What is Osteoarthritis ?
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the United States, affecting more than 20 million Americans. Osteoarthritis (OA) begins with the breakdown of cartilage in joints, resulting in joint pain and stiffness.
Osteoarthritis commonly affects the joints of the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists, elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When Osteoarthritis is found in one of these joints, there is usually a history of injury or unusual stress.
If you think you might have Osteoarthritis, take the time to learn more about its symptoms, causes, and diagnosis. Make an appointment to see your doctor. Only your doctor can diagnose your condition. Early diagnosis is important so you can begin treatment that will help to relieve pain, improve mobility, and minimize disability.
The more you know about Osteoarthritis and its treatments, the more you can do to minimize the inflammation and the pain it can cause.
Causes of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis used to be seen only as an older person’s disease. Now, because of the modern stresses in our lives, people of all ages suffer from the aches and pains associated with osteoarthritis.
General wear and tear on the joints can cause osteoarthritis. However, playing sports such as jogging, tennis and skiing are also potential instigators of the disease. If your occupation entails heavy lifting or excessive use of your hands, you may be at a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis.
There is no known cause of osteoarthritis. A specific joint injury or other joint disease like rheumatoid arthritis may cause osteoarthritis. Gout and congenital defects to the joint are secondary causes of osteoarthritis. Hypermobiles, or people that are extremely flexible, are also more prone to the disease.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
The most common symptoms are pain and stiffness in the joint. Early on in the disease, pain may only be felt after exercise, but will go away after you rest. Over time, the occasional pain may become constant and wake you up at night. The cartilage may continue to wear away until bone is crunching on bone and a grating sound is heard.
In the long term, loss of mobility may occur. The joint may feel warm to the touch and may be swollen. This is called erosive inflammatory osteoarthritis. Deformity may result when one side of the joint collapses more than the other side. However, most people do not become crippled as a result of osteoarthritis.
New Osteoarthritis Treatments
Over the past several years, the FDA approved a group of medications called visco supplements. They are injected directly into the joint. They include:
• Hyalgan
• Supartz
• Synvisc
• Neovisc
Visco supplements can help reduce the pain in a knee affected by osteoarthritis, increasing mobility and allowing more activity. |
