Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis or
degenerative joint disease, is the most common joint
disorder and has unknown causes. It is a condition that is
usually seen in older people, in their larger,
weight-bearing joints, such as the hips, knees, and spine.
It can also affect the hands and feet, or other joints.
The smooth cartilage lining of a joint begins to flake and
crack through age and general wear and tear. As the
cartilage deteriorates, the underlying bone can become
thickened and distorted. This can make moving the joint so
painful and restricted that the associated muscles are used
much less. This leads to the degeneration of the unused
muscles.
Symptoms
Pain, swelling, and stiffness can occur at intervals of
months or years. Although osteoarthritis often affects
several joints, it rarely causes symptoms in more than one
or two joints at a time. Pain may gradually become so
sever that it disturbs sleep and limits everyday activities.
Swelling can vary from being hardly noticeable to making
the joint appear extremely knobby and enlarged. The pain
from osteoarthritis can be felt directly in the affected
joint, or indirectly. That is, the pain may transmit to
other parts of the body in what is known as referred pain.
For example, the front of the thigh or knee may be very
painful for someone with osteoarthritis in the hip.
Risks
X-rays show some degree of osteoarthritis in most people
over 40, whether they have symptoms or not. There are no
life-threatening risks and it seldom becomes a serious
problem. Certain occupations and sports are more often
associated with the development of osteoarthritis, such as
ballet or football.
Treatment
There are self-help treatments to help with the pain
symptoms of osteoarthritis. If a person is overweight,
losing weight can help release some of the strain on
weight-bearing joints. Resting frequently or using a cane
can help ease pain. Heat is often an easy self-help
treatment for joint pain.
Most importantly, regular exercise prevents the muscles
around the affected joints from becoming weak and minimizes
symptoms. Physical therapy including exercise, massage and
heat treatments are often recommended. Aspirin or
ibuprofen can help relieve pain, but a doctor can prescribe
another painkiller.
For severe pain, an injection of a corticosteroid drug into
the joint can help. However, if it is used too often it
can be damaging. Joint replacement through surgery can
also be common.
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John Russell of IH Distribution, LLC brings you health,
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