Osteoporosis treatment in Pune
What is Osteoarthritis - Everything you need to Know
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disorder characterized by loss of joint cartilage and degeneration of the underlying bone. Osteoarthritis is the commonest condition to affect joints in humans. If you are looking for effective Osteoarthritis treatment in Pune, understanding the causes and symptoms is essential.
Which joints are affected by Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, but it occurs most often in knees, hips, small joints of the fingers, and the bases of the thumb and big toe.
What happens in Osteoarthritis?
To understand an osteoarthritis-affected joint, we need to understand a normal joint. The point at which two or more bones are connected is called a joint.
The bones in a joint are lined by cartilage. Cartilage provides a smooth gliding surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between the bones. A synovial membrane lines the cavity of the joint from inside. The synovial membrane secretes synovial fluid, which has a lubricating function. The joint is sealed by a dense fibrous connective tissue called the joint capsule. The capsule, along with overlying muscles and ligaments, provides stability to the joint. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling, and problems moving the joint. Because of the damaged cartilage, the bone ends get exposed and tend to rub against each other. As osteoarthritis worsens over time, bone ends may develop growths called spurs. Inflammatory processes occur that further damage the joint cartilage.
Risk factors for Osteoarthritis:
Age
Patient age is the best-recognized risk factor for osteoarthritis. The incidence of radiographic and symptomatic osteoarthritis increases sharply with age. This is probably mediated by an increase in systemic and local factors, including obesity, ligament laxity, and neuromuscular joints.
Gender
Women are at greater risk than men of developing hand, knee, and generalized osteoarthritis. In contrast, the frequency of hip osteoarthritis increases at about the same rate in men and women, but the disease seems to progress more rapidly in women.
Family history
Family history is important, specifically in hand osteoarthritis and generalized osteoarthritis.
Obesity
Being overweight increases mechanical stress on weight-bearing joints and thus is a major risk factor for the development and progression of osteoarthritis.
Joint injury
Previous knee and hip injuries are independent risk factors for osteoarthritis.
Muscle weakness
Quadriceps muscle weakness has been described as a risk factor for knee pain, disability, and progression of knee osteoarthritis.
Occupational factors
Occupations involving repeated bending movements of weight-bearing joints like carpentry and farming are associated with a high risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Clinical Features of Osteoarthritis:
Pain and stiffness of the affected joints are the most common symptoms, particularly first thing in the morning or after periods of inactivity or overuse.
Mild swelling around the joint.
Limited range of motion or stiffness that goes away after movement.
Clicking or cracking sound on movement.
In hip osteoarthritis, pain is felt in the groin area or buttocks and sometimes on the inside of the knee or thigh.
In hand joint osteoarthritis, bony growths (spurs) at the edges of joints can cause fingers to become swollen, tender, and red. There may be pain at the base of the thumb.
Diagnosing Osteoarthritis:
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis is based on clinical examination and X-ray. Blood tests are not required for diagnosing osteoarthritis.
Treatment of Osteoarthritis:
The goal of osteoarthritis treatment is to minimize pain and swelling, optimize joint function, reduce disability, and beneficially modify the osteoarthritis process.
If you are searching for Osteoarthritis treatment in Pune, consulting an expert rheumatologist can help in managing the condition effectively.