OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that affects the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage of one or more joints functions. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a "cushion" between the bones of the joints.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms of arthritis and affects nearly 27 million Americans and 151 million individuals worldwide.

Known as the "wear-and-tear" kind of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a chronic disease characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage's. 

Cartilage is the part of the joint thatcushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement. The breakdown of cartilagecauses the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of motion inthe joint.

A combination of factors may contribute to OA, such as obesity, aging, joint injury or stress, heredity, and muscle weakness. OA can affect the hands, feet, spine, or largeweight-bearing joints such as hips and knees.

Worldwide, OA impacts about 18% of women and 9.6% of men 60 years and older
In the U.S. alone, OA affects 13.9% of adults aged 25 and older and 33.6% (12.4 million) of those 65 years and older.
From 1990 to 2005, the number of American adults are affected by OA increased from 21,000,000 to 26,900,000.

Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical defects on the degradation of joints.  Including cartilage and subchondral bone. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion. A variety of factors-genetic, developmental, metabolic and mechanical may initiate processes that lead to loss of cartilage. When bone surfaces are less well protected by cartilage, bone can be exposed and damaged. As a result of decreased mobility secondary to pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments are more lax.

Obesity causes osteoarthritis by increasing the mechanical load on articular cartilage and so on. In fact, in addition to aging, obesity is the major risk factor for osteoarthritis of the knees. The early development of osteoarthritis of the knees among weight lifters is believed to be partly due to their high body weight. Repeated trauma to joint tissues (ligaments,bones and cartilage) is believed to lead to early osteoarthritis of the knees in soccer players and the Army military personnel. Interestingly, studies have not found an increased risk of osteoarthritis in the long distance runners.

Arthritis treatment depends on the diet  but often  includes medication and exercise. There is no special diet for  osteoarthritis, but weight loss can improve symptoms of osteoarthritis.

SYMPTOMS:

Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints such as hips and knees. Osteoarthritis usually has no known cause and is referred to as primary osteoarthritis. When the cause of the osteoarthritis is known, the condition is called as secondary osteoarthritis.

The most common joints affected by osteoarthritis are the big toe joint, wrists, hips, knees,cervical and lumbar spine

SPECIFIC JOINTS ARE AFFECTED:

Fingers: Bone enlargements in the fingertips (first joint) are common. These are called Heberden nodes. They are usually not painful. Sometimes they can develop suddenly and are painful, swollen and red. This knot is known as osteoarthritis and occurs in women older than 45 years.

Hip: The hips are major weight-bearing joints. Involvement of the hips may be seen more in men. Farmers, construction workers, firefighters and found that an increased incidence of hip osteoarthritis. Researchers believe that a physical strain contributes to osteoarthritis of the hip and knee.

Knees: The knees are major weight-bearing joints. Repetitive squatting and kneeling may promote osteoarthritis.

Spine: Osteoarthritis of the spine can lead to bone spurs or osteophytes, which can pinchor crowd nerves and cause pain and possibly weakness in the arms or legs.

TREATMENT:

Lifestyle changes can help cure joint pain for some patients. For example, exercise can strengthen the muscles around a joint, making it more stable. Weight loss can relieve painby pressure on joints.

Treatment includes medications that are not accompanied by education, physical and occupational therapy, weight loss, exercise and aids (orthoses).