Arthropathy Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Arthropathy is a disease whose symptoms everyone should know.This dangerous and very common pathology is virtually invisible in its early stages, however, as it progresses, it can cause excruciating pain and even disability.We will discuss how to avoid this in the article.

Why does arthropathy occur and when should treatment begin?

Joint pain, "clicking" sounds during movement and reduced mobility of the limbs are often overlooked: most people do not pay attention to such signals from the body.At the same time, these symptoms may indicate a serious disease - joint disease.

Degenerative arthropathy is a disease involving the destruction and thinning of cartilage tissue in joints.In this condition, the joint tissue becomes loose and grows, eventually leading to the appearance of bone spurs and inflammation within the joint.

Early stage patients may experience slight discomfort when moving, but they may not notice it.In the second stage of the disease, severe pain occurs, resulting in limited joint movement.The third stage, in addition to pain, is accompanied by complete or almost complete destruction of the articular cartilage tissue.

With prompt treatment, you can significantly slow the progression of joint disease, help preserve limb mobility, and avoid serious surgical intervention - which is why it's so important to consult a rheumatologist at the first symptoms.

Treatment of Arthropathy

From a European medical perspective, treating a serious disease like arthrosis requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account symptoms at all stages of the disease.In addition to medication, complex treatment includes weight loss measures, exercise therapy, physiotherapy and, if necessary, surgical intervention.The treatment plan is formulated by a rheumatologist, taking into account the location of the disease, the characteristics of the patient's body, but must include a series of actions aimed at combating the manifestations of the disease.

drug treatment

The first priority in treating arthrosis is to relieve joint pain and inflammation.For this purpose, doctors prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, ketorolac, piroxicam, diclofenac and their derivatives in the form of tablets, injections, gels, ointments or rectal suppositories.Remember that using this group of drugs can only relieve the main symptoms of the disease.Additionally, long-term use of NSAIDs can accelerate the process of cartilage destruction, so they must be used with great caution and only as prescribed by your doctor.

Using analgesics is another way to relieve a patient's pain.Unlike NSAIDs, analgesics relieve the inflammatory process to a lesser extent but are more effective in combating pain.If muscle spasms occur, antispasmodic drugs such as Mydocalm are prescribed.Both groups of drugs are most commonly used in the form of injections to relieve symptoms of joint disease, but they are not effective in fighting the disease itself.

Chondroprotectants are one of the most important components of medical treatment of joint diseases: they flood cartilage tissue with nutrients and stimulate cell growth.The group of chondroprotectants includes, for example, glucosamine produced in the form of tablets or capsules.You should not expect a quick effect with chondroprotectants: improvements in cartilage condition will only be noticed after long-term use of the drug.Furthermore, they are of no help if the disease has reached the third, most severe stage.

Vasodilators are used to improve blood flow and relieve spasm of small blood vessels.Combining such drugs with chondroprotectants can enhance the effect of the latter: nutrients enter the cartilage tissue in a greater volume.

physical therapy

1. Shock wave therapy.Treating arthropathy with shock wave therapy (SWT) allows us to eliminate one of the main causes of pain: spinous processes - osteophytes.Under the influence of ultrasound, the "spike" soften and dissolve over time, thereby increasing the efficiency of blood flow and metabolic processes.Although shock wave therapy has many advantages, it is only effective in the early stages of arthrosis and has many contraindications, so it should be used with caution.
2. Verticalized automated myoelectric stimulation.The use of electrical pulses to contract muscles is primarily suitable for bed-ridden patients and those with severe injuries that prohibit necessary physical activity.Although electromyostimulation is not the most common purpose for arthritis, its use can help increase muscle tone and improve blood circulation, which has a positive impact on motivation for recovery.
3. Ultrasonic electrophoresis.This procedure combines two types of effects - ultrasound and medication.Thus, phonophoresis can significantly enhance the effect of drugs: with the help of ultrasound waves, the substance of the drug is transported to the "target" cells and is absorbed more actively by them.
4. Ozone therapy.Introducing a gas mixture into the joint capsule reduces pain and inflammation, helps restore joint mobility, and improves circulation.Typically, ozone therapy requires multiple injections, depending on the severity of the disease.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, restoring joint health begins with diagnosis, during which the body's overall condition is assessed and the root cause of joint disease is determined.The doctor then develops a plan to affect the biologically active points.Comprehensive treatment of joint disease includes the following traditional Chinese medicine methods:

• Acupuncture - the placement of the finest needles in some combination on acupuncture points;
• Botanical Compresses – “Extracted” from Herbs;
• Moxibustion therapy - warming with mugwort cigars;
• Acupoint massage.

In this case, people mainly focus on acupuncture as the most effective treatment method of traditional Chinese medicine.The results of treatment largely depend on the qualifications of the specialist.With the help of a skilled physician, patients can quickly notice improvements in their health, along with relief of pain, restoration of joint mobility, strengthening of the immune system, normalization of blood circulation and metabolism [2].

Other non-surgical treatments for joint disease:

• Therapeutic exercise.Exercise therapy for arthrosis is considered an excellent way to improve blood circulation in the affected joint areas as well as strengthen muscles.Generally speaking, doctors recommend starting with simple exercises and gradually increasing the number of repetitions.
• Mechanical therapy.Physiotherapy can be supplemented by mechanical therapy - exercises using special simulators.These devices allow you to increase the load during gymnastics (due to different weights) while protecting sore joints from injury.Like exercise therapy, mechanical therapy helps improve circulation and increase muscle tone.
• Joint traction.The essence of the surgery is to mechanically "stretch" the joint using special equipment for 15 to 20 minutes.This reduces the load on the joints, slows the progression of arthropathy and significantly reduces the patient's pain.Courses consisting of 10-12 sessions are conducted approximately every six months to refine and consolidate results.
• Lymphatic drainage and thermal massage.These surgeries help warm the affected area, relieve spasms and pain, and improve circulation to the joints.Lymphatic drainage and warm massage may also be used if the patient has limited mobility.
• Dietary nutrition prescription.Weight correction is one of the methods to significantly reduce joint load and slow down the development of joint disease.Of course, maintaining a diet by itself does not aid recovery, but it can have some effect when combined with other procedures.
• Lifestyle correction.To combat joint disease, patients will need to rethink their usual lifestyle and start wearing only comfortable shoes and using only comfortable furniture, and women will have to give up high heels.It is also recommended to break bad habits and eliminate excessive physical activity.In some cases, wearing orthotics and regular visits to swimming pools and saunas can help.A comprehensive list of recommendations can be obtained from the attending physician, who will tailor the recommendations to the patient's condition.

surgical treatment

1. Puncture (minimally invasive intervention).It is also used to diagnose the disease.A needle is inserted into the joint capsule and some of the fluid is aspirated - this way you can obtain material for analysis, reduce the load on the joint capsule and, if necessary, inject corticosteroid medication directly into the site of inflammation.
2. Diagnostic arthroscopy.Arthroscopy involves the introduction of a special arthroscopic device through tiny incisions in the skin.This allows you to thoroughly examine the joint and remove separated cartilage fragments, eliminating the inflammatory process and cause of pain.
3. Corrective osteotomy.The essence of this surgery is to file away the patient's bones and then fix them at different angles.This surgery reduces the load on the joints and eliminates pain in the long term.Such radical effects are uncommon - the burden on the patient's body is too great and the recovery period too long.
4. Endoprosthesis.If other types of treatment have not helped and the disease has completely or almost completely destroyed the joint, it is replaced with a prosthesis made of plastic, metal, or ceramic.Endoprosthetic replacement is a difficult and expensive surgery that requires long recovery.Many patients experience pain for several months after surgery.However, for patients, endoprostheses are often the only option other than fixation.Modern prostheses can last up to twenty years, during which time patients will be able to live full lives.

Symptoms and treatment characteristics of different types of joint diseases

Although symptoms share common characteristics, arthropathy of different joints has its own symptoms and treatment characteristics.For example, using ointments to treat hip arthrosis is ineffective because muscle and fatty tissue prevent the medication from reaching the site of inflammation.But the same ointment works well on your knees or elbow joints.Let’s take a look at what are the typical symptoms of joints (ankles, knees, elbows, shoulders, fingers, and hips) and what treatments are appropriate for each case.

• Treatment of arthropathy of hand (finger) joints.In the early stages, the disease manifests itself only as a slight crunching and slight pain when moving the hands, but if left untreated, it becomes visually noticeable: a noticeable thickening of the phalanges in the area of the joints.The pain intensifies and becomes constant, with burning and throbbing sensations in the fingers.NSAIDs and corticosteroids are used to relieve pain and inflammation; massage, chondroprotectants, and digital traction can slow cartilage destruction.
• Treat arthritis of the shoulder joint.Painful muscle spasms, reduced arm mobility, "lower back pain" when lifting or moving your arms to the sides - all are symptoms of shoulder arthritis.Massage and physical therapy combine the use of antispasmodics and intra-articular injections of painkillers.
• Treat arthritis of the elbow joint.Symptoms of elbow disease include a loud crunching sound when you bend your elbow and move your hand, "shooting" pain, and muscle weakness.To eliminate this type of joint disease, physical therapy methods, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of compresses and ointments can be used.
• Treat hip arthritis.Hip arthritis is characterized by "soft" creaking in the joint, pain or discomfort in the lower back when moving or with severe fatigue.In the treatment of this disease, painkillers are prescribed in the form of injections, capsules or tablets, compressed with anti-inflammatory solutions.
• Treat knee arthritis.With knee osteoarthritis, patients complain of a crunching sound when moving, pain in the lower leg area (especially when weight bearing), and increased joint size.Comprehensive treatments include: shock wave therapy, joint traction, physical therapy, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ointments), and use of compresses.
• Treatment of Ankle Arthritis.Tingling, redness, crunching, clicking sounds in the foot area, rapid fatigue when walking - these symptoms indicate the development of arthropathy in the ankle joint.Physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic baths are effective in treating such conditions.You should also reduce the load on your ankles.

To avoid the onset of joint disease, especially if you are prone to it, you should follow simple rules: wear comfortable shoes, keep your body active, while taking precautions during exercise to avoid injuries and hypothermia.To prevent this disease, it is particularly important to maintain a normal weight, since every additional kilogram increases the load on the joints.