Modern medicine knows dozens, if not hundreds, of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. However, most often the residents of our country are diagnosed with "arthritis" and "arthrosis, " especially during the summer season, when people, forgetting about any precautions, cultivate the beds from morning to evening. What could this mean, and most importantly, how can you avoid joint diseases?
Arthritis and arthrosis: what is the difference
There is a huge difference between arthritis and arthrosis. The ending "-itis" in Latin, which is considered the native language of medicine, always indicates that there is an active process of inflammation in the body. This, relatively speaking, is the first stage of joint disease.
But arthrosis in most cases is 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 callus does not hurt - the skin on it has died and is therefore insensitive. It’s the same with a joint: at the last stage of arthrosis, there are no cartilage cells left, only the bone itself that forms the joint — this is called osteoarthritis.
The terms "arthritis" and "arthrosis" apply to all joints. Their pathologies can be divided into several groups:
- diseases of large joints, namely the hip and knee;
- spinal pathologies associated with radicular syndromes, intervertebral discs and facet joints;
- arthritis and arthrosis of small joints;
- diseases of the 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 doctor’s main task is to reduce the manifestation of the process and "smooth out" arthritis.
Arthrosis, unlike arthritis, cannot be cured with conservative methods. There is only one way out - endoprosthetics, joint replacement. This is why it is so 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 course of life of the joint. With age, cartilage becomes thinner and destroyed. Therefore, doctors say that almost every elderly person can be diagnosed with this disease.
However, arthritis can 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 gets into the joint, causing its inflammation - this is also arthritis, but of a different nature.
The most common are arthritis after stress and injury. I arrived at the dacha, dug up the beds or went to the gym - and the next day my knee joints were swollen. After a few days, the pain gradually subsided. This is post-exertional arthritis.
A sedentary lifestyle is also harmful to joints. Moreover, the phrase "movement is life, " according to the expert, is said primarily about joints. They need to move in order to function properly. And if a person is not active, then his muscles and ligaments - everything that forms the stability of the joint - begin to weaken. And at the slightest load they can fail.
What to do if you get shot in the back
Everyone knows the feeling of a shooting in the back. As a rule, the pain lasts for a couple of minutes - and then the person happily forgets about the unpleasant incident. Until next time.
In fact, shooting pain in the back can be associated with many serious reasons, and therefore should not be ignored. First of all, you need to contact a neurologist or orthopedist. The doctor will prescribe certain research methods: x-ray or MRI. After this, the further algorithm of actions will become clear.
So, if the examination shows that the 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 emergency treatment will be required, including surgery.
It is important to know that the treatment of spinal pathologies is often carried out by neurologists and spinal surgeons rather than orthopedic surgeons. And this is logical, given how close the spine and nervous system are to each other.
Will vitamins and orthopedic protection help?
Many people take vitamins for bones and joints without a doctor's prescription. However
Dmitry Tarasov warns that in this case they will not help, but rather harm. For example, increased calcium intake will strengthen bones, but may have a negative impact on kidney function. That is why, before starting a course of vitamins, you should definitely consult with a doctor - an endocrinologist or therapist.
Another way to protect your joints is to buy orthopedic products: knee pads, corsets, orthoses, bandages. However, such products "take over" part of the functions performed by the human muscular-ligamentous apparatus. If he is healthy, then wearing orthoses 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 joints, consult a doctor.
When engaging in active sports, always wear elbow and knee protection. They will not save you from serious joint injuries, but they will minimize their harm and also protect the skin from damage.