Osteoarthritis

One day, Susan, a homemaker, was doing her routine cleaning, when she noticed a small bony formation in the middle joint of her little finger. For the last month, she has also been experiencing pain in her hand joint. She decided that it was time to get examined by a doctor. Later, Susan was diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is also known as degenerative arthritis. Studies reveal that roughly 20 million Americans suffer from this disease.

Osteoarthritis is a medical condition wherein the patient suffers joint pain, which is also accompanied by inflammation and reddening of the joint.

A joint is a point where two bones meet. The ends of the bones are covered and protected by hard, elastic and slippery tissue known as cartilage. Cartilages are composed of proteins and they act as a cushion between two bones in a joint. They allow the bones to smoothly glide over each other and absorb any shock that may result from such movements.

However, constant wear and tear, along with aging, leads to the breakage of the cartilage. With the protective covering gone, bones present in a joint start rubbing against each other, which causes pain and inflammation. One may also experience a loss of motion as regular rubbing of the bones may permanently damage them. In some cases, broken pieces of cartilage may start floating in the body and this may further worsen the pain and inflammation. This inflammation and pain is termed as osteoarthritis by the medical fraternity.

Osteoarthritis mainly affects the fingers, hands, lower back, hips and knees.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis:

Osteoarthritis displays many symptoms. But you must remember not to confuse the warning signs displayed by osteoarthritis with other forms of arthritis. It is always better to visit a doctor rather than attempting self-diagnosis,

Some of the symptoms displayed by osteoarthritis include:

• Pain: Pain is one of the most common symptoms displayed in patients affected by osteoarthritis. Most of them suffer from joint pains. The pain worsens as the day progresses. Most patients state that the severity of the pain is more if they have indulged in a physical activity for a long time or if they have been inactive for long periods.
• Stiffness: Patients afflicted with osteoarthritis also complain of stiffness in the affected joint. The stiffness is more prominent when one remains inactive for a long time i.e. being seated for a long period. Osteoarthritis can also lead to the swelling and reddening of the joint, especially if it is engaged in a movement.
• Crackling sound: Osteoarthritis leads to the destruction of cartilage- the protective covering around the ends of the bone. This may cause the bones to rub against each other, which in some cases produce a crackling sound. Many osteoarthritis sufferers also state that they can actually hear the bones grinding against each other.
• Appearance of nodes: Formation of nodes is observed in many osteoarthritis patients. Osteoarthritis eventually leads to a complete wear away of the cartilage. This results in inflammation of the said bone. It might also stimulate the affected bone to produce a new bone, which can be seen as bony protrusion. Most of the time, these bony formations are observed at the end of the finger joint or the middle joints of the fingers.

Causes of osteoarthritis:

Till date, science has not been able to pinpoint the exact cause of arthritis. But scientists believe that stress on the cartilage can lead to an imbalance in the enzymes that are primarily responsible for the disintegration and the restoration of the cartilage on a daily basis. Thus, in case of osteoarthritis, the process of disintegration outpaces the restoration process and hence it leads to the breakage of the cartilages. What causes this imbalance remains an unknown fact.

However, there are certain factors that increase the risk of osteoarthritis. They include:

• Aging: As we age, water content starts increasing and the protein content of a joint starts registering a decrease. This accelerates the wear and tear process. Also, a constant use of the joints causes the cartilage cover to disappear leading to pain and inflammation.
• Obesity: Obesity increases the chances of getting afflicted with osteoarthritis. Obesity puts more pressure on the cartilages present in the joints, especially the knee and hip joint. This increases the incidence of wear and tear and can ultimately lead to osteoarthritis.
• Congenital conditions: Congenital defects such as abnormal joints and defective cartilage can result in frequent wear and tear and might ultimately result in osteoarthritis.

Treatment for osteoarthritis:

If you are suffering from osteoarthritis, there are a variety of treatments including:

• Medications: Medical practitioners often prescribe medication to relieve them from pain and inflammation. Some of the common medications include Acetaminophen, ketoprofen, ibuprofen, Tramadol etc.
• Joint Replacement: Some osteoarthritis sufferers may undergo a joint replacement operation wherein the damaged joint is removed and replaced with a plastic or metal joint.
• Repositioning: In the case that osteoarthritis is caused due to a deformed joint, doctors may consider repositioning of bones.
• Glucosamine/MSM: Brought to popular attention by the best-selling book, “The Arthritis Cure,” but also supported by studies at the National Institutes of Health, glucosamine products may provide the natural building blocks to grow, repair and maintain cartilage.

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Do not take this as medical advice. Please consult with your physician before trying any of these ideas.

None of the statements in this site have been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.