While some people may ask, “What the heck is osteoarthritus?” if you list the symptoms they will say, “O, yeah! I have it.”
Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most common joint disease. Morning joint stiffness is usually the first symptom. Other symptoms include pain in the joints of the hands, finger or foot. Pain may occur in the large, weight-bearing joints like the shoulder, knee or the spine also. Swelling, warmth or a ‘creaking’ or ‘breaking’ sound in the joint may follow. The pain is intermittent and patients may experience years of pain-free life.
Symptoms and Signs : Diagnose Osteo Yourself
Doctors define OA as a kind of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and subsequent loss of cartilage in the joints. Explained in lay terms, OA is nothing but the stiffness and pain people feel in their joints when the joints have been out of use for some period of time.
Causes of Osteoarthritis
As we age, various parts of the body experience wear and tear. The body offsets some of these erosive forces by replacing lost cells naturally. Unfortunately, some parts--like cartilage and bone mass--once gone, are lost forever. That is why OA is also called degenerative arthritis.
Cartilage serves an important function. It is a gel-like substance that acts as a shock absorber where two bones join together. When it is lost, the bones begin to rub against each other. This causes pain, deformity, swelling and loss of movement.
The main cause of primary osteoarthritis is aging. According to statistics primary osteoarthritus in males occurs more frequently before the age of 45. In females, it usually comes after the age of 55.
When a particular event or condition contributes to the development of osteoarthritis, we call it secondary osteoarthritis. It could be caused by trauma (excessive exercising, for instance, or surgery). Research shows that after ageing, obesity is the #1 cause of osteoarthritis. For a few people, a high deposit of uric acid in the blood can cause cartilage to degenerate. Previous joint inflammatory diseases can also lead to OA.
Pain in Specific Joints
OA of the knees is caused by obesity or a history of repeated trauma. Weightlifters are particularly prone to it. In advanced cases, there is a risk of becoming bow legged. Patients may even need total knee replacements.
Severe pain that radiates to the shoulder indicates cervical osteoarthritis. It is at its peak in the morning. It gets better as the day progresses.
OA may occur in the spine too. The sharp edges of exposed or uncushioned bone may irritate the spinal nerves. This may lead to severe pain, tingling or numbness in the affected parts.
Osteoarthritis is often confused with other diseases of the joints.
Rheumatoid Vs Osteoarthritis
There is a vital difference between Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis. As we know isteoarthritis is a degenerative disease caused by wear and tear. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder. Here the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the inner lining of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis also causes pain, stiffness, loss of function and swelling in the joints. It is easy to confuse the two.
Osteoporosis
OA is not to be confused with osteoporosis. It is also a degenerative disease. But in osteoporosis, it is the bone mass and NOT the cartilage that is lost.
Medical Diagnosis
X-rays are the main tools for diagnosis. The image will show the loss of joint cartilage, bone spur formation or narrowing of the space between adjoining bones. Enlargement of the joints at the nodal points is typical of steoarthritis. Spur formation is another sure sign. This becomes evident from the picture produced by the X-ray.
Information gained from blood tests and other simple testing techniques help rule out other abnormalities or diseases. To conduct these tests, the doctor inserts a viewing tube into the joint or removes joint fluid.
There is no specific treatment to halt the loss of cells. But certain precautionary measures can help preserve the cartilage for a longer time. New concepts pertaining to the pathophysiology of OA have helped develop new therapeutic approaches. Patients are thus able to manage their condition better. This helps them live their lives normally.
