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. There are also different approaches to treating osteoarthritis and arthritis.
What is arthritis, arthrosis? How are joint lesions manifested in arthritis and arthrosis, what is the difference? In osteoarthritis and arthritis, the differences are due to the mechanism of the occurrence of pathological changes.
The treatment of arthrosis and arthritis is a long-term multi-component treatment. As a result of untimely treatment, arthritis and arthrosis can often be considered consecutive stages of the pathological process. Now that we understand 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 a symptom of other diseases that appear with their defeat. How to treat arthritis depends on determining the cause that caused the inflammatory process.
Depending on 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 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 an erased clinical picture, a slow course, periods of weakening and exacerbation.
Osteoarthritis, classification
Deforming osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or arthrosis is a disease based on degenerative changes that are accompanied by 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 articular surfaces, dysfunction and disability of the patient.
- Idiopathic - no known cause. The pathological process is based on an autoimmune damage mechanism (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
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 strain on the musculoskeletal system through professional activity, traumatic component.
Osteoarthritis, 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 suffer 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 appropriate therapy.
Arthritis Symptoms
Regardless of the cause of the disease, the signs of the disease in the acute phase of the process and during the period of exacerbation of the chronic course of the disease have a similar clinical picture.
- 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 sac. Microbiological, cytological examination of the fluid from the inflamed cavity are important for the diagnosis to determine the causative factor. The knee joints are more commonly affected. The presence of an inflammatory nature of the fluid in 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, pulmonitis, kidney damage - nephritis, skin manifestations, hematological changes - anemia, increase in the number of peripheral blood platelets.
- Restricted movement in the joint, dysfunction.
Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Osteoarthritis symptoms are caused by prolonged malnutrition and blood supply to the cartilage plate. The cartilage loses its elasticity and becomes thinner, while the bone tissue in the joint cavity grows – osteophytes – that irreversibly deform the joint surface, disrupting its function, causing pain and significantly reducing mobility.
- Pains. The onset of the disease is characterized by moderate intensity, pain and constant pain. Amplification of the pain syndrome is associated with an increase in dystrophic changes in the cartilage and deformities. The pain can be variable, transient: from morning stiffness to constant pain that decreases throughout the day. A rapid, intense increase in pain is a poor prognostic sign.
- visible deformation.
- Functional disorders: flexion, extension.
- Characteristic crunching when moving.
- The development of immobility of the joint leads to disability in patients.
Osteochondrosis is a common pathological disease of the spine, which is based on the same cartilage changes as in arthrosis.
diagnosis
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 diagnosis of the complications of the disease.
The complex of diagnostic tests includes general clinical laboratory tests, instrumental examinations of the liver, kidneys, X-ray diagnostic measures, microscopic, bacteriological examinations.
- Distinctive features of arthritis of various etiologies are: an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation, an increase in the level of leukocytes in the peripheral blood, which makes it possible to determine the severity of inflammatory changes, an increase in the level of C-reactive protein in the blood plasma - an important diagnostic laboratory test.
- X-ray examination allows you to see a characteristic picture for inflamed articular surfaces.
- MRI is the most meaningful method to detect inflammatory changes within the joint capsule.
- Doppler ultrasound is used.
- In difficult cases, arthroscopy can be performed for differential diagnosis and therapy.
A fairly informative method that allows you to make a diagnosis, distinguish arthrosis or arthritis is an X-ray examination. Depending on the detected 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 treatment principles
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 recurrence-free course of the disease, to prevent the development of irreversible changes, deformities, improve quality andlife expectancy of patients.
For treatment are widely used:
- Medical methods of influence. Depending on the etiological factor, the following are used: antibacterial, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, the introduction of anti-inflammatory drugs directly into the joint cavity, in severe forms of rheumatic disease, chemotherapeutic drugs are prescribed.
- Non-drug treatment. An important role is played by physiotherapeutic exercises, adherence to a diet, a healthy lifestyle - smoking cessation, alcohol, physical therapy, 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 tool to help patients in particularly difficult cases - with the development of serious complications, severe pain syndrome, ineffectiveness of the first two methods of treatment. It has limitations and specific notices for appointment.
osteoarthritis, treatment
Rheumatoid arthrosis is treated in a complex, which includes:
- Non-drug therapy. With rheumatoid arthrosis, treatment includes physiotherapeutic exercises, physiotherapy, protective measures, load reduction, diet, weight loss.
- Drug treatment is associated with pain relief. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs are prescribed more often.
- Surgical methods of treatment: plastic, arthrodesis, prosthetics of large joints (knees, hips).
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 values are:
- Treatment of inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, a complex of rehabilitation measures after injuries.
- Exercise limitation, healthy lifestyle, proper, rational diet as a factor in the fight against obesity.
- Timely orthopedic correction of bone deformities acquired throughout life.
Remember that it is important to contact a specialist in time at the first sign of trouble. Starting treatment late increases the risk of possible negative consequences of the disease.