In this article, consider osteoarthritis of the peripheral joints. What is this disease?
In medical practice, there are more than a hundred varieties of articular pathologies, but the most common among them is osteoarthritis. Pathology is characterized by changes in the joints of the degenerative-dystrophic type, followed by a violation of cartilage, muscle and bone tissues.
People often ask: what are peripheral joints? Let's figure it out.
Not so long ago, osteoarthritis was considered a disease characteristic of the elderly, but the pathology has become younger, and cases of the disease are increasingly being recorded in middle-aged patients in the range of 30-40 years. Consider this pathology in more detail.
Description and forms of osteoarthritis
At the initial stage of the development of the pathology of peripheral joints, minimal changes in hyaline cartilage occur. In the future, adjacent tissues are also affected. The disease becomes chronic over timeaccompanied by damage to the synovial joints. The basis of pathogenesis in osteoarthritis is a violation of the metabolic process in cartilage tissues. In this case, we are talking about the predominance of the catabolic process over the metabolic one. Pathology becomes more pronounced when there is a violation in the production of enzymes.
There are two main forms of osteoarthritis:
- Localized.
- Generalized.
Sometimes experts also subdivide osteoarthritis into other forms depending on the extent of damage to the body, naming, for example, coxarthrosis and other types.
Reasons
The natural aging process of the body, inadequate and unbalanced nutrition of cartilage, as well as various pathological processes that provoke premature wear of cartilage tissue can be factors in the occurrence of osteoarthritis. When the disease begins to progress, s alts accumulate in the joint tissues, which leads to a systematic deformation.
Generalized type of osteoarthritis is localized in various areas of the body and occurs in approximately 15% of the general population. Women are most often susceptible to the development of pathology. With age, the likelihood of osteoarthritis increases.
Large peripheral joints are affected. Which ones? And these are the ones that bear the brunt.
This includes pelvic joints or knees. Most often, the following categories of patients suffer from pathology:
- Athletes.
- People whoseprofessional activity is associated with hard physical labor.
- Overweight people.
Concomitant diseases often become osteochondrosis and spondylosis. Small joints may also be involved in the pathological process. The exact causes of osteoarthritis have not been clarified, but a link has been established with a genetic predisposition. The acquired form of the disease is not excluded.
Clinical manifestations
The pathological process in the form of osteoarthritis cannot occur without a reason. Its appearance is accompanied by prerequisites in the form of non-intense pain in the joints during physical exertion.
Characteristic manifestations of the pathology of peripheral joints are:
- Pain in the joints, movement limitation in the morning. The pain appears both in motion and in a state of calm.
- At the initial stage, pain appears during movement, but disappears with increasing activity, which facilitates the process of diagnosis.
- Against the background of synovitis, swelling appears. The affected joint increases in size, which provokes a violation of the integrity of the ligaments.
- When the pathology progresses, joint jamming often occurs. Soreness appears even with little physical exertion.
- At the last stages of the development of osteoarthritis, there is a pronounced limitation of mobility, as well as joint deformity.
When contacting a doctor, the specialist must take into account the manifestedsymptoms for making the correct diagnosis and choosing the correct therapeutic regimen.
Treatment
Only a qualified specialist, on the basis of the examination and thorough examination, can prescribe the treatment of osteoarthritis of the peripheral joints and spine. The basic rules of therapy include:
- Compliance with the regime and proper nutrition. In the presence of overweight, it will be necessary to direct all efforts to eliminate this problem. Therapy in this case will be aimed at reducing the physical load on the affected joint. This will prevent relapse and overload. Patients are advised to choose firm mattresses, as well as chairs and armchairs. Soft upholstery should be excluded. Additional materials are also used, such as corsets, knee pads, canes, etc.
- Medications for pathologies of peripheral joints. The list of these drugs, as a rule, includes highly effective, high-quality drugs. In some cases, the doctor may decide to use local remedies. This is done to minimize adverse reactions.
- Treatment of joint deformity consists of taking glucocorticosteroids, that is, various hormonal drugs.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures - acupuncture, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy.
Specialists may also prescribe oxygen injections. Also, in some cases, treatment is carried out withlaser. It helps to reduce inflammation, restore tissue and eliminate pain.
Spondyloarthritis with lesions of the peripheral joints is a chronic systemic disease, which is caused by inflammatory and degenerative changes in the spine. Subsequently, ankylosis is formed - areas of complete immobility, arising due to the fusion of the vertebral bones with each other. A certain rigidity of the spinal column is formed - that is, it acts as a single conglomerate, resembling one solid bone.
Physiotherapy treatments
This method of treatment is indicated after the inflammation of the joints has been relieved with medication, and the pain syndrome has also been eliminated. To consolidate the effect of the therapy, a therapeutic massage is recommended.
Sometimes patients are prescribed self-massage, which is carried out after physical therapy, in order to improve blood circulation and increase muscle tone. Gymnastic exercises should be as safe and painless as possible. Acupressure has proven itself well among patients and professionals.
Therapeutic exercises are performed in a sitting or lying position. It is important not to expose the affected peripheral joints to excessive stress, all exercises are performed smoothly and measuredly. Therapeutic exercise provides a rush of blood to the affected areas of the body, improves cartilage nutrition and strengthens the muscles.
Another effective procedure is paraffin compresses. They allow you to quickly remove inflammation. Also effective is barotherapy, which promotesstimulation of blood circulation. Mud baths are no less effective.
Unconventional therapies
Apitherapy is a treatment using bee venom containing apitoxin. This component is saturated with many useful substances. It has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. With the help of bee venom, joint mobility is restored and pain is eliminated. Treatment with apitoxin is contraindicated in case of an allergic reaction.
Hirudotherapy
Hirudotherapy has also proven itself in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Leeches produce a substance that relieves swelling and has an analgesic effect. Limitations for the use of leeches are pregnancy, anemia, bleeding disorders, as well as an individual reaction to hirudin.
Folk remedy
Olive oil stands out among the most popular folk remedy for osteoarthritis. It is heated and applied to the focus of inflammation. A mixture of honey, milk and valerian drops is also made to treat the affected joint.
To prevent the development of osteoarthritis of the peripheral joints and spine, you must follow a few rules:
- Balanced nutrition.
- Moderate exercise.
- Normalization of body weight.
Conclusions
Thus, osteoarthritis is in most cases the result of neglect ofown he alth. A person needs to observe the regime of work and rest and protect himself from both excessive physical exertion and malnutrition, which can lead to weight gain.
