Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease) is a form of arthritis
(inflammation of a joint) caused by the degeneration of cartilage.
Cartilage
serves an important role in joint function. Its gel-like nature protects the joints,
by acting as a shock absorber. Without the cartilage in the joint, bone literally
rubs against bone leading to pain, deformity, inflammation, and limitation of
motion in the joint.
The onset of osteoarthritis can be subtle. Morning
joint stiffness is often the first symptom. As the disease progresses, there is
pain with use of the involved joint that is made worse by prolonged activity,
and relieved by rest. There is usually local tenderness, soft tissue swelling,
joint crepitus (cracking sounds), swelling, restricted mobility, and bony nodules.
X-ray findings show narrowing of the joint space (the area between the
bones taken up by cartilage). The weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips,
and spine as well as the hands are the joints most often affected with the degenerative
changes of osteoarthritis. These joints are under greater stress because of weight
and use.
Pain relief may become necessary for functioning on a daily basis.
To some degree, osteoarthritis can be reversed
by diet changes, but any deformity that has been created will last forever, unless
surgery can help to correct it.
Although osteoarthritis normally accompanies
aging, osteoarthritic cartilage appears to differ in its chemical composition
from "healthy" aged cartilage. Many experts now believe that osteoarthritis
is a disorder caused by a genetic susceptibility combined with injury to the joint.
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About Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is divided into two categories, primary
and secondary. In primary osteoarthritis, the degenerative "wear-and-tear"
process occurs after a person turns forty years of age. The cumulative effects
of decades of use leads to the degenerative changes by stressing the collagen
matrix of the cartilage. Stress on the cartilage results in the release of enzymes
which destroy cartilage components.
With aging, the ability to restore
and manufacture normal cartilage structures decreases. So, what I am saying is
that aging is the primary cause of osteoarthritis. But, just because you may be
getting older doesn't mean that you have to suffer from the pain of osteoarthritis.
Secondary osteoarthritis is associated with some predisposing factor which
is responsible for the degenerative changes. Predisposing factors in secondary
osteoarthritis include: inherited abnormalities in joint structure or function;
trauma (fractures along joint surfaces, surgery, etc.); presence of abnormal cartilage;
and previous inflammatory disease of joint (rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc.).
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