Arthrosis and arthritis are diseases characterized by pathological changes in the joints, however, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis is significant. In order to understand the difference between arthritis and arthrosis, it is necessary to consider the etiological factors, pathogenesis, symptoms of arthritis and arthrosis. The treatment of arthrosis and arthritis also has different approaches.
What is arthritis, arthrosis? How are joint lesions manifested in arthritis and arthrosis, what is the difference? In arthrosis and arthritis, the differences are due to the mechanism of occurrence of pathological changes.
Arthrosis and arthritis treatment is long-term, multicomponent. Often, as a result of untimely treatment, arthritis and arthrosis can be considered as successive stages of the pathological process. Having understood what arthritis and arthrosis are, we will determine the differences between arthrosis 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 an infectious, non-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 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 resolving an acute condition.
- Chronic arthritis - with an erased clinical picture, a slow course, periods of attenuation and exacerbation.
Osteoarthritis, classification
Deforming osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthrosis or arthrosis 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 arthrosis of the joints and arthritis, leading to irreversible deformities of the affected articular surfaces, dysfunction, and disability 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 arose after suffering rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis, causes
Risk factors are:
- Violation of metabolic processes in the body.
- Factor of hereditary predisposition.
- Infectious diseases.
- Immunodeficiency states, the presence of autoimmune diseases, allergic manifestations.
- Increased load on the musculoskeletal system due to professional activity, traumatic component.
Arthrosis, causes
Risk factors for developing 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's 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, cartilage tissue structure.
- Preceding inflammatory processes without proper 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, does not depend on physical activity.
- Hyperemia of the skin of the joint area, local temperature increase (the joint area becomes hot to the touch), pronounced edema.
- The presence of effusion (fluid) in the cavity of the articular bag. Microbiological, cytological examination of the fluid from the inflamed cavity are important for diagnosis, establishing the causative factor. The knee joints are more commonly affected. The presence of an inflammatory nature of the fluid inside the joint capsule is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis of the knee joint.
- Extra-articular manifestations of the underlying disease: fever, vascular damage - vasculitis, heart valves, lung disease - alveolitis, pulmonitis, kidney damage - nephritis, skin manifestations, hematological changes - anemia, an increase in the number of peripheral blood platelets.
- Limitation of range of motion in the joint, dysfunction.
Osteoarthritis, symptoms
Symptoms of arthrosis are caused by prolonged malnutrition, blood supply to the cartilaginous plate. The cartilage loses its elasticity, becomes thinner, while growths - osteophytes - form from the bone tissue inside the joint cavity, irreversibly deforming the articular surface, disrupting functionality, causing pain, and significantly limiting mobility.
- Pain. The onset of the disease is characterized by moderate intensity, aching, constant pain. Strengthening of the pain syndrome is associated with an increase in dystrophic changes in the cartilage and deformities. The pain may vary, be temporary: from morning stiffness, to constant and subside during the day. A rapid, intense increase in pain is a poor prognostic sign.
- visible deformation.
- Functional disorders: flexion, extension.
- Characteristic crunch when moving.
- Developing immobility of the joint leads to disability of patients.
Osteochondrosis is a common pathological condition of the spine, based on the same changes in cartilage as in arthrosis.
Diagnostics
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 the 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, bacteriological studies.
- Distinctive features of arthritis of various etiologies are: an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, an increase in the level of leukocytes in peripheral blood, which makes it possible to determine the severity of inflammatory changes, an increase in C-reactive protein in blood plasma - an important laboratory diagnostic test.
- X-ray examination allows you to see a characteristic picture for inflammatory articular surfaces.
- MRI is the most informative method for detecting inflammatory changes inside the joint capsule.
- Doppler ultrasonography is used.
- In difficult cases, it is possible to perform arthroscopy for the purpose of 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 intraarticular 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 achieve a long-term relapse-free course of the disease, prevent the development of irreversible 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: antibacterial, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, the introduction of anti-inflammatory drugs directly into the articular 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 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
Arthrosis rheumatoid is treated in a complex, includes:
- Non-drug therapy. In rheumatoid arthrosis, treatment includes physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, protective regimen, load reduction, dieting, weight loss.
- Medical treatment is associated with pain relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs are more often prescribed.
- Surgical methods of treatment: plastic, arthrodesis, prosthetics of large joints (knee, hip).
Prevention of exacerbations
Due to the possibility of a protracted, 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 account the individual characteristics and nature of the disease.
Important preventive value are:
- Treatment of inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, a complex of rehabilitation measures after injuries.
- Restriction 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 trouble, 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.