People who first found joint diseases often ask: arthritis and arthrosis - what is the difference.These pathologies have similar names and symptoms, so they are often confused.With self -medication, this confusion can cause negative consequences, as what helps in arthrosis with arthritis can harm.
Both diseases are severe, lead to disability;Therefore, the treatment of joint diseases should be performed by a specialist.
What is the nature of these diseases?
The difference between arthrosis and arthritis is already clear by their names.The suffix "it" in the name of the disease indicates the inflammatory nature of the disease and "oz" - the presence of pathological changes in tissues.
Consequently, arthritis is an inflammation of joint tissue, which can be caused by different causes.And arthrosis are degenerative changes in joint cartilage, developing after injury or action of age -related factors.We will find in more detail what arthritis and arthrosis are.
Arthrosis - What is it?
The articulated bone surfaces are covered with smooth cartilage tissue and constantly lubricated with light sliding synovial liquid.Arthrosis is characterized by pathological processes, leading to the fact that the cartilage surface loses smoothness, is ulcerated and sophisticated.
For this reason, during the friction of mating cartilage surfaces, they scratch, as a result, the degenerative processes are aggravated until the total destruction of the cartilage.The growths appear along the edges of the bone - osteophytes that scream the mobility of the joint.
With the timely detection of arthrosis, the process of cartilage destruction can be delayed for decades using modern treatment and prevention methods.But as a rule, at the end, arthrosis leads to complete destruction of cartilage and immobilization of the affected joint.
The only way to return to the lost functionality is the operation to replace the joint with artificial endoprosthesis.
Arthritis - What is it?
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.It is known that the inflammatory process is nothing more than the struggle of immunological blood cells (leukocytes) with foreign formations in the body.Most of the time, immune cells are hung against the falling infection.
In place of this fight, inflammation occurs, characterized by redness, an increase in local temperature, pain and swelling.Leukocytes that died during body protection are nothing more than pus, usually formed in the inflammation process.
Arthritis can have a different nature.Sometimes it occurs when an infection enters the joint cavity.Such types of arthritis are good for treating antibiotics and usually passes without consequences.
Other types of this disease are worse for treatment and usually lead to disability.In particular, it is rheumatoid arthritis - an autoimmune disease in which immune cells lose their reference points and begin to fight against their own body.
Gotric arthritis occurs in the elderly due to a violation of metabolism and deposits in the joints of salts.
Psoriatic arthritis, found in approximately 10% of patients with psoriasis, as well as many other types of this dangerous disease.
Is there a relationship between these diseases?
Disassembling how arthrosis differs from arthrosis, one cannot fail to mention that these diseases are usually accompanied.Thus, for example, with rheumatoid arthritis, joint tissues are subjected to degenerative changes characteristic of arthrosis.Over time, the joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis are deformed and lose their functions, as in arthrosis.
It can be said about Gotosa arthritis.Sharp salts of salts, which have been deposited in the articular cartilage, on the one hand, cause their inflammation and, on the other, scratch the cartilage surfaces, which causes their abrasion and gradual degeneration characteristic of arthrosis.
As you can see, the chronic forms of arthritis negatively affect the condition of joint cartilage and over time lead to the progression of the characteristic processes of arthrosis - deformation and loss of joint functions.
This rule works in another way.The course of arthrosis is rarely complete without concomitant arthritis.When the articular cartilage surfaces, destroying due to degenerative processes, rubbing each other, microtraums appear in them, pieces of cartilage can be abandoned.This causes inflammatory processes, and we already know that inflammation in the joints is arthritis.
Thus, arthrosis occurs with periodic exacerbations, which are usually accompanied by united arthritis.
Due to the fact that these two diseases are so interconnected, it is sometimes difficult to understand: arthritis and arthrosis-which is the difference.To decide, you need to look at the root cause of the disease, in what the pathological process is launched.If the impetus of the disease has become degenerative changes in cartilage, this is arthrosis and if the cause in inflammation caused by infections, problems with hormonal background, immunity or metabolism, this is arthritis.
What are the causes of these pathologies?
Arthrosis is a degenerative-distribution change in the cartilage that develops for reasons:
- Insufficient tissue nutrition;
- Traumatic nature.
Lack of nutrition occurs, as a rule, due to age -related changes in the body.Therefore, arthrosis usually appears in people over 50 to 60 years old.At this age, tissue regeneration decreases, violations appear in metabolic processes, which in many leads to joint problems.
Traumatic arthrosis can develop at a younger age.Its cause is congenital and defects acquired in the joint cartilage, which hurt the surface of the mating cartilage, which causes its additional destruction.
The primordials of traumatic arthrosis can become:
- Congenital defects of joint cartilage;
- Injuries received;
- Surgical operations in the joints;
- A large excess body weight.
Arthritis, unlike arthrosis, except Gouty, is most often found in young people.Your reasons are:
- Genetic predisposition to autoimmune and systemic diseases;
- Infections;
- Hormonal disorders.
What is the similarity and difference in symptoms?
Arthrosis is characterized by a gradual and slow increase of symptoms.The early stage of the disease can last years without showing itself.A joint crisis can be felt, periodically pain with a load above the usual.
Most of the time, the doctor is approached when the disease has already reached stage II.Characteristic symptoms of arthrosis:
- Joint pain under load, decreases at rest;
- Click by moving the problem board;
- Morning stiffness, when, after waking up for normal joint operation, it is necessary to "develop it";
- Most of the time, brushes joints, param, spine, knee and hip are susceptible to arthrosis;less frequently - shoulder and ankle;
- The appearance of rest pain, night pain indicates an attached arthritis-inflammation due to the constant microtrauma of the cartilage;
- In the later stages, a progressive decrease in the amplitude of the movements unites, until the complete immobilization of the joint, or, conversely, the appearance of "decaying", unnatural mobility.
Not an example of arthrosis, arthritis begins with pronounced symptoms characteristic of inflammation processes:
- Intense pain in the joint, not even decreased at rest, seems to be pulsated, tremendous;
- Night pains that do not allow to fall asleep;
- Redness, swelling in the defeat zone;
- High temperature at the site of inflammation, usually an increase in the temperature of the whole body;
- Small joints are more susceptible to arthritis - pulses, fingers, sometimes ankle, knees;
- Several joints (polyarthritis) are often affected simultaneously;
- Often arthritis becomes a complication of diseases caused by bacterial and viral infections.
The rest of the symptoms of arthritis varies depending on their species, of which there are many.Many types of arthritis are serious diseases that affect other body systems, besides the joints.
Diagnosis
For the doctor, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis is obvious by the clinical picture.Often, to diagnose arthrosis and establish your internship, it is sufficient to make an X -ray of the problematic articulation in two projections.The image will show the value of the joint gap, the presence or absence of bone growth - osteophytes, the degree of bone deformation.
The diagnosis of arthritis requires further studies, because for successful treatment it is necessary to establish a type of pathology - whether a systemic disease is a system, whether inflammation is caused by infection or exacerbation of arthrosis.
To establish a precise diagnosis, modern diagnostic methods such as ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, arthroscopy, joint puncture for the study of synovial fluid can be used.Of great importance in the diagnosis of arthritis is a blood test for reumen.
Similarity and difference in therapy
The treatment of arthritis and arthrosis has more differences than similarities.Almost, the only thing that unites them is the use of non -steroid anti -inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to eliminate pain and inflammation.Depending on the patient's diagnosis and condition, these medications may be used for local application, orally or in the form of injections, including the joint cavity.
With the ineffectiveness of the treatment of NSAIDs, hormonal drugs - corticosteroids with strong side effects are used, so they are prescribed only in extreme cases.
Otherwise, arthritis therapy and arthrosis varies.Each type of arthritis has its own treatment regime that takes into account the nature of the disease.In the therapy of each type, in addition to NSAIDs, antibiotics, hormonal immunobiological drugs and many other specific medications, including physiotherapeutic, can be used.
The main objective of arthritis treatment is to relieve inflammation, concomitant disease therapy and ensure a long period of remission.In cases of serious joint damage, surgical operations are indicated.
In the treatment of arthrosis, the main task is to slow down the pathological processes of articular cartilage destruction.For this, chondroprotectors are used - medicines that contribute to the regeneration of joint cartilage, as well as vitamins and minerals.At the stage of remission, patients are shown in physiotherapeutic procedures, physical therapy exercises.
Of great importance is attributed to prevention measures:
- Weight standardization;
- Adequate complete nutrition;
- Rejection of bad habits;
- Refusal to overload the painful joints;
- Viable motor activity.
Upon reaching severe stages of arthrosis due to the immobility of joint mobility or vice versa-non-Natural, it can be lost to the functionality of the limb.In such cases, the patient will help return to a complete life operation to replace the damaged joint with an endoprosthesis.
Unfortunately, there are no therapeutic agents that can restore articulations destroyed by arthrosis and arthritis.It is only possible to stretch this pathological process as much as possible in time and, after the articulation failure, resort to surgical intervention.Therefore, it is very important not to delay the doctor's visit, observing the first signs of these diseases.
As you can see, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis determines the differences in your treatment.Arthritis therapy is focused on eliminating the inflammatory process and the treatment of concomitant diseases, and the treatment of arthrosis, pain relief and the prevention of additional joint destruction come first in the treatment of arthrosis.
In this context, it is clear how to relate to the warming of the joints in these diseases.Heating the problem area helps activate blood circulation in nearby tissues.
With degenerative-distribution processes in cartilage tissue, blood flow improves oxygen joint and nutrients, accelerates metabolic processes.This helps improve joint tissue regeneration.Therefore, with arthrosis, joint heating is useful.
Heating pillows and arthritis heating compresses have a completely different effect.In the inflammatory process zone, the temperature is already increased.Heating exacerbates only the inflammatory process and promotes the dissemination of infection outside the joint.Therefore, with arthritis, the heating of painful joints with heating pillows, compresses and baths is strictly prohibited.
Conclusion
Many people are interested: which is worse than arthritis or arthrosis.This question may seem strange because it is impossible to choose an easier disease.Both the disease are associated with intense pain, restrictions on motor activity.Arthrosis and many types of arthritis lead to disability.
But if only the joints are affected by arthrosis, then, for example, with rheumatoid arthritis, not only the joints suffer, but practically all body cardiovascular systems, nervous, respiratory, kidneys, leather, hematopoiesis, organs of vision.
With any of these diseases, it is important to recognize them in the early stages and start treatment as soon as possible in order to reduce the progression of these pathologies, while the damage caused by the joints are not too large.