Arthritis of the Joints: Symptoms, Types and Treatment

Osteoarthritis is the progressive, non-inflammatory destruction of articular cartilage.Due to degenerative dystrophic changes, the joint gradually loses its function, flexion and extension movements become difficult, and then completely impossible.Joints are the moving joints of bones. The human body contains more than 200 such joints, which provide various types of movement of the bony bones. They can slide freely due to the smooth surface of hyaline cartilage and synovial lubrication.As the joint develops, the hyaline cartilage thins and gradually collapses, becomes roughened, and the synovial lubrication becomes insufficient for free sliding. As a result, friction occurs, impeding joint movement and causing its gradual destruction.Arthropathy is one of the most common degenerative dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They affect more than 30% of people aged 45 to 65, and more than 65% of people over 65. Incidence rates are significantly age-dependent.Most commonly, the disease affects the large joints—the knees (knee joints), hips (coxarthrosis), and shoulders. Among the small joints, those of the hands, feet, and spine are most commonly affected.In advanced stages of the disease, ankylosing (complete immobilization) of the joint occurs. In this case, only surgical treatment is possible - removal and replacement with an endoprosthesis.In stages 1-3 of arthropathy, conservative treatment can be performed with the purpose of slowing and stopping the destruction of joints, gradually restoring cartilage tissue, improving function (mobility), increasing range of motion, and relieving pain symptoms and inflammation.Clinically, these goals are achieved through a combination of reflexology, herbal medicine, and physical therapy using Eastern medicine.

Causes of Arthropathy

The cause of the disease is the predominance of wear and tear of the hyaline cartilage during its regeneration. This means that joint cartilage wears down and breaks down under stress faster than it can recover.This happens due to the action of two factors - increased load and/or slow recovery.

Regeneration of hyaline cartilage requires collagen, which is produced in the body with the participation of the liver.This organ is not only involved in the synthesis of collagen, which is essential for joints, but is also responsible for body heat levels.From a medical point of view, the cause of all cold illnesses, including joint disease, is a decrease in heat levels in the body. This may occur especially due to insufficient liver function.

All joint diseases are degenerative and nutritional diseases. Their development begins with malnutrition, which is tissue starvation due to insufficient blood supply.To continually regenerate, articular cartilage requires collagen, the universal building material of connective tissue. This protein substance is synthesized in the body and carried into the joints with the blood.If the blood supply is interrupted for any reason, hyaline cartilage becomes deficient in collagen. Their regeneration process slows down. In this case, the joints that bear the greatest load—the knees, ankles, hips, and shoulders—are most affected. The joint cartilage begins to gradually wear away and collapse.When cartilage is destroyed, its fragments can tear and move freely (so-called "mouse") within the joint space, causing compression, blockage, further restriction of movement and increased pain.Another cause of the disease may be a collagen deficiency due to insufficient synthesis of this substance in the body. For example, this may be due to insufficiency of the liver, which plays an active role in this synthesis.Predisposing factors for the disease may be:

• overweight,
• unhealthy diet
• Heavy physical labor, strenuous exercise,
• Trauma, multiple microtrauma,
• exposed to cold
• age-related body changes (dehydration),
• Congenital anomalies (dysplasia, connective tissue weakness, etc. ).

Classification

Joints that occur in the context of metabolic disorders are called primary joints.Secondary arthropathy occurs in the context of inflammatory processes (arthritis, including autoimmune arthritis), endocrine diseases or injuries. Some of the most common diseases have their own names: arthrosis of the knee, arthrosis of the hip, spondyloarthrosis (spine).Combined with inflammation, the disease is diagnosed as arthritis.There are four stages in the development of the disease.The first stage of arthropathy presents with periodic pain and mild narrowing of the joint space.The second stage of the disease means significant narrowing of the joint space, limited range of motion, formation of bone growth (osteophytes), and joint deformation.Stage III arthropathy means an almost complete loss of joint space, minimal restriction of range of motion, joint deformation, and involvement of periarticular tissues and bones (osteoarthrosis, periarticular disease).In the fourth stage, complete fixation (ankylosis) occurs and the joint space is completely lost.

Symptoms of Arthropathy

Like many other degenerative dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, arthropathy develops gradually.Although the volume and properties of cartilage tissue, synovial lubrication, and synovial lubrication have begun to change, symptoms may disappear in the long term.Symptoms of the first stage of arthropathy are increased joint fatigue, mild pain when starting to move after physical activity or after a long period of immobility (so-called "onset" pain), after which the joint begins to develop. The range of flexion, extension, and rotation movements are not restricted, and there is no difficulty in performing the movements.In the second stage, joint pain becomes more severe and lasts longer, occurring even under light load. You may hear a squeaking or crunching sound when moving. Movements of flexion, extension, and rotation become difficult, and their size becomes increasingly limited. Stiffness occurs.In the third stage of arthrosis, joint pain becomes constant. Movements of the joints are very difficult and their volume is reduced to a minimum. The joints are severely deformed as the bones grow and increase in size. When the leg joints are affected, severe lameness can occur.In stages 2-3 of the disease, inflammation usually occurs, along with symptoms such as swelling, redness, increased pain, and localized fever.Joint pain can worsen with weather, moisture, cold, at night, at the beginning of exercise or during physical activity, and when the joint is blocked with a mouse.

diagnosis

The diagnosis of arthropathy is made on the basis of investigation, external examination and hardware methods (X-ray, CT, MRI).During the interview, the doctor will study the medical history and ask about the patient's symptoms, occurrences and deterioration.

At the first visit, the doctor usually asks the patient not only about the symptoms of arthrosis, but also about the nature of the patient's nutrition and lifestyle, since in Eastern medicine the human body is considered a single system. There are inherent connections in this unified system.For example, the condition of joints is closely dependent on metabolism, immunity, hormonal systems and fluid movement, body mass index.Modern medicine classifies joint diseases as cold diseases, which occur due to the body's energy depletion, decreased heat, and accumulation of cold air. The key factors causing this are poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, exposure to cold and dampness, etc.

During the external examination, the doctor will note the joint's size, shape, range of motion, and signs of inflammation - swelling, redness, increased localized temperature.After examining and interviewing the patient, the doctor will send him for additional tests - X-rays, CT or MRI.On an X-ray, doctors see a narrowing of the joint space, which indicates thinning of the cartilage. Depending on the degree of stenosis, it determines the stage of arthropathy.X-ray images clearly show osteophytes - growths along the edges of bones that form during arthrosis.X-rays show bone tissue well but have difficulty showing connective soft structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide more information.Using tomography, doctors can examine in detail the condition of hyaline cartilage, synovial bursae, joint capsules, and detect damage to joint "mouse", menisci, and ligaments.To study the blood supply to a joint, angiography (radiography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging) using a contrast agent is performed.

Treatment of Arthropathy

In stage IV arthropathy, surgical treatment is used, where the joint is removed and replaced with an endoprosthesis. In stages 1-3 of the disease, conservative treatment is performed.

1. drug.Medications are used to relieve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. In the presence of an inflammatory process, hormonal (glucocorticoids) or nonsteroidal drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs based on ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc. ) are prescribed. Typically, these drugs are given by injection into a joint or into a muscle. To slow down the process of joint cartilage destruction, chondroprotectants are used.
2. Injected into the joint.To reduce friction and improve sliding, hyaluronic acid is injected into the joint space, and its molecules have the ability to retain moisture. Injections of hyaluronic acid protect the cartilage surface from drying out and slow its destruction.
   In cases where severe inflammation and swelling are present, hormonal medications may be injected into the joint space.
3. Operation.Surgical treatment of arthrosis involves replacement of the joint with an endoprosthesis. Such interventions are indicated in the fourth stage of the cataleptic (total immobility) disease.
4. physiotherapy.To relieve inflammation, physical treatments such as laser therapy, magnet therapy, and medications using electrical current (electrophoresis) or ultrasound (phonotherapy) can be used.
   Mud application, compression, and heat improve local blood circulation, promote healing and recovery of cartilage tissue, and relieve pain.
5. Other treatments.For the prevention of joint diseases, as well as as an adjunct to therapeutic methods, exercise therapy (physiotherapy) is prescribed. Performing simple exercises regularly can improve blood supply to your joints, increasing their flexibility and range of motion.
   A hot bath can be used to warm painful joints and relieve symptoms. Balneotherapy treatments for arthritis include treatments such as mud baths or radon baths.

This is important!Chondroprotectants do not affect the cause of arthropathy. In essence, these are not therapeutic agents, but preventive agents. They contain chondroitin and glucosamine, which increase the amount of lubrication (synovial fluid) and promote gliding. Reducing friction can slow the destruction of cartilage, but it cannot restore it.In order not only to slow down the progression of the disease, but also to reverse it, it is necessary to improve the blood supply, activate metabolism and tissue regeneration processes. Chondroprotectants don't do that. Therefore, they can be used as adjunctive treatments but are not a substitute for comprehensive treatment.

Treatment of joint diseases in specialized clinics

Clinically, stage 1-3 arthropathy is treated with phytotherapy, physiological therapy and reflexology from Eastern medicine. More than 90% of cases treated for the disease achieve positive results.Complex treatment sessions include multiple procedures (moxibustion, acupressure, acupuncture, etc. ) that enhance each other's effects based on the synergistic principle.The goal of clinical treatment is to eliminate the cause of arthropathy to ensure long-term and lasting results.

Joint disease refers to the imbalance of Bad Kan, one of the three major control systems of the body. The balance of Bad Kan means health, and the imbalance means disease. In addition to joints, this foundation is responsible for the lymphatic system, fluids, immunity, hormones, and metabolism.Bad Kan imbalances often lead not to one disease but to several diseases at once. Therefore, arthropathy is almost always accompanied by concomitant conditions, diseases, such as overweight (obesity), chronic respiratory diseases, allergic and/or immunodeficiency conditions, endocrine disorders, hormone-dependent gynecological diseases (in women), etc.Modern treatments can restore the balance of the entire Bad Kan base, thus eliminating the common cause of all these diseases. Therefore, in addition to arthropathy, other concomitant diseases may occur.When treating arthropathy, doctors treat not only the affected joint area, but also the entire body to restore the balance of the Badeck base. This is the secret to the effectiveness of joint treatment in our clinic.

Tszyu or moxo therapy.

The process involves heating biologically active points simultaneously or sequentially with wormwood cigars or smoldering cones (made from wormwood or coal). Ju therapy is the main treatment for joint diseases in alternative medicine. It can be used both topically on affected joint areas and on the meridians of the body to restore balance to the Bad Kan base and the entire body. The procedure has a comprehensive effect: it improves blood circulation, stimulates blood flow, activates and accelerates the repair and renewal of connective tissues, improves the lubricating properties of the synovial membrane and normalizes its volume, and has anti-inflammatory and metabolic effects.

acupuncture.

Introducing medical needles into biologically active points has anti-inflammatory, decongestant, and analgesic effects, and promotes the outflow of inflammatory fluid.The influence on the biologically active points of the liver meridian helps improve the function of this organ and activates the synthesis of collagen in the body.The influence on the biological active points of the kidneys helps improve blood circulation in the lower body and improves knee arthrosis, hip arthrosis and other leg joint diseases.

Acupressure.

Strong point pressure improves local circulation, increases blood flow, accelerates metabolic processes and tissue regeneration, and eliminates muscle tension and spasms. Acupressure on the body's meridians (Ku-nye) increases the body's overall energy levels.

Phytotherapy.

For joint diseases, various herbs can be used to speed up metabolism, increase body temperature, speed up the body's recovery process, have anti-inflammatory effects, and improve the function of the liver and kidneys.

Auxiliary means.

Leech therapy, stone therapy, manual therapy, shock wave therapy, etc. are auxiliary methods.Leech therapy has anti-inflammatory properties and improves blood circulation.Hot stone therapy increases body temperature.Shock wave therapy (SWT) improves local blood circulation and accelerates joint healing and recovery.With the help of manual therapy, doctors can relieve joint pain and increase range of motion and mobility.

arthritis diet

For joints, warm, hot food is needed.It is recommended to consume warm foods such as fish, mutton, poultry, seafood, pumpkin, liver, nuts, as well as garlic, onions, ghee and sesame oil.To increase the energy value of food, you must eat spices (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, turmeric, coriander, asafoetida, etc. ).Hot dishes that contain a lot of animal connective tissue, such as soups and broths, are useful.You should eliminate cold foods, cold drinks and reduce the intake of cold foods such as sugar, butter, milk and dairy products, sweets, citrus fruits, raw vegetables and leafy salads, semolina and legumes.

Prevent joint disease

To prevent joint disease, you should avoid factors that cause imbalances in the base of Bad Kan - cooling nutrition, sedentary lifestyle (lack of physical activity), exposure to cold, moisture.Warming nutrition, physical activity, especially walking, outdoor play and physiotherapy exercises are all beneficial.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arthropathy

Are vitamin complexes useful for joint disease?Vitamin complex affects metabolic processes in general. However, they do not have any specific, preventive or therapeutic effect on joint diseases. To maintain overall health and body balance, vitamins contained in food are sufficient as long as proper nutrition is provided.Are joints always inflamed?No, not always. Osteoarthritis may be accompanied by arthritis, but the inflammation is secondary. Therefore, using NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to treat arthropathy is not always helpful and often pointless.Is heat good for joints?Warming up your joints helps improve circulation and is often beneficial. But only in the absence of an acute inflammatory process. For arthritis, heat therapy and warming up are contraindicated.How long does arthritis treatment last?Typically, a course of treatment in a rehab clinic consists of 10 - 15 complex sessions, delivered every other day, over a period of 21 - 30 days. There was a 6 month break after that. A check-up is carried out after six months, on the basis of which it is decided to proceed with a second course of treatment to enhance and consolidate the results.