When you mention diseases such as arthritis, joint problems inevitably come to mind. Indeed, both of these pathologies are directly related to the musculoskeletal system, since the pathological process is localized in the articular joints. Both arthritis and arthrosis have similar symptoms. Many patients confuse these diseases and consider them to be one and the same pathology, however, they have fundamental differences.
What is arthritis and arthrosis and how are they different?
Arthritis and arthrosis are common diagnoses in elderly patients. To understand the differences between these two pathologies, let's consider what arthritis and arthrosis are and what is the difference between them.
A chronic disease of the joints, in which their gradual deformation is observed, is called arthrosis. A more correct name is osteoarthritis, because the pathological process involves not only cartilage, but eventually bone tissue as well.
The immediate cause of the disease is damage to the surfaces of the joint, which causes them to wear out and stop performing their functions. A typical manifestation of arthrosis is severe pain when moving the limb; as a result of the worsening of the pathological process, joint mobility is significantly limited. In an advanced stage, the joint may become immobile.
Osteoarthritis usually occurs in people over the age of forty-five, but in rare cases it can affect the joints of young people. The disease develops mainly in women, and it also affects people with congenital pathologies of the limbs. Osteoarthritis is caused by excess weight, joint surgery and injuries, for example, to the hip or knee joint. Endogenous factors, such as poor nutrition or circulatory disorders in the joint, can also cause the disease.
Arthritis is an inflammatory pathology localized in the joint. This is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis. Inflammation can occur as a result of joint infection, injury, but also due to degenerative changes in the tissues. Like osteoarthritis, arthritis is characterized by joint pain that worsens with movement.
Lack of appropriate treatment leads to loss of mobility in the joint and its complete immobilization. Arthritis is easier to distinguish, because inflammation causes redness of the skin at the site of the lesion and swelling. Keep in mind that arthritis is not an isolated pathology. This is a systemic disease that affects not only the musculoskeletal system. Arthritis usually affects the liver, kidneys and heart. This is the main difference between arthritis and local arthrosis.
Signs
The symptoms of arthritis and arthrosis are mostly similar, but they also have significant differences. Pain is an important symptom that comes to the fore in both arthrosis and arthritis. The nature of the pain varies: with arthrosis, patients experience negative sensations during physical activity, as well as when the load on the damaged joint increases.
In the initial stage, the pain may not be severe. Therefore, patients do not always attach importance to such symptoms and do not pay attention to the first signs of pathology. At rest, the pain subsides. Only in the second and third stages is the pain constantly present. However, if you position the limb correctly, the pain will subside. In arthritis, the pain does not subside, and the highest peak of its development is reached at night, closer to the morning.
Cracking is a typical feature of arthrosis and chronic arthritis.
Cracking occurs due to a decrease in the elasticity of the cartilage tissue and an increase in friction between the joint surfaces. In the initial stage, you may notice a creaking of the fingers, and then the larger joints are affected. The distinctive feature of joint cracking is the rough, dry sound produced by the joint.
Limitation of joint mobility and stiffness in movements are typical symptoms of arthrosis and arthritis, but in arthrosis, problems with the joints differ in localization, i. e. a specific joint is affected, and with arthritis - a systemic pathology - discomfort is not only noticed in the joints, but also in the whole body.
Joint deformities are observed in both pathologies, but they have characteristic features. In arthrosis, the changes affect only the joint itself, and the inflammatory process in arthritis causes changes in the skin - swelling, redness and hyperthermia can be seen. In addition, arthritis is accompanied by general somatic pathology: the body temperature rises, a typical febrile condition occurs, sweating increases, weakness and drowsiness appear. Conjunctivitis may begin, and chronic diseases may become more complex. With arthrosis, there are no such symptoms, but if arthrosis has developed, then arthrosis will be accompanied by inflammation.
The doctor must carefully distinguish between the signs of arthritis and arthrosis, so if negative symptoms appear, a consultation with a specialist is required.
Diagnostics
A correct diagnosis of arthritis or arthrosis is important to start treating the disease. This can be done using various research techniques. Not all patients know which doctor deals with joint pathologies, so at the initial stage you can turn to a rheumatologist or a therapist, and then you will have to consult an orthopedist or a surgeon.
Patients are required to undergo a blood test that will show general changes in the body. If the results of the blood analysis do not show any abnormalities, doctors tend to arthrosis as a preliminary diagnosis.
If the rate of sedimentation of erythrocytes in the blood plasma increases, rheumatoid arthritis is suspected, because there is a clear indication of an inflammatory process. Usually the speed increases above 25 mm/h. An additional confirmation sign will be joint pain that worsens at night. In fairness, we note that an increase in ESR is also possible in arthrosis, if it is accompanied by inflammation.
An additional argument in favor of rheumatoid arthritis will be an increased number of leukocytes. Blood is also taken from the vein for rheumatological tests - the appearance of a special marker - C-reactive protein, which indicates inflammation. However, you should not rely only on a blood test, because with this analysis it is impossible to reliably determine one of the diseases. It is necessary to conduct additional research, constantly taking into account the presence of an inflammatory factor in the blood.
As additional tests, doctors prescribe the following to the patient:
- x-ray of the problem area;
- M. R. I;
- computed tomography;
- radioisotope scanning.
Doctors take into account tests, a carefully collected medical history and blood test results, after which a diagnosis of a particular disease is made.
Treatment
In order for the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis to be successful, it is necessary to choose the right treatment strategy. Keep in mind that it is not always possible to completely cure the disease, and in some cases a long-term remission is considered a great success.
In order to alleviate the exacerbation and prevent relapses of the disease, it is necessary to treat with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Medicines have a particularly strong effect on an organism with arthritis, and they also affect the positive dynamics of arthrosis.
Features of the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are as follows:
- Long-term use of drugs is not recommended, even if they do not cause negative effects during use;
- patients with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney and heart disorders are prohibited from taking NSAIDs;
- Do not increase the dose of medication without the doctor's permission, as a negative reaction may occur if individual sensitivity occurs;
- When taking medication, you should take it with a large glass of water;
- when taking NSAIDs, it is forbidden to combine several drugs, as well as to drink alcoholic beverages;
- It is forbidden to take NSAIDs during pregnancy.
When contacting the doctor, after the examination, the patient will be prescribed effective treatment with the safest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Basically, all drugs from this group can be divided into inhibitors of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2. It is considered that COX-2 inhibitors are more loyal to drugs for the body.
First and second generation inhibitors are included in many drugs. These are ointments, plasters, gels and tablets.
Medicines to relieve muscle spasms - muscle relaxants - will be useful in the treatment. This usually happens in patients suffering from arthrosis or arthritis. With severe pain in the joints, the muscles experience strong tension, and with long-term discomfort, they suffer from a lack of nutrition and oxygen, so it is very important to remove the ailments that accompany the disease in a timely manner.
Normalization of metabolic processes is an indispensable condition during therapy. This becomes possible after the inflammation subsides and the muscle spasm is removed. Metabolic drugs for patients with arthritis and arthrosis are adenosine triphosphoric acid, inosine, adenosine phosphate, B vitamins, anabolic steroids.
To remove salt from arthrosis, a special series of drugs is prescribed, as well as means for achieving optimal acid-base balance.
In order to cure arthritis and arthrosis or to achieve permanent positive dynamics, it is very important to take all the medicines recommended by your doctor. Moreover, it must be done according to the regimen prescribed by the doctor, because even the most effective metabolic agents against the background of an active inflammatory process will simply be useless.
Traditional treatment
Diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis can be treated not only with traditional medicines, but also with folk remedies. Massages with preparations based on natural ingredients will be useful. These are ointments with bee and snake venom. These preparations also include essential oils. During the massage, you can add eucalyptus and ginger oil, ginger, marjoram, rosemary or juniper oil.
In arthritis and arthrosis, warm baths have a good relaxing effect. They will help relieve muscle pain and fatigue, and help relax the body as a whole. The best composition is one drop of ginger oil and the same amount of benzoin styrax or two drops of marjoram oil and black pepper to one tablespoon of olive oil. Add 15-20 drops to the bath. The recipe helps well if the patient has arthrosis of the legs. Oil baths can be done every night in the evening.
Black poplar also has an excellent effect. Not all patients know how to treat arthritis and arthrosis with black poplar, but it is very easy to do. From a healthy tree, you need to collect rot, young leaves and shoots - about half a bucket, after which everything is poured with boiling water up to the edge of the container and kept overnight. In the morning, the liquid is carefully poured into the bathtub, leaving the cake and immersed in it for half an hour. After bathing, it is advisable to warm up and lie in bed for an hour.
Folk remedies are of great help even if the patient is affected by arthrosis - a severe combination of bone deformities with an inflammatory process in the articular joint. For treatment, it is necessary to take a glass of spruce needles and fill them with two liters of water. The product must be boiled for fifteen minutes, after which the soup is poured into the bath and taken until the water cools down completely.
Senna leaves will help with arthritis and arthrosis. If the patient regularly treats the disease with this medicine, the inflammation disappears quickly. Senna is used as follows: two glasses of the dry component are poured with a liter of boiling water and closed for forty minutes. Then the liquid is poured into the tub, sea salt is added and it is taken until the water is at the optimal temperature. After bathing, areas of damage due to arthrosis or arthritis are treated with fir oil and wrapped in a scarf.
Prevention
As preventive measures, doctors give patients the following advice:
- completely treat all infectious pathologies, do not interrupt the course of therapy with antibacterial drugs, so as not to leave pockets of inflammation in the body;
- adhere to a balanced diet;
- wear comfortable shoes that do not constrain your feet;
- get rid of excess weight, which creates additional stress on the limbs;
- do not catch cold feet, take care in wet weather and cold seasons;
- protect yourself from injuries, and when you are actively involved in sports, use special bandages, supports and elastic bandages;
- do gymnastics every day, walk in the fresh air to activate blood circulation in the body, and when the first symptoms of arthritis or arthrosis are detected, do special gymnastics for the joints - exercises for hands, ankles, knees.
Arthritis and arthrosis are severe lesions of joint surfaces. If they are treated improperly or untimely, they can lead to disability, so doctors strongly recommend that you consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease.