The causes of osteoarthritis

The cause of arthritis is most often static (at rest) exercise. So, arthritis often suffer from people who are engaged in the business for a long time should stand on their feet, such as barbers, sellers. Furthermore, in the formation of arthrosis are important small joint injuries arising pi fall, sharp movements, etc.

Another cause of arthritis is that with age, the shell surrounding the joint (synovium) becomes thinner and less supplied with blood, and therefore is easier to any impacts. The reason for these changes may be not only the age, but also some endocrine diseases (obesity, decreased thyroid function The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones   and so on).

The mechanism of changes in joints with osteoarthritis

As a result of injury or age-related changes in the joint cell death occurs, on the surface of joint cartilage, the cartilage loses its elasticity, on its surface, small cracks are formed, the surface becomes uneven, with the lubricity intraarticular (synovial) fluid is reduced. All this causes pain, slow joint destruction, which then joins the inflammation of the lining of the joint.

How is osteoarthritis

Any arthritis develops and proceeds very slowly and never leads to severe abnormalities in the joints. The exception is the hip joint, which has its anatomical features, due to which the joint begins very early restriction of mobility, which could even cause disability.

Sometimes, when significant changes in the joint (according to X-ray examination) pain and limitation of movement are small and, on the contrary, with small changes people may experience severe pain and limitation of movement.

Osteoarthritis is often associated with diseases such as obesity, hypertension Hypertensive heart disease - the prognosis is poor Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis - a chronic disease of the arteries   - They aggravate the course of osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

Symptoms consist of osteoarthritis pain, tightness, rapid fatigue, stiffness, and changes in the shape of the joint. When there is movement in the joints characteristic crunch. The pain is usually dull, irregular, worse in cold and wet weather, after a long load (eg in the evening) and the initial movements after standstill ('starting pain "). Often, instead of aches and pains observed a feeling of heaviness in the bones and joints. True restriction of mobility in joints is rare.

Changing the shape of the joints is best visible in the joints of the fingers and knee joints - the joints is increased due to the proliferation of bone. But it is usually no swelling and inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues.

Treatment of arthritis

Treatment of arthritis should be comprehensive and include methods of exposure:

• the cause of the disease;
• restoring joint function;
• relieving a variety of unpleasant symptoms (pain, movement disorder) in the joints.

So, if the arthritis appeared after the injury, to eliminate its causes need orthopedic (up to the surgery) treatment.

To restore joint function used different methods stimulate the growth of cartilage (rumalon, intraarticular oxygen therapy - oxygen saturation of the tissue of the joint, and others.). Applied drugs and treatments that eliminate the muscle tension, located in the area of ​​joints, reducing intra-circulation.

One of the main problems in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis - is the elimination of joint pain Joint pain - how to understand what is going on? . For this purpose, use a variety of painkillers medicines (atsitilsalitsilovaya acid, analgin, phenylbutazone, etc.), Heat to the area of ​​the joint and the surrounding soft tissue (paraffin wax, mineral wax, ultrasound, hot compress, hot tubs). It is important to periodically (once a day) to provide peace of affected joints. With a very strong pain in the joint cavity entered glucocorticosteroid hormones that relieve inflammation and pain. The effect of this treatment is good, but often it is short-lived.

Surgical treatment of arthritis is carried out when the exhausted all methods of conservative treatment. Conducting an operation to improve the blood supply to the joint, and the removal of muscle tension in the joint or replacement of the affected joint with an artificial one.

Gonartroz Grade 3: Operation

Unfortunately, conservative treatment is not always possible to alleviate the symptoms gonartroza grade 3 and slow down its development. In cases where patients complain of severe pain constant, and when there is a risk of serious damage to the joints and as a consequence, disability assigned surgery. In some cases, it may be used minimally invasive techniques such as arthroscopy and osteotomy.

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is done with the help of an endoscope variety - this tool allows you to perform operations through small incisions, which significantly reduces the risk of complications, and accelerates the healing process. The surgeon can remove the damaged cartilage tissue fragments and small pieces of bone collapsing, which can cause severe pain during movement. Most people tolerate well the operation and return to work (if it is not associated with serious physical activity) within a few days.

Arthroscopy for a time relieves pain in gonarthrosis and allows you to defer a serious operation. However, any patient with grade 3 gonartrozom sooner or later may come a time when the only effective treatment would arthroplasty. During this operation, replacing a knee-ended, or if the patient has a bilateral gonarthrosis Gonartroz - what could be the consequences of the destruction of cartilage   3 degrees, both joints at once.

Indications for arthroplasty include:

• Severe pain in the knee joints, which makes it difficult to cope with normal daily activities;
• Moderate or severe pain at rest and / or during sleep Dreams: how to understand our dreams ;
• Chronic inflammation and swelling of the knee that does not go away after rest and taking medication;
• The deformation of one or two of the knee;
• Stiffness of the knee - a condition in which the patient can not bend or straighten fully knee;
• Unsuccessful use of NSAIDs and other media for conservative treatment of gonarthrosis.

Before the surgery, the doctor should carefully examine the patient, in particular, to determine how damaged the knee joint, as well as to study its history - some chronic diseases may affect the efficacy of surgical treatment. Also, blood tests and urine tests, X-rays and, in some cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - it is used to assess the condition of the bones and soft tissue in the knee joint.

In addition, the doctor explains in detail to the patient what the upcoming surgery, any risks associated with it, and how it will take place post-operative recovery. It is important that the patient has been pre-realistic expectations about the surgery. In 90% of cases, surgery to replace a knee joint leads to a significant relief of symptoms gonartroza and quality of life. According to studies, more than 90% of patients, which will replace the knee joint 15 and more years ago, the prosthesis is still perfectly functioning.

Effects of the operation

However, the artificial joint can not replace the real, and many people have to give up certain activities - first of all it concerns physical labor and serious sport. On the other hand, people who have undergone knee replacement may be without limitation to swim, drive a car, go for long walks, including cross-country, cycling, dancing, and so on. If the patient will avoid undue stress, the new joint will last him for many years.

In most cases, knee replacement is performed under general anesthesia. The operation lasts from one to two hours. During this time, the surgeon removes the damaged knee joint or joints, and part of the bone and then inserted in place of the joint prosthesis is made of metal and plastic.

Within a few days after surgery, the patient may experience mild or moderate pain, but in such cases, the physician usually beforehand prescribed analgesics. Talk with your doctor if the pain medicine for you will be sufficiently effective.

To prevent blood clots doctor may recommend a patient for a while after the surgery wearing compression stockings Compression stockings for health and beauty legs And to take blood thinning medication. The very next day after the knee replacement patients begin to undergo a course of physiotherapy. Special exercises performed under the expert guidance, stimulate blood flow to the leg muscles, accelerate the recovery of damaged tissues and reduce the risk of forming blood clots.

Some time after the operation the patient can be significantly weakened by the appetite, but eating right Proper nutrition - the basic precepts of healthy food   It plays an important role during the post-operative recovery. Patients should eat a balanced and take iron supplements to speed up the healing of tissue damaged as a result of surgery.

The patient should be several times a week to do exercises that showed him a physical therapist, and regularly go to the doctor for an examination. In addition, in the first months after surgery it is very important to take precautions to avoid falls and fractures - they can lead to the displacement of the artificial joint, which is why you may need another surgery.

Possible complications of total knee replacement:

• Infectious diseases. As a result of the operation could cause contamination of tissues in the new joint. Typically, infections occur in the first few days after surgery, but in rare cases it can occur months or even years later. If the infection is mild or moderate symptoms, it can be cured with antibiotics. Severe infections may require removal of the prosthesis;
• Thrombosis - one of the most dangerous complications of surgery to replace a knee joint. Formed blood clots in the veins can pose a threat to human life, but in most cases, serious complications can be prevented by means such as compression hosiery and anticoagulants;
• The problems with implants. Although the design of implants and the materials from which they are made, as well as engineering operations are constantly being improved, we can not exclude the probability of occurrence of any problems with the artificial knee. For example, the joint may wear out over time and / or become less stable due to a decrease in bone density. Additionally, sometimes near the implant begins scar tissue formation, because of which the movement of the joint is significantly reduced;
• Pain after an operation. A small number of patients knee pain persists after surgery. Identify and correct the cause of the pain in these cases is not always possible, and often these patients are needed analgesics, as well as additional measures to alleviate the symptoms of gonarthrosis. Fortunately, this complication is very rare.