Joints have two main "enemies" that oppose full-fledged work. These are diseases arthritis and arthrosis, despite the similar names, the essence of the ongoing pathological processes is different. The affected area of these diseases is cartilage.
Cartilage plays an important role in joint health. It does not have blood vessels and nerve endings, so it can be strong and withstand heavy loads. This softens the effect on those tissues in which there are nerve fibers or blood capillaries.
When the body moves, the cartilage provides unimpeded and painless rotation of the bone heads in the joints, reducing friction damage to zero. When jumping, the cartilaginous tissue acts as shock absorbers, absorbing the inertial load.
Arthritis and arthrosis "fetter" the work of joints and interfere with full movement. Some of the symptoms of these diseases are similar, others differ radically.
Physiological processes in arthritis
When a person begins to feel pain in a particular joint, this may indicate the appearance of a disease such as arthritis. This ailment means inflammation of the cartilage.
The disease can affect all components of the joint:
- the synovial membrane located along the edges;
- synovial fluid that nourishes tissues and acts as a lubricant;
- articular capsule.
Patients with arthritis complain of acute pain, for example, in the knee, limitation of limb mobility. Fever and redness of the inflamed area are characteristic. The pain can be "steamy", affecting a similar joint on the other limb.
A constant sign of the disease is visually distinguishable external tissue edema.
Despite the decrease in the functionality of the joint, its internal structure does not change. This is only inflammation of the cartilage, caused by metabolic disorders, infection, or provoked by trauma, which, with proper treatment, can be eliminated without further degradation of the joint itself.
Physiological processes in arthrosis
This disease is more associated with internal changes in the joint. Since there are no blood vessels in cartilage, it is nourished and rebuilt by synovial fluid, which contains the necessary beneficial chemicals.
With age, metabolic processes slow down, and the cartilage tissue, receiving less nourishment, begins to wear out faster than to recover. This leads to its thinning.
The decaying thin cartilage is no longer able to cushion well under stress, so patients with arthrosis experience pain when walking or working with the affected joint.
Inflammatory processes are not observed. The disease is exclusively age-related and associated with the individual characteristics of the lifestyle (correct dietary habits and the intake of additional supportive substances can serve as a good prevention and delay the onset of the disease for a long time).
Degradation of cartilage tissue leads to pain that is aching in nature. There is no swelling or redness.
Arthrosis is a disease that affects a specific joint. There is no parallel development at the same place in the adjacent limb. The disease often "selects" a large "node" in the anatomy. It can be the hip or knee joint.
Similar and different features - briefly about the main thing
Arthritis and arthrosis have similarities in the manifestation of some of the symptoms. They are:
- stiffness after waking up, a feeling of numbness in the joint;
- loss of full motor function in the limb;
- pain syndrome that makes performing elementary actions unpleasant.
Despite the general symptoms and the nature of the sensations, their number and place, they can tell what type of disease they relate to. Differences in the manifestations of ailments will help to more accurately identify the diagnosis.
So, what is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis:
- The first has a clear increase in body temperature against the background of inflammation. In the second disease, this is not due to the gradual and imperceptible development of degenerative processes.
- Arthritis has pronounced tissue edema. In the case of arthrosis, this symptom is absent.
- Inflammation of the cartilage tissue can lead to the formation of subcutaneous nodules. The second disease does not cause this anomaly.
- Arthritis does not lead to anatomical deformities. Arthrosis, in fact, renders the joint incapacitated (at an extreme stage).
- With arthritis, there is redness of the skin around the affected joint. Arthrosis is not distinguished by a change in skin pigmentation.
Detailing differences and similarities
With a closer look at the symptoms, you can highlight the nuances that help to pinpoint the "enemy" that struck the joint. Below are the main symptoms of diseases with the main similar and individual manifestations.
Pain syndrome
Painful sensations are inherent in both diseases. But since arthritis is associated with joint inflammation, pain is an integral part of the course of the entire disease. She has a sharp character. Sometimes patients can feel it at night, or in the morning. Painful sensations cause suffering regardless of the type of person's actions.
Pain in arthrosis is associated with the degradation of cartilage and the inability to fully fulfill its purpose. Cushioning and friction mitigation are not performed at the proper level, therefore, the bone apparatus is injured.
Painful aching and appears more often after a long walk, or other load on the affected joint. In the initial stage, pain may be subtle, but the picture changes as the disease progresses.
Deformation
Both diseases affect the structure of the articular apparatus. Physiological changes in arthritis are more visual in nature. It:
- swelling;
- the formation of nodules;
- redness of the skin;
- temperature.
Arthritis can be accompanied by: psoriasis, increased sweating, and weakness. Only some types of disease (traumatic and osteoarthritis) can change the structural structure of the anatomical node.
With arthritic manifestations, the joint looks outwardly as usual, but irreversible processes take place inside. The cartilage layer becomes thinner, which leads to an increasing load on the bone tissue.
Inflammatory process
Arthritic manifestations are characterized by swelling in the area of the affected joint.
This is due to inflammation of the synovial film itself, which is inside the joint capsule. A blood test shows elevated leukocytes in such patients.
The inflammation can be caused by injury or infection.
In arthrosis, the leukocyte mass is normal, due to the absence of an inflammatory process. Degenerative changes pass smoothly, often unnoticed by the patient.
Crunch and clicks
A crunchy sound in the joint is a sure sign of arthrosis. This is due to the deterioration of the cartilage and the painful interplay of bone tissue. In healthy people, all joints sometimes crunch. The difference between the affected area is that the sound will be "dry" and "rough".
Arthritis does not crackle because the swollen joint is restricted in movement, and its cartilage still protects bone tissue from painful interactions.
Joint mobility
Limitation of the joint work combines the symptoms of these diseases. But there is a significant difference in the nature of the violation.
In arthritic pathology, the range of motion decreases, but this happens gradually, as the cartilage wears out. Arthritis is characterized by extensive stiffness that paralyzes the work of the joint. This is due to swelling and inflammation.
Common and various causes of development
These diseases can develop due to injuries sustained while jumping or running. Joint disease can be provoked by a strong and prolonged load. This is the "professional" legacy of many athletes. Postponed hypothermia is another factor contributing to the development of both diseases.
The difference between the diseases is that arthritis can occur due to an infection that has entered the body, which is not typical for arthrosis. This is a general inflammation, where arthritic manifestation will be only a consequence, for the treatment of which it is necessary to find and eliminate the original source. Another cause of arthritis can be excess weight, which overloads the joints on a daily basis.
Osteoarthritis is a separate disease not related to general health conditions. It can develop due to the poor quality of nutrition and the supply of insufficient amounts of the necessary substances to the cartilaginous tissue. This can be facilitated by hormonal disorders and diseases of the circulatory tract, which impair the supply of other tissues. More often the disease "accompanies" the elderly.
Risk zone
A person of any age can develop arthritis. As a consequence of the infection, it can affect the joints of even young children. Often the beautiful half of humanity suffers from it, at the age of 35-55 years.
Osteoarthritis is an exclusively "old" disease. Structural changes in cartilage tissue occur after 60 years. This is due to a deteriorating metabolic process and other aging factors. People with arthritis are more likely to develop arthrosis.
Excess weight, improper diet, and heavy exercise increase the likelihood of developing both diseases.
Treatment approach
When diagnosing these diseases, a partially similar treatment is prescribed, which consists in:
- establishment of a sparing regimen that excludes stress on the affected joints;
- taking medications that nourish the cartilage tissue and restore its volume;
- massage in combination with physiotherapy exercises, which improves blood flow to the sore spot and natural metabolism;
- pain relief with painkillers;
- intra-articular blockade;
- oxygenation of the joint;
- special complex meals.
The difference between treatment is a course of antibiotics in case of infectious arthritis to remove the root cause of the disease.
For arthritic manifestations, surgical intervention is a separate way to eliminate the disease. This is required in case of complete destruction of the cartilage. In such a situation, it is replaced with a prosthetic joint.
Disease prevention
As preventive measures for both ailments, the following can be distinguished:
- Moderate stress. Set aside time for exercise from the cardio group several times a week. This promotes joint mobility, without unnecessary stress, as in the case of lifting a barbell.
- Do not overcool.
- Eat properly. Food should be rich in trace elements and vitamins.
- Maintain a healthy weight so that your joints don't wear out prematurely.
- Avoid joint injuries. Avoid jumping from great heights and lifting weights.
- In old age, walk with a cane, which reduces the load on the leg, where an ailment can develop.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
For arthritis, additional prevention will be the rapid diagnosis and treatment of any infectious disease, which will prevent inflammation from spreading to other places.