Osteoarthritis and arthritis are diseases characterized by pathological changes in the joints, however, the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is significant. In order to understand the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis, it is necessary to consider the etiological factors, pathogenesis, symptoms of arthritis and osteoarthritis. The treatment of osteoarthritis and arthritis also have different approaches.
What is arthritis, osteoarthritis? How do joint damage manifest in arthritis and osteoarthritis, what is the difference? In osteoarthritis and arthritis, the differences are due to the mechanism of occurrence of the pathological changes.
The treatment of osteoarthritis and arthritis is long-term, multi-component. Often, as a result of untimely treatment, arthritis and osteoarthritis can be seen as successive stages of the disease process. After understanding what arthritis and osteoarthritis are, we will determine the differences between osteoarthritis and arthritis.
Arthritis, classification
Arthritis - due to inflammatory changes, combines both the pathology of the joints themselves, and is a symptom of other diseases that occur with their defeat. How to treat arthritis depends on establishing the cause that caused the inflammatory process.
According to the etiological factor, there are:
- Primary - rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Still's disease, others.
- Secondary - complications of a non-infectious infectious process (reactive with chlamydial infection, hepatitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, septic lesions).
By the number of affected joints:
- Monoarthritis - with the defeat of only one joint.
- Polyarthritis - when one group of joints is affected.
By the nature of the course of the disease:
- Acute arthritis - with a vivid clinical picture of inflammatory changes in the connective tissue of the joint.
- Subacute - an intermediate option, the stage of resolving an acute condition.
- Chronic arthritis - with a cleared clinical picture, slow course, periods of attenuation and exacerbation.
Osteoarthritis, classification
Deforming osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis is a disease based on degenerative changes associated with the destruction of all joint structures, cartilage, ligaments, muscles, tendons and bones. This is the main difference between osteoarthritis of the joints and arthritis, leading to irreversible deformities of the affected joint surfaces, dysfunction and disability of the patient.
- Idiopathic - no known cause. The pathological process is based on an autoimmune lesion mechanism (primary rheumatoid arthritis in young patients).
- Secondary osteoarthritis is the result of metabolic disorders, trauma and inflammation. For example, rheumatoid arthritis appeared after suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis, causes
The risk factors are:
- Violation of metabolic processes in the body.
- Hereditary predisposing factor.
- Infectious diseases.
- Immunodeficiency states, the presence of autoimmune diseases, allergic manifestations.
- Increased load on the musculoskeletal system due to professional activity, traumatic component.
Osteoarthritis, causes
The risk factors for developing osteoarthritis are:
- Age. Osteoarthritis is a disease of older people, with the exception of rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs in adolescence. According to WHO statistics, about 10% of the world's population suffers from arthropathies.
- Physical overload, injury, excess weight, which increases the load on the joint. The large joints suffer more than the others: hip - coxarthrosis, knee - gonarthrosis.
- Hereditary factor: features of metabolic processes, structure of cartilage tissue.
- Previous inflammatory processes without proper treatment.
Arthritis, symptoms
Regardless of the cause of the disease, the signs of the disease have a similar clinical picture in the acute phase of the process and during the period of exacerbation of the chronic course of the disease.
- Pain is the first symptom. It has a different intensity, most often it is permanent, does not depend on physical activity.
- Hyperemia of the skin of the joint area, increased local temperature (the joint area becomes warm to the touch), pronounced edema.
- The presence of effusion (fluid) in the cavity of the joint bag. Microbiological and cytological examination of fluid from the inflamed cavity is important for diagnosis, establishing the causative factor. The knee joints are most commonly affected. The presence of an inflammatory nature of the fluid inside the joint capsule makes the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
- Extra-articular manifestations of the underlying disease: fever, vascular lesions - vasculitis, heart valves, lung disease - dry socket, pulmonitis, kidney lesions - nephritis, skin manifestations, haematological changes - anemia, increased number of peripheral blood platelets.
- Limitation of range of motion in the joint, dysfunction.
Osteoarthritis, symptoms
Symptoms of osteoarthritis are caused by prolonged malnutrition, blood supply to the cartilage plate. The cartilage loses its elasticity, thins, while outgrowths - osteophytes - form from the bone tissue inside the joint cavity, irreversibly deforming the joint surface, disrupting functionality, causing pain andsignificantly limiting mobility.
- Pain. The onset of the disease is characterized by moderate intensity, constant aching pains. Strengthening of the pain syndrome is associated with an increase in dystrophic changes in cartilage and deformities. The pain can vary, be transient: from morning stiffness, to constant and diminish during the day. A rapid and intense increase in pain is a sign of poor prognosis.
- visible deformation.
- Functional disorders: flexion, extension.
- Characteristic crunch when moving.
- The development of immobility of the joint leads to the disability of patients.
Osteochondrosis is a common pathological condition of the spine, based on the same cartilage changes as in osteoarthritis.
Diagnostic
Diagnosis of arthritis and arthrosis is aimed at identifying the underlying cause of the disease, determining the degree of activity of the process, assessing the prognosis and effectiveness of treatment, and timely diagnosing thecomplications of the disease.
The complex of diagnostic tests includes general clinical laboratory tests, instrumental studies of the liver, kidneys, x-ray diagnostic measures, microscopic and bacteriological studies.
- Distinctive features of arthritis of various etiologies are: increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, increased peripheral blood leukocyte count, which helps to determine the severity of inflammatory changes, increased protein C-reactive in blood plasma - an important laboratory diagnostic test.
- X-ray examination allows you to see a characteristic picture of inflamed joint surfaces.
- MRI is the most informative method for detecting inflammatory changes inside the joint capsule.
- Doppler ultrasound is used.
- In difficult cases, arthroscopy can be performed for differential diagnosis and treatment.
A fairly informative method that allows you to establish a diagnosis, differentiate arthrosis or arthritis, is an X-ray examination. Depending on the identified changes, the degree of deformation of the intra-articular cartilage and the width of the joint space, four degrees of pathological changes in arthrosis are distinguished.
Arthritis, principles of treatment
Treatment of arthritis is long-term, the main goal is to cure the disease that caused inflammatory changes in the joint capsule or to achieve a long-term course of the disease without relapse, to prevent the development ofirreversible changes, deformities, improve the quality and life expectancy of patients.
For treatment are widely used:
- Medical methods of influence. Depending on the etiological factor, the following are used: antibacterials, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, the introduction of anti-inflammatory drugs directly into the joint cavity, in severe forms of a rheumatic disease, chemotherapeutic drugs are prescribed.
- Non-drug treatment. An important role is played by physiotherapy exercises, adherence to a diet, a healthy lifestyle - quitting smoking, alcohol, physiotherapy, timely orthopedic care and correction of existing disorders, prevention of exacerbations of concomitant diseases.
- The surgical method is not the method of choice in treatment. This is a way to help patients in especially difficult cases - with the development of serious complications, a severe pain syndrome, the ineffectiveness of the first two methods of treatment. It has limits and certain indications for the appointment.
Osteoarthritis, treatment
Rheumatoid arthrosis is treated in a complex, includes:
- Non-drug therapy. In rheumatoid arthritis, treatment includes physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, protective diet, load reduction, weight loss diet.
- Medical treatment is associated with pain relief. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs are more often prescribed.
- Surgical methods of treatment: plastic, arthrodesis, prostheses of large joints (knee, hip).
Prevention of exacerbations
Due to the possibility of a prolonged and chronic course of the disease, the development of complications, regardless of the cause of their occurrence, patients are subject to constant or long-term observation, rehabilitation measures designed taking into accountaccount of individual characteristics and the nature of the disease.
Important preventive values are:
- Treatment of inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, a complex of rehabilitation measures after injuries.
- Restriction of loads, healthy lifestyle, good rational nutrition as a factor in the fight against excess weight.
- Timely orthopedic correction of bone deformities acquired during life.
Remember that at the first sign of trouble, it is important to quickly contact a specialist. Late initiation of treatment increases the risk of possible negative consequences of the disease.