The common belief that only elderly people 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 occupation.
Among the reasons that contribute to the development of arthrosis of the joints are the following:
- primary arthrosis (congenital weakening of joint cartilage);
- professional activity (sport, dance, heavy physical work);
- diseases that cause metabolic disorders;
- obesity;
- mechanical deformation of the joints (wearing narrow or incorrectly chosen shoes);
- genetic predisposition.
This disease is characterized by critical thinning of articular cartilage and deformation of the joint itself, which causes severe pain in 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, there is an aching pain in the joint, which becomes stronger as the disease progresses.When stretching and bending the joint, a creaking sound can be heard and movements become difficult.Progressive arthrosis causes the joint to enlarge and the area around the affected joint becomes hypersensitive to touch, cold and heat.
In addition to severe pain and deformation of the joint, which leads to cosmetic defects, arthrosis of the joints without treatment causes serious complications.Delay in treatment is burdened by the development of the following diseases:
- periarthritis (acute inflammation of the tissue surrounding the diseased joint);
- synovitis (inflammation of the joint membrane);
- coxarthrosis (irreversible damage to the hip joint).
Complications of joint arthrosis, 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:
- medical;
- physiotherapy;
- surgical.
Medical treatment of arthrosis is aimed at improving cartilage nutrition and relieving pain (introducing special nutritional gels into the periarticular area and additionally taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-gout drugs and homeopathic drugs).
The physiotherapeutic method is aimed at improving the blood supply of the joint and its mobility, as well as improving the effect of drug therapy.The list of physiotherapeutic agents includes:
- Ultrasound therapy;
- reflexology;
- mud therapy;
- radon and hydrogen sulfide baths;
- pulse therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- laser therapy etc.
The method of surgical treatment is aimed at removing bone formations that have arisen as a result of joint arthrosis and normalizing the size of the joint.This method is used only in combination with drug treatment and physiotherapy, because the doctor's task is to eliminate the cause of arthrosis itself and reduce the risk of recurrence.
The diagnostic and treatment capacities of the clinic enable accurate determination of the cause of joint arthrosis, the degree of joint damage, and also guarantee the selection of the optimal treatment plan for each patient on an individual basis.The hardware of the clinic enables the use of the most modern technologies for the treatment of arthrosis, in order to solve this disease as quickly and efficiently as possible.