Understanding the main symptoms of these diseases helps to obtain the correct treatment and avoid complications in a timely manner, so we described in detail the differences in this article.
Contribution of an accurate diagnosis is possible after the examination:
- general analysis of blood and urine,
- biochemical blood test,
- Samples and X -ray of the affected joint
- MRI and the study of synovial fluid - if necessary.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a disease that is provoked by an infection, a failure in the work of the immune system or metabolism. The main sign of arthritis is the inflammatory process: swelling, redness of the skin and fever in the area of the affected joint. The negative effect of arthritis can be extended not only to the joints: the heart, kidneys and liver are in the risk zone. There are more than two hundred species of arthritis with different manifestations and causes in the risk zone people of young and middle age. 18% of disability falls on arthritis according to WHO statistics
Symptoms
The first signs of the disease, as a rule, are:
- sharp pain - in a state of movement or rest,
- edema in the area of the diseased joint - constant or periodically arising,
- redness and elevated temperature of the affected area - you can feel to the touch,
- The constraint of movements in the morning.
Arthritis can occur in a hidden form - in this case, symptoms appear after exposure to provoking factors: stress, overwork, hypothermia or infection.
Symptoms also include manifestations of the inflammatory process in the body:
- an increase in body temperature to 38-39 degrees;
- loss of strength and chills;
- conjunctivitis;
- Change in blood test indicators: for example, an increase in ESR and a high level of white blood bodies;
- Pain during urination.
The severity of the manifestation of arthritis can be different, and progress is not necessarily rapid. However, if you do not pay attention to the problem, arthritis flows into a chronic form and can lead to a violation of the work of internal organs and disability: incapacity, modification of joints and limbs.
Treatment and prevention
The prescribed treatment will depend on the severity of the diagnosis. If during the diagnosis the patient did not find damage to the internal organs, the treatment is relatively simple. The patient may be prescribed:
- anti -inflammatory and analgesic drugs,
- physiotherapeutic procedures,
- compliance with diet and rejection of alcohol,
- Reducing physical activity on the affected joint.
In the case when the disease was affected by the organs, the patient undergoes additional to the main treatment program aimed at supporting them:
- Additional examinations,
- Medicine therapy,
- A special diet.
Among the various forms of arthritis there are some serious diseases that are important to diagnose in time:
- Rheumatism is an inflammatory disease of connective tissue, which affects large and medium joints, and also has specific manifestations: it can sharply manifest and pass on different joints, as if moving from one to another.
Rheumatism does not deform joints, but the lack of treatment is fraught with serious complications: for example, kidney diseases and heart defect.
The cause of the occurrence may be transferred infectious diseases: tonsillitis, otitis media and similar ones. Children aged 7 to 14 years of age most often get into the risk group. Heredity also affects the development of the disease.
- Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease in which the inflammatory process affects both joints and many organs. For example, eyes, light, heart and blood vessels. Belongs to the group of systemic diseases of the connective tissue. Most often, women after 60 years suffer from the disease.
It progresses slowly, affects several joints at once and spreads symmetrically. As the disease develops, the joints lose mobility, pain and swell. On the joints affected by inflammation, characteristic nodules appear.
A feature of the diagnosis of rheumatoid is the use of special laboratory tests that allow you to establish accurate diagnosis. Rheumatoid arthritis is treated, using potent drugs. Therefore, it is very important to suspect and diagnose this disease in the early stages.
- Gotric arthritis or gout is a progressive joint disease that occurs due to a violation of uric acid metabolism in the blood and deposits of salts in the joint tissues. Most often begins with the lesion of the thumbs.
Usually, older people, mainly men, suffer from gout. But there are also cases of disease at a younger age.
Treatment of rheumatism, systemic diseases, gouts differs from treatment, for example, allergic or reactive arthritis. Only a doctor can prescribe the correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.
The disease is easier to prevent than to treat, so we recommend that you take care of the prevention and carefully observe your health:
- abandon bad habits - smoking, drinking alcohol, irrational nutrition;
- to develop a habit of rational playing sports - charging, stretching, balanced training;
- Strengthen the immune system-consult a doctor regarding mineral-vitamine complexes, flu vaccinations.
About arthrosis
70% of cases of the disease falls on people over 65 years old.
Arthrosis is a disease that leads to deformation and destruction of the joint capsule. The articular surface is a cartilage that covers the surface of the joint and does not allow bones to come into contact with each other: it provides free and painless movement. Most often, arthrosis develops in old age. It is also called the "disease of pianists and athletes" who often suffer from arthrosis due to constant load on the wrists and joints of the legs: hip, knee, ankle. Arthrosis, unlike arthritis, affects only the joints and does not be inflammatory.
Symptoms
Symptoms of arthrosis appear gradually, as the disease progresses. At the beginning of development, they are not at all. This is the main reason for seeing a doctor in the late stages.
The first symptoms of arthrosis show themselves:
- joint joint after sleep or long rest, which quickly passes during movement;
- crunch, grinding and clicks that are accompanied by a dull sound;
- Pain during movement and load.
In the later stages of arthrosis, the symptoms become more noticeable: the immobility of the joints and pain syndrome is enhanced, the syndrome of the "hard joint" also develops - the replacement of soft cartilage tissue with bone growths. The development of the chronic form of the disease leads to the impossibility of moving one or more joints.
Treatment and prevention
Arthrosis is better to treat in the initial stage of the disease. Also, the chances of recovery depend on age - up to 40 years to get rid of the disease is much easier. Under these conditions, the patient is prescribed loads on the sore joint, drug and shock wave therapy-short-term effects on bone and connective tissues with acoustic pulses of significant amplitude of the low frequency: from 16 to 25 Hz. Other procedures can be used: for example, mud applications, electrophoresis with drugs. The chronic form of the disease, as well as arthrosis in old age, is not amenable to complete cure. However, competent and regular therapy helps to control the disease as much as possible: to suspend the destruction of the joint and improve the quality of the patient.
In the course of such therapy, the doctor prescribes drug treatment, which activates the regeneration process, and also gives recommendations on the lifestyle.
Primary prevention helps to prevent the development of arthrosis. Basic principles:
- weight control - excess weight increases the load on the joints;
- regular physical activity - gymnastics, stretching and moderate training;
- The choice of high -quality and comfortable shoes - the wrong load distribution provokes increased pressure on the joints;
- Strengthening immunity and protection against hypothermia.
A visual comparison
Above, we described the main causes, symptoms and methods of treating arthritis and arthrosis. In this block, we briefly answer the question of the difference in diseases:
| Arthritis | Arthrosis |
| An inflammatory disease that affects the joints and can affect the normal functioning of internal organs. | The disease is degenerative, destructive, character. It affects only the joints of the joints. |
| It develops mainly in people of young and middle-aged: 25-45 years. It also happens in children. | Basically overtakes the elderly people, as well as people whose activities are directly related to the load on the joints: athletes, musicians, artists. |
| It is manifested by inflammatory symptoms at the initial stage: pain, redness and fever in the affected area. | It may not make itself felt for a long time, slowly progress - this complicates the diagnostic process at an early stage. |
Be healthy!