Arthritis and arthrosis are complex diseases affecting the joints. Because of similar symptoms, many people think these diseases are the same, but they are not. Arthritis and arthrosis are different from the causes of the disease, the nature of its development, the area of the lesion, and require completely different treatments.
Suppose two people see a doctor who complains of joint pain. One was diagnosed with arthritis and the other with arthrosis. While both patients were sitting in line, it was time to discuss their health issues a bit.
Their symptoms turned out to be very similar: the joints ache, do not bend / bend at full strength, do not provide rest either at night or during the day. Even the diagnoses are consonant, but still different. What is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis when both diseases affect the joints?
What is arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory disorder of the joint. It is always preceded by damage to the bone or cartilage tissue by some factor.
Biologically active substances are released from the killed cells, which triggers an inflammatory reaction. The blood vessels in the lesion dilate, filling with blood: this causes immune cells to appear in the joint tissue to fight the damaging factor.
At the same time, the liquid part of the blood leaves the vascular bed and edema develops, which limits the area of inflammation. This protects the body from extensive damage caused by bacteria, foreign bodies and chemicals.
After complete or partial removal of the pathogen, the healing mechanism is initiated. If the damage was less, normal tissue function is restored. Deep defects are healed by a scar - an area of coarse connective tissue that does not perform the normal function of the organ.
Arthritis goes through all of these stages:
- change - damage;
- secretion - development of edema;
- proliferation - healing.
Causes
The causes of the disease are great, here are the main ones:
- Streptococcal infection (tonsillitis, scarlet fever) often causes a complication - rheumatism;
- aggressive autoantibodies - proteins that the body produces to fight its own tissues; such a situation is caused by a defect in immune protection, as a result of which the joints are perceived as a foreign element to the body - rheumatoid arthritis;
- Violation of purine metabolism leads to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints - gout;
- allergic reactions may be accompanied by the development of an inflammatory reaction in the joint tissues - allergic arthritis;
- long-term use of certain drugs causes inflammation (isoniazid, D-penicillins, hydralazine, holes) - drug for arthritis;
- bacteria are carried in the bloodstream or during surgery - infectious arthritis;
- Viral or bacterial infections of any location can indirectly affect joint tissue - this is reactive arthritis;
- Acute trauma - recent damage (shock, bruising, capsule rupture).
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by an acute initial stage, i. e. , in the background of overall health, a person has sharp pain in the joint. Autoimmune forms are characterized by symmetrical damage to small joints - interphalangeal on the fingers, wrists, elbows.
Gout in the vast majority of cases begins with inflammation of the joint between the thumb and foot. In the case of bacterial and reactive arthritis, the large joints are usually affected on one side: the knee, hip, sacral (at the junction of the bones of the spine and pelvis).
Rheumatism develops in the background of fever and general weakness, which is usually preceded by angina. Severe inflammation of the bones, cartilage and joints can occur with fever, general poisoning: headache, weakness, loss of appetite.
The skin above the joint turns red and feels hotter than other areas. Externally, it appears swollen and its volume increases. If the lesion occurred on only one side, the difference between a healthy limb and a patient is visible.
Restricted movement is associated with swelling and pain. If the joint cavity is slightly inflamed, it is almost completely functional. With a pronounced pathological reaction, the entire synovial cavity can be filled with fluid - in this case, mobility is sharply limited.
Management
Treatment is given by a GP, rheumatologist or traumatologist - if the cause is mechanical damage. The goal of therapy is to eliminate the provocative factor and stop the inflammation.
Bacterial and reactive arthritis requires antibiotics, autoimmune cytostatics or glucocorticoids, allergic glucocorticoids and antihistamines.
Inflammatory fluid is removed with a syringe or special suction during arthroscopy. The joint is immobilized throughout the period of acute inflammation. After the patient is presented with therapeutic exercises to restore joint mobility.
Medical Advice
Based on the personal practice and work experience of colleagues - in cases of arthritis of any etiology, compresses with gelatin have shown themselves to be good. They are easy to implement and inexpensive. The gauze should be folded in several layers, and the length and width should be sufficient for the sore joint. Immerse the folded gauze in hot water, squeeze, align. Sprinkle a thin layer of gelatin on top, roll up so that it is inside like in a bag and does not spill out. Lay it on the joint, wrap it on top with a polyethylene bag, secure it with bandage and / or adhesive tape. You can use a compress for up to 3 hours, twice a day for 2 weeks. In general, the effect of use is 4-5. It can be felt on the day, but therapy must be continued to achieve the desired result, if the course is interrupted, the pain will return.
What is arthrosis
Arthrosis (otherwise known as osteoarthritis) is a degenerative-dystrophic disease. This is based on a deterioration in the nutrition of the articular cartilage, a slowdown in healing and a gradual thinning.
Simply put, the cartilage layer wears out faster than it rebuilds. Bony joint surfaces are exposed. They are not as smooth as cartilage and rub against each other with effort. The bone plates are partially destroyed, a mild chronic inflammation develops.
As the disease progresses, bone spikes grow in the joint - a protective tissue response to permanent damage. They interfere with the sliding of the surfaces together and impair the mobility of the joint.
In most people, osteoarthritis begins to develop after 30 to 40 years, lasts for years, and has mild to moderate symptoms.
Osteoarthritis of the vertebral joints is commonly referred to as osteochondrosis.
Causes
There are predisposing factors that cause the pathology to develop and complicate its course at an early age:
- heavy physical activity among athletes;
- obesity;
- history of joint injury;
- vascular disease;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- violation of the normal configuration of the joint, such as with flat legs;
- prolonged vibration;
- in women - hormonal imbalance or menopause.
Symptoms
Large joints on one side are usually affected: knee, hip, sacral. The disease begins unnoticed. At first, the pain is rarely disturbed and involves significant physical exertion.
Discomfort will disappear on the same day or in a few days if the person is able to rest. As the disease progresses, the intensity of pain increases, occurring even under normal daily stress.
Joint mobility gradually decreases and is completely lost in the outcome of the disease. The patient's limb movements cause severe pain. Arthritis can be exacerbated by the type of arthritis - fluid accumulates in the joint cavity, the skin above it turns red and becomes hot. Once the inflammatory reaction has abated, the course of the disease returns to its previous course.
Management
Arthrosis is treated by a traumatologist, orthopedist, sometimes a surgeon. The goal of therapy is to restore metabolic processes in the cartilage, improve the nutrition of the joints, and eliminate the inflammatory response. Treatment can be lifelong, continuous, or medication.
In the interictal period, chondroprotectors are prescribed in the form of tablets and ointments, therapeutic exercises, and massages. In case of exacerbation, chondroprotectors are administered intravenously or intramuscularly, together with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. The traumatologist can deliver preservatives directly to the joint every few months.
Advanced stages of the disease require surgery to replace the patient's joint with an artificial one.
Differences between diseases
| Function | Arthritis | Arthrosis |
| Cause of Illness | Inflammation | Cartilage degeneration |
| Process | Acute, chronic, with exacerbations | Chronic |
| Pain | Intense from the start, more pronounced in the morning | Weak at the beginning of the disease, gradually increasing. Increases in the evening and after exercise |
| Movements | "Scatter" required - joints are least mobile after sleep in the morning | Mobility gradually decreases, no morning rigidity |
| Affected joints | The small joints of the hands and feet are symmetrically affected. The big ones have a bacterial infection | One or more large joints on different sides of the body |
| Blood test | Severe inflammatory changes in general blood tests, rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, antibodies to pathogens | No characteristic change |
| X-ray | Increased changes, osteoporosis - bone loss, bone cysts | Gradual changes, deformation of the joint space, appearance of bone spikes and outgrowths. |
| Basic handling | Anti-inflammatory | Chondroprotectors |
A similar feature of both diseases is the progressive course and the gradual loss of mobility. Autoimmune arthritis often occurs at a young age when a person is still unsure of their health.
Keep in mind that all long-term joint pain occurs under certain conditions - this is a serious reason to see a doctor. It is important to diagnose the disease in time and start treatment in order to slow down the development of the pathological process.