Osteoarthritis and arthritis are diseases characterized by pathological changes in the joints, however the difference between arthritis and arthrosis is significant. To understand the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis, it is necessary to consider the etiological factors, pathogenesis, symptoms of arthritis and arthrosis. The treatment of osteoarthritis and arthritis also has different approaches.
What is arthritis, osteoarthritis? How do joint injuries manifest in arthritis and osteoarthritis, what's the difference? In osteoarthritis and arthritis, the differences are due to the mechanism of onset of pathological changes.
The treatment of osteoarthritis and arthritis is long-term, multi-component. Often, due to untimely treatment, arthritis and osteoarthritis can be considered as later stages of the disease process. Having understood what arthritis and osteoarthritis are, we will determine the differences between osteoarthritis and arthritis.
Arthritis, classification
Arthritis - due to inflammatory changes, it combines both the pathology of the joints themselves, and 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 arthritis, rheumatoid, ankylosing spondylitis, Still's disease, others.
- Secondary: complications of an infectious and non-infectious process (reactive with chlamydial infection, hepatitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, septic lesions).
By the number of joints affected:
- Monoarthritis - with the defeat of a single joint.
- Polyarthritis - when a 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 resolution of an acute condition.
- Chronic arthritis - with a cleared clinical picture, a slow course, periods of attenuation and exacerbation.
Osteoarthritis, classification
Deforming osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthrosis 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, which leads to irreversible deformities of the affected joint surfaces, dysfunctions and disabilities of the patient.
- Idiopathic - no known cause. The pathological process is based on an autoimmune mechanism of damage (primary rheumatoid arthrosis in young patients).
- Secondary osteoarthritis is the result of metabolic disorders, trauma and inflammation. For example, rheumatoid arthritis that occurred after suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis, causes
The risk factors are:
- Violation of metabolic processes in the body.
- Hereditary predisposition factor.
- Infectious diseases.
- States of immunodeficiency, presence of autoimmune diseases, allergic manifestations.
- Increased load on the musculoskeletal system due to professional activity, a traumatic component.
Arthrosis, causes
The risk factors for the development of osteoarthritis are:
- Age. Osteoarthritis is a disease of the elderly, with the exception of rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs in adolescence. According to WHO statistics, about 10% of the world population suffers from arthropathies.
- Physical overload, injury, excess weight, which increases the load on the joint. Large joints suffer more than others: hip - coxarthrosis, knee - gonarthrosis.
- Hereditary factor: features of metabolic processes, structure of cartilage tissue.
- Previous inflammatory processes without adequate therapy.
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, more often it is permanent, it does not depend on physical activity.
- Hyperemia of the skin of the joint area, increased local temperature (the joint area becomes hot to the touch), pronounced edema.
- The presence of effusion (liquid) in the cavity of the joint bag. Microbiological and cytological examination of the fluid from the inflamed cavity is important for the diagnosis, establishing the causal factor. The knee joints are most commonly affected. The presence of an inflammatory nature of the fluid within the joint capsule is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
- Extra-articular manifestations of the underlying disease: fever, vascular damage - vasculitis, heart valves, lung diseases - alveolitis, pneumonia, kidney damage - nephritis, skin manifestations, hematological changes - anemia, increased number of platelets in the peripheral blood.
- Limitation of range of motion in the joint, dysfunction.
Arthrosis, symptoms
Symptoms of osteoarthritis are caused by prolonged malnutrition, blood rush to the cartilage plaque. Cartilage loses its elasticity, thins, while growths - osteophytes - are formed from the bone tissue inside the joint cavity, irreversibly deforming the joint surface, disrupting functionality, causing pain and significantly limiting mobility.
- Ache. The onset of the disease is characterized by moderate intensity, pain, constant pain. Strengthening of the pain syndrome is associated with an increase in dystrophic changes in cartilage and deformities. The pain can vary, be temporary: from stiffness in the morning, to constant and subside during the day. A rapid and intense increase in pain is a bad prognostic sign.
- visible deformation.
- Functional disorders: flexion, extension.
- Characteristic crunch when moving.
- The development of joint immobility leads to patient disability.
Osteochondrosis is a common pathological condition of the spine, based on the same changes in cartilage as in osteoarthritis.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of arthritis and osteoarthritis aims to identify the underlying cause of the disease, determine the degree of activity of the process, assess the prognosis and effectiveness of treatment, and timely diagnose complications 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.
- The distinctive features of arthritis of various etiologies are: an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, an increase in the level of leukocytes in the peripheral blood, which allows to determine the severity of inflammatory changes, an increase in C-reactive protein in the blood plasma - a important diagnostic laboratory test.
- X-ray examination allows you to see a characteristic image for inflammatory joint surfaces.
- MRI is the most informative method of detecting inflammatory changes within the joint capsule.
- Doppler ultrasound is used.
- In difficult cases, arthroscopy can be performed for the purpose of differential diagnosis and treatment.
A fairly informative method that allows you to establish a diagnosis, differentiate osteoarthritis or arthritis is an X-ray examination. Depending on the identified changes, the degree of deformation of the intraarticular cartilage and the width of the joint space, four degrees are distinguished of pathological changes in arthrosis.
Arthritis, principles of care
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 without relapses of the disease, prevent the development of irreversible changes, deformities, improve quality and life expectancy of patients.
For the treatment are widely used:
- Medical methods of influence. Depending on the etiological factor, they are used: antibacterial, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, the introduction of anti-inflammatory drugs directly into the joint cavity, in severe forms of rheumatic disease, chemotherapy 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 ailments, prevention of exacerbations of concomitant diseases.
- The surgical method is not the method of choice in treatment. This is a means of helping patients in particularly difficult cases - with the development of severe complications, severe pain syndrome, ineffectiveness of the first two methods of treatment. It has limitations and certain indications for the appointment.
Osteoarthritis, treatment
Rheumatoid arthrosis is treated in a complex, it includes:
- Non-drug therapy. In rheumatoid arthrosis, treatment includes physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, protective regimen, load reduction, diet, weight loss.
- Medical treatment is associated with pain relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs are most often prescribed.
- Surgical methods of treatment: plastic, arthrodesis, large joint prosthesis (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, rehabilitative measures designed taking into account the individual characteristics and nature of the the illness.
Important preventive values are:
- Treatment of inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, a complex of rehabilitation measures after injuries.
- Limitation of loads, a healthy lifestyle, proper rational nutrition as a factor in the fight against excess weight.
- Timely orthopedic correction of bone deformities acquired in the course of life.
Remember, at the first sign of problems, it is important to contact a specialist in a timely manner. Late initiation of treatment increases the risk of possible negative consequences of the disease.