Modern medicine knows dozens, if not hundreds, of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. However, most often, the inhabitants of our country are diagnosed with "arthritis" and "arthrosis", especially during the summer season, when people, forgetting about all precautions, cultivate flower beds from morning to evening. What could this mean, and most importantly, how do you avoid joint disease?
Arthritis and arthrosis: what's the difference
There is a huge difference between arthritis and arthrosis. The ending "-itis" in Latin, which is considered the mother tongue of medicine, always indicates that there is an active inflammation process in the body. This is, relatively speaking, the first stage of joint disease.
But arthrosis is in most cases a natural outcome of arthritis.
Dmitry Tarasov gives an analogy, comparing joint diseases with fresh and old calluses. In the first case, fluid accumulates under the skin - the wound becomes inflamed and causes discomfort. An old blister does not hurt - the skin on it has died and is therefore insensitive. It is the same with the joint: in the last stage of arthrosis, no cartilage cells remain, but only the bone itself that makes up the joint — this is called osteoarthritis.
The terms "arthritis" and "arthrosis" refer to all joints. Their pathologies can be divided into several groups:
- diseases of large joints, i. e. hips and knees;
- spinal pathologies associated with radicular syndromes, intervertebral discs and facet joints;
- arthritis and arthrosis of small joints;
- diseases of wrists, elbows and radiocarpal joints.
As Dmitry Tarasov notes, joint pathologies in the early stages are treated conservatively. Anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors are prescribed - drugs that improve the functions of damaged joints and limit the load on them using crutches or a cane.
The main task of the doctor is to reduce the manifestation of the process and "smooth out" arthritis.
Arthrosis, unlike arthritis, cannot be cured by conservative methods. There is only one way out - endoprosthetics, joint replacement. This is why it is very important to take care of your joints throughout your life, from a young age, and not just when they start to hurt.
Causes of arthritis
The most common cause of arthritis is the natural life course of the joint. With age, the cartilage becomes thinner and destroyed. Therefore, doctors say that almost every elderly person can be diagnosed with this disease.
However, arthritis can also occur for other reasons. Most often - as a consequence of diseases associated with metabolic disorders. Or, say, a person catches a cold, gets sick, and the causative agent of the disease enters the joint, causing its inflammation - this is also arthritis, but of a different nature.
The most common are arthritis after stress and injuries. I arrived at the dacha, dug out the beds or went to the gym - and the next day my knee joints were swollen. After a few days, the pain gradually decreased. This is post-exercise arthritis.
A sedentary lifestyle is also harmful to the joints. Moreover, the phrase "movement is life", according to the expert, is primarily about the joints. They need to move in order to function properly. And if a person is not active, then his muscles and ligaments - everything that makes the joint stable - begin to weaken. Even with the slightest load, they can fail.
What to do if you get shot in the back
Everyone knows the feeling of being shot in the back. As a rule, the pain lasts for a few minutes - and then the person happily forgets about the unpleasant incident. Until next time.
In fact, back pain can be related to many serious reasons and therefore should not be ignored. First of all, you should contact a neurologist or orthopedist. The doctor will prescribe certain research methods: X-ray or MRI. After that, the further algorithm of actions will become clear.
So, if the examination shows that back pain is muscular, the doctor will exclude certain movements and recommend reducing physical activity. However, it is possible that lumbago in the back is associated with damage to the intervertebral discs, the formation of protrusions and hernias - then urgent treatment, including surgery, will be required.
It is important to know that the treatment of spine pathologies is often carried out by neurologists and spine surgeons, not orthopedists. And that makes sense, considering how close the spine and nervous system are to each other.
Will vitamins and orthopedic protection help?
Many people take bone and joint vitamins without a doctor's prescription. However
Dmitry Tarasov warns that in this case it will not help, but harm. For example, increased calcium intake will strengthen bones, but may have a negative impact on kidney function. Therefore, before starting a vitamin course, you should definitely consult a doctor - an endocrinologist or a therapist.
Another way to protect joints is to buy orthopedic products: knee pads, corsets, orthoses, bandages. However, such products "take over" part of the functions performed by the human muscle-ligament apparatus. If he is healthy, then wearing orthotics will lead to the fact that the ligaments and muscles will begin to become "lazy" and weaken. And this can cause serious pathologies. There is only one conclusion: before you buy "protection" for the joints, consult a doctor.
When playing active sports, always wear elbow and knee protection. It won't save you from serious joint injuries, but it will reduce their damage and protect your skin from damage.