The names of the diseases seem to affect the same organ system, namely the musculoskeletal system. What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis and what are their similarities?
It is known for sure that the disease affects the musculoskeletal system, especially the joints, but the etiology of the diseases is different.
Arthritis therefore occurs due to any infection: local or general, and osteoarthritis are degenerative processes that occur in the articular cartilage, due to the aging of the human body.
However, anyone, regardless of age, can develop arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Among others, osteoarthritis can refer to dystrophic processes, while arthritis can be side effects of other endogenous and exogenous diseases.
Among the first, we can distinguish osteoarthritis and arthritis deforming the joints, and arthritis is rheumatoid and rheumatic, specific infectious and post-traumatic, as well as arthritis can accompany concomitant diseases of the blood, the systemrespiratory, digestion and others.
Basics
- Osteoarthritisis a chronic pathology of a degenerative-dystrophic nature. The onset of the disease is not associated with an inflammatory component. The pathological process is based on the loss of the capacity for regeneration and restoration by the cells of the articular cartilage. Over time, painful abnormalities cover neighboring anatomical structures: ligaments, bursa, synovium, muscle tissue and bone. People of middle age and older are the most susceptible to osteoarthritis. According to the results of clinical studies, between 45 and 65 years, 30-40% of the population undergo degenerative changes in the articular elements, and after 65 years the number of cases increases to 70-85%.
- Arthritisaffects younger segments of the population. Certain types of diseases are found in every thousandth child. The overall prevalence of arthritis is high in people of all ages. Unlike osteoarthritis, the disease is inflammatory. Inflammation develops in the synovial membrane of the joint cavity. As the pathology develops, it spreads to the cartilage and ligament apparatus, turning into osteoarthritis.
You can't say what's worse: arthritis or osteoarthritis. Pathologies are interconnected. Joint elements, undergoing degenerative-dystrophic changes, respond to them with the development of the inflammatory process. The same situation can occur exactly the opposite. The places of pathological abnormalities after suffering from arthritis are a favorable environment for osteoarthritis.
Mechanism of pathology formation
The difference between diseases is noted from the very beginning - the mechanisms of their origin.
A fundamental role in the development of osteoarthritis is played by:
- age-related changes;
- climacteric period;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- intense physical activity;
- highly traumatic surgical procedures;
- overweight;
- frequent joint microtraumas;
- increased uric acid levels;
- lack of blood supply;
- toxic intoxication of the body;
- micronutrient deficiency.
The factors causing the development of osteoarthritis are early pathologies: protrusion of the acetabulum, osteochondropathy of the femoral head, endocrine diseases, hemophilia, diseases causing increased joint instability, weakness of the ligamentous system. At a young age, degenerative changes develop against the background of congenital inferiority of the hip joint and traumatic injuries: subluxation and dislocation of the femoral head, fractures of the femoral neck and pelvis.
The starting point for arthritis formation is:
- transferred extra-articular infections;
- autoimmune reactions of the body;
- inherited readiness of gene encoding cell surface information to deviations;
- the spread of the infectious agent by lymphatic and bloodstream from the main focus;
- inflammation of connective tissue;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- hypothermia.
Infection of the synovial fluid has a direct path - open wounds that enter the joint. The mechanism of the onset of arthritis has a complex and varied arsenal. The reason lies in the ability of the joints to respond quickly to any inflammation.
Difference in associated symptoms
So, with arthritis, pain most often occurs during physical exertion, and pain can also occur at night when a person is in the same position for a long time.
In osteoarthritis, the pain occurs locally in one place, namely, where the inflammatory process takes place, but at rest the pain goes away.
The nature of pain is also different. For example, patients who develop arthritis suffer from sharp, severe, and twitching pains, and dull, aching aches accompany osteoarthritis.
The blood counts are also excellent. In the first case, there is an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR) and an increase in the level of C-reactive protein, as well as an elevated level of leukocytes and seromucoids. In the second case, there are no such deviations.
The signs accompanying these diseases will help to understand the difference between osteoarthritis and arthritis.
In osteoarthritis, the knee and hip joints are mainly affected by abnormal deviations, sometimes the process is localized in the shoulder area. The pathology develops gradually. The first short-term pains do not make it possible to determine the exact location of the lesion.
Over time, the clinical picture is supplemented by the following signs:
- some kind of crisp sound appears when moving;
- the meteorological dependency is noted;
- the intensity of the pain syndrome increases against the background of increased loads, at rest the pain passes;
- range of motion gradually decreases;
- there are thickenings along the edge of the joint space;
- increasing in volume, processes compress nerve endings, causing severe incessant pain;
- the joint is exposed to instability.
Any joint in the musculoskeletal system can be affected by pathological abnormalities of arthritis. The most vulnerable are the small parts of the movable joints of the legs, hands, lower leg and elbow. Arthritis in rheumatoid form is characterized by the symmetry of the focal lesions.
The first symptomatology, as in osteoarthritis, appears unexpectedly. The pathology clinic begins with general malaise. Pathological abnormalities develop rapidly, affecting the mobility and functional abilities of the affected joint. But, if osteoarthritis is characterized by exacerbation of pain during movement, then in the case of arthritis, the more you move, the less pain. The intensity of painful sensations increases at night. In the morning, the patient finds it difficult to overcome the stiffness of the joints. On palpation, pain is determined over the entire surface of the joint.
The condition is getting worse:
- local hyperemia;
- formation of subcutaneous nodules;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- peripheral nerve damage.
Pathology in the active phase is accompanied by a pronounced general symptomatic complex: increased temperature indicators, chills, fever and intoxication syndrome. In the event of complications, other elements of the biological system are involved in the pathological condition: organs of vision, respiration, digestion, cardiovascular, urinary and nervous systems.
Osteoarthritis, in addition to the complete destruction of cartilage, causes disturbances in the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system.
Differential search methods
A detailed study of the current clinical picture allows us to understand how to distinguish arthritis from osteoarthritis with the greatest precision.
The differential characteristics are identified on the basis of the results of the following studies:
- Complete blood count.In osteoarthritis, in most cases, the rate of sedimentation and the reaction of erythrocytes in the blood remain normal. Arthritis is characterized by a significant increase in indicators, which confirms the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. The analysis does not give a clear definition of the disease, but it can distinguish degenerative-dystrophic changes from inflammation.
- Biochemical analysis of blood samples. In arthritis, the study confirms the presence of inflammatory markers in the biomaterial: C-reactive protein, seromucoid. It is possible to detect rheumatoid factor - immunoglobulin antibodies that are mistakenly produced by the body. The biochemical parameters of osteoarthritis remain normal.
- X-ray examination.At the initial stage of arthritis development, no pronounced changes are detected. With osteoarthritis, an uneven narrowing of the joint space, the formation of osteophytes (growths on the surface of bone tissue) is recorded.
- IRM.The most reliable differential diagnosis of arthritis and osteoarthritis in the early stages. The technique allows to detect changes in the structural structure of cartilage, compaction of the synovial membrane, joint effusion in the cavity, newly formed cysts, self-growth of bone tissue.
Characteristics of therapy
Doctors of various qualifications are involved in the treatment of pathologies. In the event of osteoarthritis, the patient is referred to an orthopedist-traumatologist. In the case of arthritis, the exact cause of the pathological changes is initially established. Depending on the revealed circumstances, a specialist is selected.
Accordingly, as both diseases affect the condition of the supporting apparatus, their treatment methods are identical. An important condition for recovery is a decrease in total body weight and, as a result, a decrease in the load on the organs affected by the disease. In both cases, if drugs and physiotherapy courses do not bring positive results, joint replacement is used.
Specific therapy, therapeutic gymnastics, drug treatment and physiotherapy are also used. With the most serious complications, arthroplasty is used.
In addition to the same methods, there is some difference in the treatment of pathologies.
For arthritis, treatment begins with immediate and vigorous therapy. Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs are prescribed. Preference is given to drugs with less pronounced side effects. If the result does not meet expectations, the drugs are successively replaced.
The course of complex medication includes:
- intra-articular antihistamine injections;
- corticosteroids;
- cytostatics;
- sulfonamides;
- products based on gold salts.
The prognosis with adequate and timely treatment of arthritis is generally good.
Osteoarthritis requires extensive and long-term treatment. The main task of therapeutic measures in the treatment of osteoarthritis is the restoration of the cartilage tissue of the joint. Pharmaceuticals having this ability include chondroprotectors. The most effective are chondroitin and glucosamine.
The impaired blood microcirculation is removed with the help of vasodilators. To get rid of spastic pain, relax muscle tone, muscle relaxers are prescribed. Local application of ointments and warming creams is indicated, which is strictly prohibited in arthritis.
In parallel, funds that stimulate metabolic processes are used, the body is nourished with vitamins and microelements. Not the last place in the therapy of osteoarthritis is occupied by specially developed therapeutic gymnastics.
Osteoarthritis belongs to the group of chronic diseases that lead to irreversible consequences that cannot be completely eliminated. Therapeutic measures are designed to slow down degenerative processes as much as possible.
In either case, people who see obvious signs of these diseases should seek medical help immediately, and it is not worth treating these diseases alone. Take care of your health and get what you want.