapy, diet and physiotherapy are practiced. Arthrosis can also be eliminated with medications. Working with each patient is a jewelery process. Because each situation has its own nuances, which must be competently eliminated using all available methods. More detailed information about treatment will be provided below.
Medicines for arthritis and arthrosis
Medicines for these diseases should have an exclusively positive effect. Particular attention is paid to drugs that can eliminate pain, swelling and eliminate the inflammatory process. For these purposes, ointments, injections, suppositories and even anti-inflammatory homeopathic drugs are widely used. There are certain medications for arthritis and arthrosis that are used most often.
Arthritis treatment
Only quick and high-quality treatment will help prevent changes in the joint. To avoid possible disability, you should consult a doctor at the slightest discomfort in the joint. Early diagnosis will allow you to identify the disease at the first stage and prevent it from getting worse. Medicines are used to treat arthritis, and therapeutic exercises complement the therapy.
Antibiotics are widely used. It is especially important to use them in the infectious form of the disease. A well-chosen course will resolve the problem quickly. Anti-inflammatory treatment is also actively used. It is important to relieve inflammation from the joint and reduce pain. In this case, gels and ointments will come to the rescue. Wool socks or mittens made of natural sheepskin or dog hair will enhance the effect.
During the period of remission, the doctor prescribes special gymnastics. The exercises must be performed in a lying position or while in the pool. They will help reduce pain and eliminate discomfort. A therapeutic diet plays an important role. It is necessary to saturate the body with antioxidants and vitamin E. Traditional methods should not be ignored. More detailed information will be provided below.
Treatment of arthrosis
Arthrosis can be eliminated using several methods. Non-drug treatment, medications, traditional medicine and surgery are widely used. Correct diagnosis will allow you to prescribe quality treatment for arthrosis. Elimination of the disease must be comprehensive and long-term. For this purpose, an individual scheme is selected for each patient.
Non-drug treatment. At the initial stage, it is quite possible to cope without the help of medications. It's important to eat right. Excess weight only creates additional pressure on the joints. It is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle and not overload the affected joint. The work and rest schedule must be observed unconditionally. If you are overweight, it is recommended to reduce it. Normalizing metabolism will bring your weight back to normal and reduce the load on your joints. Physical therapy and physiotherapeutic methods are widely used. All this is based on performing certain exercises. Massage also helps a lot.
Medications. This method is leading in eliminating the disease. The choice of drugs to eliminate arthrosis is not so wide. In total, there are two large groups of medications. These are symptomatic remedies that can relieve pain and inflammation. When using them, unpleasant symptoms disappear in a short period of time. These products include ointments and tablets. Use them for 2 weeks. Chondroprotectors are also widely used. Detailed information about specific drugs will be presented below.
Doesn't lag behindethnoscience. There are many good recipes that will reduce swelling and pain. Finally, surgery is also used. This technique is used only in cases where drug therapy has not given any effect. Arthroscopy, arthrodesis and arthroplasty are used. Arthroscopy is a low-traumatic treatment method. It allows you to make small incisions and perform surgery, assessing the condition of the affected cartilage. Arthrodesis is a method that allows you to create immobility of articular surfaces. This technique will relieve pain. Arthroplasty is the replacement of articular cartilage with a spacer made from one’s own tissue. This will alleviate the victim’s condition and restore range of motion.
Anti-inflammatory homeopathic medicines for arthritis and arthrosis
Homeopathy has always been widely used. Her pantry is full of various medicines. Inflammatory processes developing in the joints are now not difficult to eliminate. There are a lot of drugs that can reduce pain and eliminate inflammation. For arthritis and arthrosis, anti-inflammatory homeopathic drugs are widely used.
Gels for arthritis and arthrosis
In complex therapy, special gels and ointments are often used. They will reduce pain and remove swelling. Often, one drug is not enough. Therefore, special gels are widely used as aids to relieve pain in arthritis and arthrosis.
Suppositories for arthritis and arthrosis
Suppositories for the treatment of these diseases are not taken so often. The main advantage of their use is their speed of action. This is achieved thanks to the method of administration. In addition, rectal use is practically not dangerous, side effects do not occur so often. You can choose suppositories for arthritis and arthrosis in the hospital; you should not make a choice on your own.
Injections for arthrosis and arthritis
Injections can reduce pain and completely eliminate it in a matter of minutes. They are used quite often, but mainly in cases where the situation becomes more complicated.
Traditional methods of treating arthritis and arthrosis
Traditional medicine has always been famous for its large number of useful recipes. In her pantry you can find a remedy for any occasion. Treatment of arthritis and arthrosis using traditional methods will allow you to avoid adverse reactions from the body.
- Cowberry. It is enough to simply prepare a decoction from the leaves of the plant. You need to take a couple of tablespoons of raw materials and pour 200 ml of boiling water over them. Then everything is put on the stove and boiled. The resulting product must be used correctly. You should dilute 20 grams of raw material per glass of boiling water.
- Birch, nettle and violet. You need to take 2. 5 tablespoons of each ingredient. The leaves themselves are needed. All ingredients are mixed together and poured with a glass of boiling water. After which the product is put on fire and boiled. The drug is used half a glass up to 4 times a day.
- Black currant. For preparation, take five grams of currants, directly from their leaves. They are poured with a glass of boiling water and placed in a water bath for 20 minutes. This remedy will help cope with arthritis and arthrosis if you take it a tablespoon 3 times a day.
- Birch buds. The main ingredient in the amount of 5 grams is poured into a glass of boiling water. After that, everything is placed on the fire and boiled for about 15 minutes. The resulting product must be infused for an hour and then taken a quarter glass at a time. The frequency of use should not exceed 4 times.
- Burdock root. You need to take burdock roots and chop them. Then put it in a jar and fill it with vodka. The alcohol should cover the top of the burdock by 3 cm. In this state, the drug is infused for 3 weeks, after which it is rubbed on the sore spots. You can use the product internally 30 minutes before meals, up to 3 times a day.
WHO recommendations for the treatment of arthrosis and arthritis
Treatment of arthritis and arthrosis must begin with the implementation of special rules. The first step is to establish the order of life and nutrition. It is recommended to start adjusting your food intake. It is advisable to dilute the diet with vegetables and plant foods. Meat dishes should be reduced. Salty food should fade into the background; its increased content in the body can lead to the deposition of salt in the joints, which is unacceptable. Treatment of arthrosis and arthritis should be carried out according to WHO recommendations. So, food should not contribute to weight gain. If a person is overweight, it is worth losing weight. Alcohol consumption should also be avoided.
It is imperative to exercise and do exercises in the morning. Swimming lessons are perfect. It is worth paying attention to medicinal baths, which are anti-inflammatory in nature. You can add eucalyptus, St. John's wort, and sandalwood oil to them. In the morning you can wash your face with vinegar made from fruits. This procedure must be carried out correctly. You should wash only in the direction of your heart.
Diet for arthritis and arthrosis
It is necessary to follow a certain diet for these millet diseases. An important point is that the diet must be low-calorie. There is no single diet that will help cope with the disease. After all, there are quite a lot of reasons contributing to its development. Therefore, lists of prohibited and permitted foods were created. Thus, you can create a diet for arthritis and arthrosis yourself.
Oily fish has a beneficial effect. It contains essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamins D, A, E. They help strengthen bone tissue and also regulate the absorption of all necessary microelements. Nuts and oils help saturate the body with vitamin E. Turmeric and ginger have a beneficial effect. These spices can be added to any dish. The diet should be rich in plant foods. It has a positive effect on chronic joint damage. Peaches, kiwis and oranges are perfect. Among the vegetables, you should take a closer look at onions and cabbage. Vitamin C, which is part of them, takes an active effect in the synthesis of collagen and elastin fibers. They, in turn, form the basis of cartilage.
Products from the nightshade family can aggravate the situation. These include potatoes and tomatoes. It is advisable to avoid eating these vegetables. Baked goods and fatty dairy products have a negative effect. In general, it is necessary to monitor the condition of your own body. It’s worth including one product in your diet every week and seeing what kind of reaction you get. If there are no negative consequences, then it can be used. This way you can create a diet yourself.
Exercises for arthritis and arthrosis
A mandatory rule for arthritis and arthrosis is to perform simple exercises. This will keep the muscles and ligaments in an elastic state. You should start doing exercises with your doctor’s permission. Situations are different, so the doctor decides what exercises to do for arthritis and arthrosis.
- Exercise No. 1. You need to sit on a high chair or bench. After which you need to start swinging your legs one at a time. This exercise will allow you to feel slight tension in your muscles.
- Exercise No. 2. You should remain in the same position. Only now you will have to raise your legs alternately parallel to the floor and hold them in this position for no more than 5 seconds. It must be repeated 10-15 times, with the legs constantly alternating.
- Exercise No. 3. You need to lie on your back and stretch your legs. Then, on a count of one, one leg bends at the knee, then at the hip joint. Next, you need to grab it with your hands and press it to the body, then lower it with a sliding movement to its original position. A similar manipulation is carried out with the second leg.
- Exercise No. 4. Lying on your back, you need to raise each leg above the floor at a height of 30 cm. It must be held in this position for 5 seconds. Then the leg is lowered to the floor and the same action is performed with the other leg.
- Exercise No. 5. You should lie on your stomach and begin to slowly bend your knees, one at a time. In this case, the heel should be as close to the buttocks as possible.
- Exercise No. 6. Starting position – lying down. You should bend your leg at the knee, and slowly lift the other leg off the floor, as if trying to pull the toe towards you. You must stay in this position for 10 seconds. Then repeat the manipulation on the second leg.
- Exercise No. 7. While sitting on the floor, you should simply bend your torso forward. In this case, you should try to clasp your feet with your hands. It is enough to do no more than 15 inclinations.
- Exercise No. 8. While sitting on the floor, you need to bend your knees. And at the same time wrap your arms around them. The leg should be tense and try to escape from your hands. You need to stay in this position for 10 seconds. For each leg, the action is repeated 10 times. It should be noted that only a physiotherapist can prescribe exercises, depending on the characteristics of the disease.