The joints have two main "enemies" that counteract the full work. These are joint and joint diseases, despite 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 has no blood vessels and nerve endings, so it can be strong and withstand high loads. This softens the effect on tissues that have nerve fibers or blood capillaries.
When the body is moving, cartilage provides unobstructed and painless rotation in the bone heads in the joints, reducing frictional damage. When jumping, the cartilage tissue acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the inertia load.
Arthritis and arthritis "paralyze" the work of the joints and interfere with overall movement. Some of the symptoms of these diseases are similar, others are radically different.
Physiological processes in arthritis
When a person feels pain in a particular joint, it may indicate the appearance of a disease such as arthritis. This disease is an inflammation of the cartilage.
The disease can affect all components of the joint:
- a synovial membrane along the edges;
- joint fluid that nourishes tissues and acts as a lubricant;
- joint capsule.
Patients with arthritis complain of acute pain, such as knee pain, limiting limb mobility. Fever and redness of the inflamed area are typical. The pain may be "humid" and affect a similar joint in the other limb.
A permanent sign of the disease is visually distinguishable external tissue edema.
Despite the decrease in the functionality of the bond, its internal structure does not change. It is just an inflammation of the cartilage caused by metabolic disorders, infection, or trauma that can be eliminated with proper treatment without further deterioration of the joint itself.
Physiological processes in arthrosis
This disease is more related to internal changes in the joint. Because cartilage has no blood vessels, it is nourished and rebuilt by joint fluid, which contains the necessary beneficial chemicals.
As you age, your metabolic processes slow down and cartilage tissue, which receives less food, begins to wear out faster than it recovers. This leads to thinning.
Decomposing thin cartilages are no longer able to relieve stress well, so patients with arthrosis feel pain when they walk or work with the affected joint.
No inflammatory processes are observed. The disease is age-related only and is related to individual lifestyle characteristics (good eating habits and the intake of additional supportive substances can serve as a good prevention and delay the development of the disease for a long time).
The breakdown of cartilage tissue leads to pain that is painful in nature. No swelling or redness.
Arthrosis is a disease that affects a specific joint. There is no parallel development on the adjacent limb in the same place. The disease often "selects" a large "node" in the anatomy. It can be a hip or knee joint.
Similar and different features - in short about the main thing
Arthritis and arthritis show similarities in the manifestation of some symptoms. OK:
- stiffness after awakening, numbness in the joint;
- loss of full motor function of the limb;
- pain syndrome, which makes it inconvenient to perform elementary operations.
Despite the nature, number, and location of general symptoms and feelings, they can tell what type of illness they are associated with. Differences in disease manifestations help to more accurately identify the diagnosis.
So what is the difference between arthritis and arthrosis:
- The first is a clear rise in body temperature in the background of inflammation. In the second disease, this is not due to the gradual and imperceptible development of degenerative processes.
- Tissue edema occurs in arthritis. In the case of arthrosis, this symptom is missing.
- Inflammation of 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 actually makes the joint (in the extreme stage) incapable.
- In arthritis, there is redness around the affected joint. Arthrosis is not distinguished by changes in skin pigmentation.
Details of differences and similarities
By looking more closely at the symptoms, you can highlight the nuances that help identify the "enemy" that afflicts the joint. Below we present the main symptoms of the diseases with the main similar and unique manifestations.
Pain syndrome
Painful feelings lie in both diseases. But because arthritis is associated with arthritis, pain is an integral part of the entire course of the disease. He has a sharp character. Sometimes patients feel this at night or in the morning. Painful feelings cause suffering, regardless of the type of person’s actions.
The pain in arthrosis is associated with the breakdown of cartilage and the complete inability to do so. Padding and friction are not reduced to the right level, so the bone equipment is damaged.
It is painful and appears more often after a long walk or other load on the affected joint. In the initial stage, the pain may be subtle, but the picture changes as the disease progresses.
Deformation
Both diseases affect the structure of the joint device. Physiological changes in arthritis are more visual in nature. It:
- swelling;
- lump formation;
- erythema;
- temperature.
It can be accompanied by arthritis: psoriasis, increased sweating and weakness. Only certain diseases (traumatic and osteoarthritis) are able to change the structural structure of the anatomical node.
With arthritic inflammatory manifestations on the outside, the joint looks in the usual way, but irreversible processes take place inside. The cartilage layer becomes thinner, leading to an increase in the 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 inside the joint capsule. Blood tests show elevated leukocytes in such patients.
Inflammation can be caused by injury or infection.
In arthrosis, leukocyte mass is normal due to the lack of an inflammatory process. Degenerative changes go away smoothly, often the patient does not notice.
Crunches and clicks
A crunchy sound in the joint is a sure sign of arthrosis. This is due to the deterioration of cartilage and the painful interaction of bone tissue. In healthy people, all joints sometimes crack. The difference between the affected area is that the sound will be "dry" and "rough".
Arthritis does not crack because the movement of the swollen joint is restricted and its cartilage continues to protect bone tissue from painful interactions.
Joint mobility
Restricting working together unites the symptoms of these diseases. But there is a significant difference in the nature of the infringement.
In joint 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 caused by swelling and inflammation.
Common and various causes of development
These diseases can be caused by injuries sustained while jumping or running. Joint diseases can be triggered by a strong and prolonged load. This is the "professional" legacy of many athletes. Deferred hypothermia is another factor that contributes to the development of both diseases.
The difference between the diseases is that arthritis can occur due to an infection that enters the body, which is not typical of arthrosis. This is a general inflammation where arthritis will only be a consequence that needs to be addressed and eliminated from the primary source. Another cause of arthritis can be overweight, which overloads the joints on a daily basis.
Osteoarthritis is a distinct disease that is not related to general health conditions. It can develop in cartilage tissue due to poor quality nutrition and insufficient amount of necessary substances. This can be facilitated by hormonal disorders and circulatory diseases that impair the supply of other tissues. More often, the disease "accompanies" the elderly.
Risk zone
Arthritis can develop in people of any age. As a result of the infection, it can even affect the joints of young children. Often a beautiful half of humanity suffers from it, aged 35-55.
Osteoarthritis is exclusively an "old" disease. Structural changes in cartilage tissue occur after 60 years. This is due to deteriorating metabolic processes and other aging factors. Arthrosis is more likely to occur in people with arthritis.
Being overweight, improper diet, and strenuous exercise increase the likelihood of developing both diseases.
Management approach
When diagnosing these diseases, similar treatment is prescribed in part, consisting of:
- developing a gentle system that eliminates stress on the affected joints;
- taking medications that nourish cartilage tissue and restore its volume;
- massage combined with physiotherapy exercises that improve blood flow to the sore spot and natural metabolism;
- analgesia with analgesics;
- intra-articular block;
- oxygen supply to the joint;
- special complex dishes.
The difference between treatment is the process of antibiotics in the case of infectious arthritis to eliminate the cause of the disease.
In the case of arthritic manifestations, surgery is a separate method to eliminate the disease. This is necessary if the cartilage is completely destroyed. In this situation, it is replaced with a prosthetic joint.
Disease prevention
As a preventive measure for both diseases, the following can be distinguished:
- Moderate stress. Take time to exercise from the cardio group several times a week. This promotes joint mobility without unnecessary stress, as with lifting dumbbells.
- Do not overcool.
- Eat properly. Foods should be rich in trace elements and vitamins.
- Maintain a healthy weight so that the joints do not wear out prematurely.
- Avoid joint injuries. Avoid jumping from high heights and lifting weights.
- In old age, walking with a cane, which reduces the load on the foot where disease can develop.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
In the case of arthritis, further prevention will be the rapid diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, which prevents the inflammation from spreading to other sites.