How Is Arthritis Different From Arthrosis?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

How is arthritis different from arthrosis?

Content:

• Reasons for defeat
• Age factor
• Course of the disease
• Symptoms
• Treatment methods

Arthritis and arthrosis, or osteoarthritis, are completely different diseases. They are different even in spite of the fact that they seem very similar to each other, and their symptoms in some cases may coincide. You will learn more about the main differences between arthritis and arthrosis later in our article.

The causes of arthritis and arthrosis

In arthritis, the basis of pathogenesis is inflammation of the joints, which can result from:

• Infections;
• Rheumatism;
• Allergic or autoimmune reactions.

Arthritis also manifests itself against the background of various injuries or destabilization of metabolic processes (for example, gout). Arthritis can be part of some other ailments (for example, inflammatory systemic diseases, connective tissue problems or vasculitis, and more).

Arthrosis is not characterized by an inflammatory origin. Its occurrence is associated with destructive changes in the joint itself, as well as in the cartilage tissue. The most common causes of arthrosis should include excessive stress on the joint (most often, this is overweight) and common wear of tissues with age. Also, trauma, destabilization of blood supply and metabolism in the joint can lead to arthrosis.

Among themselves, arthrosis are divided into primary, which are characterized by a violation of the restoration of cartilage cells due to poor blood supply, and secondary, which are formed against the background of an already existing lesion, for example, injury.

Age factor

Osteoarthritis is a common ailment among older and elderly people. This is due to the fact that by the age of 60, almost any person can reveal minimal dystrophic changes in the joint tissues.

The special risk category includes:

• People whose activities are directly related to constant overload of the joints, for example, with a prolonged stay in an almost immobile standing or sitting position, as well as with professional sports;
• Those who are overweight and have various metabolic disorders.

Arthritis usually develops at a much younger age. We are talking about a period of approximately 35 to 50 years. The youngest, including children, most often develop acute processes. We are talking about purulent, allergic and reactive arthritis. In this case, the disease is characterized by a rapid course and a good prognosis of recovery with timely treatment.

In elderly people, arthritis is most often formed against the background of arthrosis and can take on a protracted, often recurrent nature.

Course of the disease

Arthritis can be characterized not only by an acute but also by a chronic course. Moreover, if an acute process is formed, subsequent compensation for all destructive changes that have occurred in the tissues of the joint is likely. If the course of the disease is chronic, then the disease eventually provokes irreversible changes in the joint, up to the complete loss of its working capacity.

The rate at which irreversible changes develop depends on:

• Causes of joint damage;
• Frequency of exacerbations;
• The age of the person.

Osteoarthritis is always a chronic disease. Having begun to appear, changes in the joint area will not disappear anywhere and will systematically lead a person to disability. The only method that makes it possible to slow down the course of the disease should be considered the process of support and restoration of cartilage tissue, which has begun in time. We are talking about chondroprotectors, vitamin complexes, phytopreparations and other means. It is also necessary to follow medical recommendations (correct excess weight and follow a diet).

Symptoms

Arthritis occurs most often acutely, but arthrosis forms gradually, slowly gaining momentum. It is with this that the difficulties with the timely diagnosis of osteoarthritis are associated. Due to delays in the diagnosis and initiation of therapy, irreversible changes in the tissues of the joints usually have already developed.

Arthritis is always more obvious. It can be intense swelling, unexpected pain, almost complete limitation of movement in the joint. In addition, in the case of arthritis, sharp pains appear at the very beginning of the disease and require the appointment of pain relievers at the earliest stages. The pain in arthrosis is usually aching in nature, it develops gradually and is in direct proportion to how pronounced the degenerative changes in the tissues are.

Edema in the case of arthritis is most often sharply marked, and in osteoarthritis, it manifests itself only when inflammation joins. Also, in the case of arthritis, redness of the skin over the joint that has undergone inflammation often occurs.

Arthritis, unlike arthrosis, is accompanied by such signs of intoxication as:

• Increased body temperature;
• Feeling of "aches" in muscles and joints;
• Headaches.

Arthrosis is characterized by the formation of so-called "articular mice", which are necrotic bone fragments in the articular cavity. This may be associated with the appearance of serious painful sensations and a feeling of "seizing the joint". The second occurs when these fragments are squeezed between the articular surfaces.

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Treatment methods

Most often, arthrosis is treated at home. If you develop acute arthritis, you should immediately consult a specialist. In more complex situations, treatment in a hospital or surgery may be required (for example, puncture of the articular cavity in case of a purulent process). Emergency medical support will be appropriate if sudden pain and obvious swelling of the joint is present, or if painful sensations have occurred after an injury (fractures and other traumatic injuries should be ruled out).

An orthopedic traumatologist is involved in the treatment of arthrosis, and a variety of specialists help to get rid of arthritis, depending on the origin of the disease. We are talking about rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, allergists-immunologists and many others. Mild and non-severe stages of acute arthritis and exacerbation of a chronic ailment can be treated at home.

Thus, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis is obvious, and therefore one should carefully approach the issue of their diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist

Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.