Arthritis and joint disease

When people think of diseases such as arthritis and arthritis, joint problems inevitably come to mind. In fact, both pathologies are directly related to the musculoskeletal system, since the pathological processes are located in the joints. Arthritis and arthritis both have similar symptoms. Many patients confuse these diseases and think they are the same pathology, but they are fundamentally different.

What are arthritis and joint disease, and how are they different?

Arthritis and joint disease are common diagnoses in older patients. In order to understand the differences between these two pathologies, let us consider what arthritis and arthropathy are and what are the differences between them.A chronic disease in which joints gradually become deformed is called arthropathy. A more correct name is osteoarthritis, since the pathological process involves not only cartilage but ultimately bone tissue as well.The direct cause of the disease is damage to the joint surfaces, causing the joints to wear out and stop performing their functions. The typical manifestation of arthropathy is severe pain when moving the limbs. Due to the aggravation of the pathological process, the joint mobility is significantly limited. In advanced stages, the joint may become immobile.Arthropathy usually occurs in people over the age of forty-five, but in rare cases it can affect the joints of younger people. The disease occurs primarily in women but also affects people with congenital lesions of the limbs. Arthropathy is caused by excess weight, joint surgery, and injuries to the hip or knee joints. Endogenous factors, such as malnutrition or joint circulatory disorders, may also trigger the disease.

Arthritis is an inflammatory pathology located in the joints. This is the difference between arthritis and joint disease. Inflammation can occur due to joint infection, injury, and degenerative changes in tissue. Like arthropathy, arthritis is characterized by joint pain that worsens with movement.

Lack of proper treatment can cause the joint to lose mobility and become completely immobilized. Arthritis is easier to distinguish because inflammation causes redness and swelling of the skin in the affected area. Please note that arthritis is not an isolated pathology. It is a systemic disease that affects not only the musculoskeletal system. Arthritis usually affects the liver, kidneys, and heart. This is the main difference between arthritis and focal joint disease.

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The symptoms of arthritis and joint disease are generally similar, but there are significant differences. Pain is the most prominent basic symptom in joint disease and arthritis. The nature of the pain varies: with arthropathy, patients experience negative sensations during physical activity and when the load on the damaged joint increases.In the initial stages, the pain may not be severe. Because of this, patients do not always take such symptoms seriously and do not pay attention to the first signs of pathology. The pain will lessen when you rest. It is only during the second and third stages that the pain persists. However, if you position the limb correctly, the pain will lessen. With arthritis, the pain does not subside and is at its peak at night near morning. Chewing is a typical feature of joint disease and chronic arthritis.Tightening occurs due to a decrease in the elasticity of the cartilage tissue and an increase in friction between the joint surfaces. In the initial stages, you may notice crunching in your fingers, and then the larger joints become affected. A distinguishing feature of joint creaking is a rough, dry sound the joints make.Limited joint movement and stiffness of movement are typical symptoms of arthropathy and arthritis, but for arthropathy, joint problems vary from site to site, that is, joint problems are different. Specific joints are affected, whereas arthritis, a systemic pathology, causes discomfort not just in the joints, but throughout the body.Joint deformities are observed in both pathologies but have unique characteristics. With arthropathy, the changes only affect the joint itself, and the inflammatory process of arthritis causes skin changes - you can see swelling, redness and hyperthermia. In addition, arthritis is accompanied by general somatic pathology: an increase in body temperature, a typical febrile state, increased sweating, weakness and lethargy. Conjunctivitis may begin and chronic conditions may become more complicated. Arthropathy does not have such symptoms, but if arthropathy has occurred, the joints will also be accompanied by inflammation.Doctors must carefully differentiate between signs of arthritis and joint disease, so if negative symptoms occur, a specialist needs to be consulted.

diagnosis

In order to begin treating the disease, it is important to correctly diagnose arthritis or arthritis. This can be done using a variety of research techniques. Not all patients know which doctor is responsible for the treatment of joint pathologies, so at the initial stage you can contact a rheumatologist or therapist, and then you need to consult an orthopedic doctor or surgeon.Patients will need to undergo blood tests to show general changes in the body. If blood test results don't show anything abnormal, doctors tend to treat joints as the initial diagnosis.If the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the plasma is increased, rheumatoid arthritis is suspected because there are clear signs of an inflammatory process. Typically, the rate increases to over 25 mm/hour. Another sure sign is joint pain that gets worse at night. To be fair, we note that ESR may also be increased if arthropathy is accompanied by inflammation.Another argument in favor of rheumatoid arthritis is an increase in the number of white blood cells. Blood was also drawn from a vein for rheumatology testing - a specific marker, C-reactive protein, indicating inflammation, came up. However, you should not rely solely on blood tests, as one of these diseases cannot be reliably identified using this analysis. Additional studies are necessary to continuously consider the presence of inflammatory factors in the blood.As additional tests, your doctor may prescribe the following:

• X-rays of problem areas;
• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• CT examination;
• Radioactive isotope scan.

Doctors consider tests, a carefully collected medical history, and blood test results to diagnose a specific disease.

treat

In order to successfully treat arthritis and joint disease, the right treatment strategy must be chosen. Note that complete cure of the disease is not always possible, and in some cases long-term remission is considered a great success.In order to alleviate the exacerbation of the disease and prevent the recurrence of the disease, treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is necessary. Medications have a particularly powerful effect on the body of arthritis patients and also affect the positive dynamics of joint disease.The characteristics of NSAIDs are as follows:

• Long-term use of the drug is not recommended, even if no side effects occur during administration;
• NSAIDs are contraindicated in patients with gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, and heart disease;
• Do not increase the dosage of medication without your doctor's permission, as adverse reactions may occur due to personal allergies;
• When taking medicine, it should be taken with a large glass of water;
• When taking NSAIDs, it is prohibited to mix multiple drugs or drink alcoholic beverages;
• NSAIDs are contraindicated during pregnancy.

When contacting a doctor, after examination the patient will be prescribed the safest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for effective treatment. Basically, all drugs in this group can be divided into cyclooxygenase inhibitors 1 and 2. COX-2 inhibitors are considered drugs that are more loyal to the body.Many drugs contain first- and second-generation inhibitors. These are ointments, patches, gels and tablet formulations.Medications to relieve muscle spasms - muscle relaxants - will help with treatment. Typically, this condition often occurs in patients with joint or arthritis problems. Severe joint pain, severe muscle tension, and prolonged discomfort can lead to a lack of nutrients and oxygen, so it is very important to relieve the discomfort caused by the disease in a timely manner.During treatment, an indispensable condition is the normalization of metabolic processes. This becomes possible when the inflammation subsides and the muscle spasms subside. Metabolic drugs for patients with arthritis and joint diseases include adenosine triphosphate, inosine, adenosine monophosphate, B vitamins, and anabolic steroids.To remove salt from the joints, a series of special medications are used as well as methods to achieve an optimal acid-base balance.In order to cure arthritis and joint disease or to achieve lasting positive motivation, it is important to take all medications recommended by your doctor. In addition, this must be carried out according to the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor, since even the most effective metabolic drugs are useless against the background of an active inflammatory process.

traditional treatment

Diseases such as arthritis and joint disease can be treated not only with traditional medicines but also with folk remedies. Massage using preparations based on natural ingredients can be useful. These are ointments containing bee venom and snake venom. These preparations also include essential oils. When massaging, you can add eucalyptus oil, ginger oil, ginger, marjoram, rosemary or juniper berry oil. For arthritis and joint disease, warm baths have a great relaxing effect. They will help relieve muscle pain and fatigue and help relax the entire body. The best combinations are one drop of ginger oil and an equal amount of benzoin or two drops of marjoram and black pepper oil for every tablespoon of olive oil. Add 15–20 drops to bath. This recipe is helpful if the patient suffers from arthritis in the legs. Take an essential oil bath every night.Black poplar also has excellent results. Not all patients know how to use black poplar to treat arthritis and joint disease, but it is very simple. From a healthy tree, you need to collect the rot, young leaves and buds - about half a bucket, then pour it all to the edge of the container and keep it overnight. In the morning, the liquid is carefully poured into the bath, leaving the cake and soaking in it for half an hour. After taking a shower, it is recommended to warm up and then lie in bed for an hour.Even if the patient suffers from arthropathy (a severe combination of bone deformity and inflammatory processes in the joints), folk remedies can be of great help. For treatment, you need to take a cup of spruce needles and fill it with two liters of water. It is necessary to boil the product for fifteen minutes, then pour the broth into the bathtub until the water has completely cooled.Senna helps treat arthritis and joint disease. If the patient regularly treats the disease with this drug, the inflammation will soon disappear. Here's how to use senna: Pour two cups of dry ingredients into one liter of boiling water and seal for forty minutes. Then pour the liquid into the tub, add sea salt and drink until the water reaches the optimal temperature. After bathing, treat damaged areas caused by joints or arthritis with fir oil and wrap in a scarf.

prevention

As a precautionary measure, doctors offer patients the following advice:

• Treat all infectious diseases thoroughly, do not interrupt the course of treatment with antibacterial drugs, so as not to leave inflammation in the body;
• Maintain a balanced diet;
• Wear comfortable shoes that don’t restrict your feet;
• Get rid of excess weight that puts extra stress on your limbs;
• Don't let your feet get too cold, and be careful in wet weather and cold seasons;
• Protect yourself from injury by using specialized bandages, supports and elastic bandages when actively playing sports;
• Perform gymnastics every day, walk in the fresh air to activate blood circulation in the body, and when the first symptoms of arthritis or joints are noticed, perform special joint gymnastics - exercises for the hands, ankles, knees.

Arthritis and arthrosis are serious disorders of the joint surfaces. Incorrect or untimely treatment can lead to disability, so doctors strongly recommend consulting a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease.