Arthritis and osteoarthritis are complex diseases that affect the joints. Due to similar symptoms, many people think that these conditions are the same, but they are not. Arthritis and osteoarthritis differ in the causes of the disease, the nature of its development, the area of damage and require completely different treatment.
Suppose two people see a doctor complaining of joint pain. One was diagnosed with arthritis and the other with osteoarthritis. As the two patients lined up, they had time to discuss their health issues a bit.
Their symptoms turned out to be very similar: the joints are sore, they do not bend at full force, they do not rest at night or during the day. Even the diagnoses are consistent, but they are different nonetheless. What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis if both diseases affect the joints?
What is arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory disorder of the joint. It is always preceded by damage to bone or cartilage tissue of a certain factor.
Biologically active substances are released from the destroyed cells, triggering an inflammatory reaction. The vessels of the lesion dilate, fill with blood: because of this, immune cells emerge in the joint tissue to fight the damaging factor.
At the same time, the liquid part of the blood leaves the vascular bed and edema is formed, which limits the area of inflammation. This is how the body protects itself from significant damage caused by bacteria, foreign bodies and chemicals.
After complete or partial elimination of the pathogen, the healing mechanism starts. If the damage was minor, normal tissue function is restored. Deep defects heal through a scar - an area of rough connective tissue that does not perform the normal function of an organ.
Arthritis goes through all of these stages:
- alteration - damage;
- exudation - the formation of edema;
- proliferation - healing.
Reasons
The causes of the disease are large, we will list the main ones:
- Streptococcal infection
- (tonsillitis, scarlet fever) often leads to a complication - rheumatism;
- aggressive autoantibodies - proteins that the body produces to fight its own tissues; such a situation develops with an error in immune defense, due to which she perceives the joints as a foreign element for the body - rheumatoid arthritis;
- violation of purine metabolism leads to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints - gout;
- allergic reactions can involve joint tissue with the development of an inflammatory reaction - allergic arthritis;
- long-term use of certain drugs causes inflammation (isoniazid, D-penicillins, hydralazine, holes) - drug arthritis;
- bacteria are carried in the bloodstream or during surgery - infectious arthritis;
- viral or bacterial infection of any location can indirectly affect joint tissue - this is reactive arthritis;
- acute trauma - recent damage (impact, bruising, ruptured capsule).
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by an acute initial stage, that is, against the background of complete health a person has a sharp pain in the joint. For autoimmune forms, symmetrical damage to small joints is characteristic - interphalangeal on the fingers, wrist, elbow.
Gout in the vast majority of cases begins with inflammation of the joint between the thumb and foot. In bacterial and reactive arthritis, the large joints are usually affected on one side: the knee, hip, sacral (at the junction of the spine with the pelvic bones).
Rheumatism develops against a background of fever and general weakness, usually preceded by angina pectoris. Severe inflammation of the bone, cartilage and synovial membrane can occur with fever, general intoxication: headache, weakness, lack of appetite.
The skin of the joint turns red and is warmer than other areas. Externally, it looks swollen and increases in volume. If the lesion occurred on one side only, the difference between a healthy limb and a diseased limb is visible.
Restricted movement is associated with swelling and pain. If the joint cavity is slightly inflamed, it works almost completely. With a pronounced pathological reaction, the entire synovial cavity can be filled with fluid - in this case, mobility is severely limited.
Processing
Treatment is carried out by a general practitioner, rheumatologist or traumatologist - if the cause is mechanical damage. Therapy is aimed at removing the provoking factor and stopping the inflammation.
For bacterial and reactive arthritis, antibiotics are needed, for autoimmunes - cytostatics or glucocorticoids, for allergics - glucocorticoids and antihistamines.
The inflammatory fluid is removed using a syringe or special suction during arthroscopy. The joint is immobilized throughout the period of acute inflammation. After showing the patient therapeutic exercises to restore the mobility of the joint.
Doctor's advice
From personal practice and the work experience of colleagues - with inflammation of the joints of any etiology, compresses with gelatin showed themselves well. They are easy to use and inexpensive. It is necessary to fold the gauze in several layers, the length and width should be such that there is enough for the painful joint. Immerse the folded gauze in hot water, squeeze it, straighten it. Pour a thin layer of gelatin on top, roll it up so that it is inside, like in a bag, and not spilling out. Lay on the joint, wrap with a poly bag on top, secure with bandage and / or tape. You can wear a compress for up to 3 hours, do 2 times a day for 2 weeks. Usually the effect is felt on the 4-5th day of use, but therapy should be continued to achieve the desired result, if the course is interrupted, the pain will return.
What is osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (otherwise osteoarthritis) is a degenerative-dystrophic disease. It is based on a deterioration of the nutrition of the articular cartilage, a slowing down of its recovery and a progressive thinning.
Simply put, the cartilage layer wears down faster than it rebuilds itself. The bony articular surfaces are exposed. They are not as smooth as cartilage and rub against each other with effort when moving. Bone plaques are partially destroyed, a slight chronic inflammation develops.
As the disease progresses, bone spines develop in the joint - a protective tissue response to permanent damage. They interfere with the sliding of surfaces relative to each other, and the mobility of the joint is impaired.
Osteoarthritis in most people begins to progress after 30 to 40 years, lasts for years, symptoms are mild or moderate.
Osteoarthritis of the spinal joints is commonly called osteochondrosis.
Reasons
There are predisposing factors that provoke the development of pathology at an early age and complicate its course:
- intense physical activity in athletes;
- obesity;
- history of joint injury;
- vascular disease;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- violation of the normal configuration of the joint, for example, with flat feet;
- prolonged exposure to vibration;
- in women - hormonal imbalance or menopause.
Symptoms
Large joints on one side are usually affected: knee, hip, sacral. The disease begins imperceptibly. At first, the pain is rarely disturbed and is associated with great physical exertion.
The unpleasant sensations go away the same day or within a few days if the person is able to rest. As the disease progresses, the intensity of the pain increases, it occurs even with normal daily stress.
The mobility of the joint gradually decreases and after the disease it is completely lost. The movements of the diseased limb cause severe pain. Osteoarthritis can be made worse by the type of arthritis - fluid collects in the joint cavity, the skin above turns red and becomes hot. Once the inflammatory reaction subsides, the course of the disease resumes its previous course.
Processing
Osteoarthritis is treated by a traumatologist, an orthopedist, sometimes a surgeon. The therapy is aimed at restoring metabolic processes in the cartilage, improving the nutrition of the joints and eliminating the inflammatory response. Treatment is lifelong, may be continuous or drug therapy.
In the interictal period, chondroprotectors are prescribed in the form of tablets and ointments, therapeutic exercises, massage. In case of exacerbation, chondroprotectors are administered intravenously or intramuscularly with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. A traumatologist can inject protective drugs directly into the joint every few months.
Advanced stages of the disease require surgery, during which the diseased joint is replaced by an artificial joint.
Differences between diseases
| Functionality | Arthritis | Osteoarthritis |
| Cause of illness | Inflammation | Cartilage degeneration |
| Feed | Acute, chronic with exacerbations | Chronicle |
| Pain | Intense from the start, more pronounced in the morning | Early onset, weak, gradually increasing. It intensifies in the evening and after exercise |
| Movements | You have to "disperse" - the morning after sleep, the joints are the least mobile | Mobility gradually decreases, no morning stiffness |
| Affected joints | The small joints of the hands and feet are affected symmetrically. The older ones suffer from a bacterial infection | One or more large joints on different sides of the body |
| Blood test | Severe inflammatory changes in general blood test, rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, antibodies to pathogens | No characteristic change |
| Radiography | Staged changes, osteoporosis - bone loss, bone cysts | Gradual changes, deformation of the joint space, appearance of spines and bony growths. |
| Basic treatment | Anti-inflammatories | Chondroprotectors |
A similar characteristic of the two diseases is a progressive course with a gradual loss of mobility. Autoimmune arthritis often starts at a young age, when a person is still frivolous about their health.
It should be remembered that any joint pain that lasts for a long time occurs under certain conditions - this is a serious reason to see a doctor. It is important to diagnose the disease in time and begin its treatment in order to slow down the development of the pathological process.