The general opinion that only the elderly are susceptible to arthrosis of the joints is fundamentally wrong.This disease has a different etiology and can affect people of any age, gender and profession.
Among the reasons contributing to the development of arthrosis of the joints are the following:
- primary arthrosis (congenital weakening of articular cartilage);
- professional activity (sports, dancing, heavy physical work);
- diseases causing metabolic disorders;
- obesity;
- mechanical deformation of the joints (wearing narrow or incorrectly selected shoes);
- genetic predisposition.
This disease is characterized by critical thinning of the articular cartilage and deformation of the joint itself, which causes severe pain to the patient and significantly reduces motor activity.According to the WHO, osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of disability and disability in people worldwide.
Symptoms and complications of arthrosis
Arthrosis can affect both large joints (knee, hip, elbow, etc.) and small ones: joints of hands, fingers, feet.In the initial stage of the disease, pain appears in the joint, which becomes stronger as the disease progresses.When extending and bending the joint, a crunch may be heard and movements may become difficult.Progressive osteoarthritis causes the joint to enlarge and the area around the diseased joint becomes overly sensitive to touch, cold and heat.
In addition to severe pain and deformation of the joint, leading to cosmetic defects, arthrosis of the joints without treatment causes serious complications.The delay in treatment is fraught with the development of the following diseases:
- periarthritis (acute inflammation of the tissues around the diseased joint);
- synovitis (inflammation of the joint membrane);
- coxarthrosis (irreversible damage to the hip joint).
Complications of arthrosis of the joint, in turn, lead to complete immobility of the joint, which can become the initial stage of severe disability.
Treatment of arthrosis of the joints
The following methods are used in the treatment of arthrosis:
- medicinal
- physical therapy;
- surgically.
With the drug method, the treatment of arthrosis is aimed at improving cartilage nutrition and relieving pain (introduction of special nutritional gels into the peri-articular area and additional intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, gout and homeopathic drugs).
The physiotherapeutic method is aimed at improving blood supply to the joint and its mobility, as well as enhancing the effect of drug therapy.The list of physiotherapy means includes:
- Ultrasound therapy;
- reflexology;
- mud therapy;
- radon and hydrogen sulfide baths;
- impulse therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- laser therapy, etc.
The surgical method of treatment is aimed at removing bone formations that have arisen as a result of arthrosis of the joints and normalizing the size of the joint.This method is used only in combination with drug treatment and physiotherapy, since the doctor's task is to eliminate the very cause of arthrosis and reduce the risk of recurrence.
The clinic's diagnostic and treatment base provides accurate determination of the causes of joint arthrosis, the degree of joint damage, and also ensures the selection of the optimal treatment plan for each patient on an individual basis.The clinic's equipment allows the use of the most modern technologies for the treatment of arthrosis, aimed at eliminating this disease as quickly and effectively as possible.