Osteoarthritis is a progressive pathology that leads to dystrophy and degeneration of articular surfaces and cartilage damage, up to its complete destruction in the joint area.
Usually, deforming osteoarthritis is detected in old age and old age, in the presence of concomitant factors and diseases, it is often detected during examinations, but does not appear clinically.
Osteoarthritis is the most common and widespread pathology of the joints. Occurs in 70% of all joint diseases.
Causes
The exact cause of osteoarthritis deformity has not yet been clarified, but several factors have been identified that reliably increase the possibility of its development. First of all, these are general aging of the body and dystrophic phenomena in tissues, changes in cartilage and joint capsules.
Factors influencing the development of osteoarthritis can be divided into:
- external - these include joint overload (for example, due to weight lifting), permanent injuries, occupational impacts, joint hypothermia,
- internal - this is the impact of heredity with large ligament extension and joint weakness, ovarian dysfunction and climate change in women, vascular accidents, impaired blood circulation to cartilage tissue, obesity.
Osteoarthritis deformity, as one of the symptoms, can be with alcoholism or myxedema, acromegaly or with hormone treatment, with congenital hip displacement, Marfan syndrome (an inherited disease characterized by excessive joint mobility and tubular bone elongation). joint stiffness)
Stages of development
In the development of deforming osteoarthritis, there are a number of regular successive stages that replace each other:
- reduction of cartilage water, which leads to its thinning and drying,
- formation of defects and cracks in cartilage,
- cartilage destruction with a simultaneous sharp narrowing of the articular space,
- the disappearance of cartilage from the bone margins,
- compensatory compression of the bone margins, which were left without a cartilage surface,
- joint dislocation with dislocations, fractures, and limb dysfunction.
Symptoms of deforming osteoarthritis
First of all, the main manifestation of osteoarthritis deformity is
- joint pain, worse after exercise or at night,
- individual nodes are affected,
- affected nodes are not symmetrical,
- at the same time, there are no common manifestations of joint damage,
- without fever
- there is no strong redness of the joints,
- without changes in analysis.
The process often occurs in the ankle, knee, hips or interphalangeal joints.
If the disease progresses to the degree of cartilage destruction, painful blockage of the joint occurs, when you walk, strong pain appears, which does not allow the legs to move and makes it stop. This is due to pieces of cartilage or small fragments of bone (articular "mice") that enter the joint cavity.
In the area of the joints in the phalanx, nodular formations appear, very strong, while the joints are not very deformed, the muscles do not undergo atrophy and there is no ankylosis (immobility of the joints).
Inside the joints, when moving, a crackle is heard due to the rubbing of uneven surfaces against each other.
Pain and limited mobility can cause contractures (muscle contractions), which shorten the legs or arms.
Osteoarthritis deformity in its manifestations is similar to different forms of arthritis, first of all it must be distinguished from rheumatoid arthritis.
diagnostic
There are no typical criteria for the diagnosis of deforming osteoarthritis; it can only be recognized from the outside by the joints in the phalanges of the fingers. Osteoarthritis is suspected when:
- typical joint damage,
- long-term development of the disease over many years,
- elderly patient.
The basis of the diagnosis are X-ray data that appear even before the period of clinical manifestations and pain syndrome.
There is a narrowing of the joint space, a change with the flattening and deformation of the joint surfaces, instability in the joint area with displacement and subluxations, marginal bone growth, osteosclerosis (excessive increase in bone density) are evident.
As the process progresses, the spines and bumps of bone are revealed, the joint space can become wedge-shaped.
The study is completed with arthroscopy, a blood test without signs of inflammation.
It is necessary to do a study of periarticular fluid.
Treatment of deforming osteoarthritis
Treatment is performed by traumatologists and orthopedists.
Methods for treating deforming osteoarthritis depend on the degree of involvement of the joints in the process, as well as on the duration of the lesion and the presence of pain.
First of all, conservative therapy is used.
- reducing stress on the joints,
- weight loss,
- use of metabolites - a course of aloe or vitreous body intramuscularly in courses,
- use cartilage restoration stimulants in intramuscular injections in courses.
Complements the treatment:
- use of quinolone drugs,
- anti-inflammatory therapy.
If there is inflammation in the joint, a course of hormones inside the joint is indicated.
Also used a complex of massages, physiotherapeutic effects, mud therapy, thermal effects. Bath treatment is helpful.
In advanced cases, surgical treatment helps - joint arthroplasty. In the future, knot discharge, weight loss, walking with support on a cane or crutches, physiotherapy exercises appear.
prediction
Osteoarthritis deformity without the necessary treatment has a slow but continuous progressive course. Leads to significant joint dysfunction and dysfunction, movement disorders. Therefore, when the first signs of osteoarthritis appear, active therapy is indicated, lasting in courses of 1-2 months.