According to statistics, every third person in the world suffers from one or another joint disease. Currently, there are more and more reasons for this disease. In some, the disease develops due to a genetic predisposition, while in others it develops due to metabolic disorders. In addition, there are other factors that contribute to the development of joint disease.
Why is this happening?
It should be emphasized that the appearance of problems with the joints is largely a modern disease, since the main causes are the factors surrounding the person:
- Physical inactivity, which manifests itself in the absence of physical activity in the proper amount. This leads to a significant weakening of the muscles, and in addition, to an increase in body weight. Thus, the load on the joints increases, which, unfortunately, does not make them he althier.
- Living in a bad environment along with the wrongfood turns out to be the cause of allergies, which can indirectly affect the development of an inflammatory or degenerative process in the joints.
- The fast rhythm of life, which is expressed in the absence of time for a visit to the doctor. Diseases of the joints of the hands are not so rare.
On top of everything else, a person may simply underestimate the seriousness of a doctor's professional help. People, as a rule, consider joint problems to be a mere trifle that does not require the attention of a specialist. As a result, such a careless attitude to he alth can lead to the fact that a neglected injury provokes damage to the articular tissue.
The condition of the joints is also affected by the age of the patient. The older a person is, the more his musculoskeletal system wears out, so you should be more careful about your he alth so as not to miss the symptoms of the disease.
Diseases of the joints today rank first among the ailments of the internal organs. Such pathologies in the advanced stage can lead to disability and, even worse, to disability. That is why the seriousness of such a disease should not be underestimated.
Classification of joint diseases
Let's consider the classification. In medicine, it is customary to divide joint diseases into two groups: dystrophic and inflammatory. Inflammatory diseases of the joints include arthritis, which is rheumatoid, tuberculous, gonorrheal, syphilitic, metabolic, and so on. And dystrophic diseases include arthrosis.
Arthritis and its manifestations
What are the diseases of the knee joint? Arthritis is an inflammation that usually manifests as the following symptoms:
- The appearance of pain, which can become especially acute during movement.
- Limited articular mobility.
- Change in the shape of the joint along with its swelling.
- Redness of the skin over the affected area.
- Increased body temperature.
There is chronic arthritis that develops gradually, and acute arthritis that starts suddenly and is accompanied by severe pain.
Causes of arthritis
These usually include the following factors:
- Presence of an injury.
- Diseases of the nervous system.
- Having allergies.
- A number of some infections.
- Metabolic disorders.
- Insufficient amounts of vitamins in the nutritious diet.
Types of arthritis
Certain joints are subject to different types of arthritis:
- Ankylosing spondylitis, which affects the articular tissues of the spine with the sacrum.
- The development of rheumatoid arthritis when the feet and hands are affected.
- Arthritis on the background of psoriasis. In this case, the interphalangeal joints of the hands are affected.
Diseases of the joints: bursitis
Among the inflammatory diseases of the joints, bursitis should also be distinguished. During this disease, the periarticular sac becomes inflamed. The disease is accompanied by the accumulation of inflammatory fluid. The main reasondevelopment of bursitis are injuries. A swelling forms around the joint, which is very painful during movement or on palpation. The functioning of the limb against the background of bursitis can be completely impaired.
Diagnosing this disease due to its superficial dislocation is quite simple: if it is present under the skin, you can feel hot and painful formations. Against the background of the chronic course of the disease, dense lumps can form, similar to a scar. In the case of a deep location, bursitis is more difficult to diagnose. This requires an X-ray or ultrasound examination. In this case, it is also recommended to pierce the joint bag in order to examine the fluid accumulated there.
Arthrosis as a degenerative disease
There are other diseases of the knee joint. The group of dystrophic pathologies is no less extensive. Specialists call dystrophic diseases of the joints arthrosis. Arthrosis is a pathology in which all elements of the joint are affected. Thus, cartilage, ligaments and periarticular muscles suffer. Arthrosis is manifested by the following symptoms:
- The presence of pain in the depth of the joint. Against this background, during physical exertion, the pain will increase, and at rest it will decrease.
- Presence of crunch.
- Limited mobility.
- Stiffness of movement in the morning.
The occurrence of arthrosis, which also refers to diseases of the shoulder joint, is influenced by several of the following factors:
- Presence of injuries or surgeries onjoints.
- Decrease in estrogen levels in women, which occurs as a result of hormonal diseases, and in addition, during or after menopause.
- Being overweight, resulting in increased stress on the joints.
- Genetic predisposition.
The most common are the following types of arthrosis:
- Gonarthrosis is a disease of the knee joint.
- Coxarthrosis is characterized by a degenerative process in the tissues of the hip joint.
- Periarthritis is a painful stiffness of the shoulder joints. Against the backdrop of a severe course of the disease, patients cannot even bring a spoon to their mouth due to excessively severe pain.
Goff's disease of the knee joint and other pathologies
Goff's disease is also called lipoarthritis. This is a pathology that was provoked by inflammation of adipose tissue in the pterygoid folds of the knee. The disease develops for 2 reasons:
1. Due to chronic injuries caused by excessive exercise (athletes are at risk).
2. As a result of a knee injury (often from adolescence).
Goff's disease of the knee in the acute period is characterized by some pronounced symptoms. Determining the disease is very simple. Symptoms:
- knee pain;
- increased edema;
- inability to fully extend the joint.
Late period:
- night pains;
- presence of crepitantsformations, when pressed, a crack occurs;
- inability to lean on a sore leg;
- decreased functionality of the femoral quadriceps;
- instability of the problem joint (looseness, undermining).
How does Schlatter's disease manifest itself?
As a result of the disease, blood circulation in the knee joint is disturbed, the core of the bone is gradually destroyed, and necrosis of the affected areas occurs.
The most negative factor influencing the appearance of the disease is injuries of various etiologies.
The first signs of the course of pathology are pain that occurs immediately after physical exertion. Some attribute the symptoms to a history of knee injury. Over time, Osgood-Schlatter disease provokes constant pain in the knee joint, swelling. Normal movements become difficult to perform.
Perthes' joint disease is also often diagnosed. This is a pathology in which the blood supply to the bones in the region of the femoral head is disturbed. The result is necrosis. It is the most common hip disorder affecting children aged 2 to 14.
Diagnostic Methods
There are quite a lot of methods for diagnosing joint diseases. For example, it is customary to perform arthroscopy of the joints. This method is the most common and is used not only for diagnosis, but also for the treatment of joints. As part of the diagnosis, arthroscopy is used to determine the cause of arthritis and arthrosis, and in addition, todetermination of the current state of the joints and synovial membrane at the first stages of the manifestation of pathology. The main advantage of arthroscopy over conventional surgery is that the joint does not open completely during the operation.
X-ray of hip disease is also a diagnostic method that analyzes the internal structure of a certain area of the body. As part of the application of this method, the image of the object of study is projected onto a special film by exposure to X-rays. In the treatment of joints, X-ray makes it possible to determine the fact of tissue tumors even at the initial stage of pathology development. In the course of the disease, radiography also helps to monitor bone erosion, which is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. Thanks to the pictures, you can also monitor the condition of the affected joints.
Today, computed tomography is a more advanced diagnostic technique compared to x-rays. But it is based on the same operating principle. Like X-ray diagnostics, X-rays are used as part of computed tomography. The image of bone structures is taken in layers and immediately processed by a computer. Pictures are immediately stored in digital form, which increases the possibility of information transfer. Thanks to the technology of layer-by-layer imaging, the device can obtain fairly clear images of the bone structure and soft tissue, which makes it possible to see the situation as a whole, and not in separate fragments, as is the case withX-ray.
In addition to the previous diagnostic method, joint diseases can be detected using magnetic resonance imaging. To date, this method of diagnosis is considered the most reliable, and in addition, accurate in order to establish the correct diagnosis. This method is widely used in leading clinics around the world. In addition, diagnostics using magnetic resonance imaging is considered the most harmless, since it does not use X-rays, which are somewhat dangerous for the human body.
Scintigraphy of the joints is another method used today to diagnose joint diseases. It is carried out using functional imaging, which involves obtaining an image of the internal region of the body as part of the process of recording emitted radiation from a radioactive isotope previously introduced through a contrast agent. This method helps to diagnose bone cancer. Also, thanks to him, it is possible to detect an open zone of bone growth.
Depending on what diseases of the joints torment a person, therapy is selected. The main thing is to contact a good specialist.
Treatment methods
Among the techniques aimed at treating diseases of the joints, the following therapy options are distinguished:
- Drug treatment.
- Blockade treatment.
- Physiotherapy treatment.
- Therapeutic gymnastics.
- Manual Therapy.
- Operation altechnique.
Medications that are prescribed to patients with arthrosis and arthritis differ mainly in their action, aimed only at relieving pain symptoms and inflammatory reactions. Thus, such drugs remove to some extent only painful manifestations, but do not eliminate the cause of the disease. We are talking about analgesics, including narcotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and in addition, corticosteroids, psychotropic drugs and muscle relaxants. Often use ointments with rubbing for external use.
When carrying out the blockade method, the anesthetic device is injected directly into the painful focus, into the so-called trigger point in the joint, and in addition, into the places of the nerve plexuses. As part of the physiotherapy, you can achieve the following results:
- Performing warm-up routines significantly reduces morning stiffness.
- Ultrasound massages the affected tissue.
- Electrical stimulation procedure improves joint nutrition.
Affected joints require movement, so under the guidance of a doctor, you should choose a special exercise program for exercise therapy. The doctor must determine their intensity.
In recent years, specialists have been using manual therapy to treat finger joint disease. It is thanks to her that the transition from power methods to softer and more gentle ones becomes possible. Such methods are ideal for the treatment of pathologically altered periarticular tissues. Techniquesmanual treatment involves reflex mechanisms that affect the improvement of metabolism in the affected articular elements, slowing down the degenerative processes in them. On the one hand, such techniques help to relieve pain, reducing the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, and on the other hand, they promote regeneration, starting the recovery process in the diseased organ.
Manual therapy does not have any side effects and does not lead to complications if all contraindications are taken into account, and the treatment itself is performed by an experienced doctor. Due to its safety, this type of treatment is by far the most relevant as a method of combating joint diseases. Before a manual therapy session, a massage is often performed as part of the preparatory procedure. Thanks to the massage, it is possible to warm up the muscles and reduce tension.
Surgical treatment is prescribed exclusively in hopeless, and, moreover, extremely neglected situations. True, before resorting to an operation, it is advisable to think a hundred times. After all, surgery is always a shock for any organism. In addition, arthrosis, in turn, is the result of an unsuccessful operation.
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that at present, people have the opportunity to completely cure leg joint diseases, and not just alleviate the condition for a while. The main thing at the same time is not to start the disease, and even more so not to self-medicate. Of course, at the first signs of developmentdisease, you should consult a doctor. Specialists conduct diagnostics, selecting an individual therapeutic course. The presence of modern sparing methods of treatment in the form of massages and manual therapy will make it possible to restore freedom of movement, thus significantly improving the quality of life. It is very important not to bring the case to dependence on narcotic pain medication, especially before surgery.
And in conclusion, it is worth mentioning that people should not forget about proper nutrition. After all, if a person has the right nutritious diet, this will certainly help the joints to remain he althy, thanks to which they will allow them to move freely and easily.
