Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Osteoarthritis is the gradual wear of the smooth layer of cartilage that covers the surfaces of the ends of bones in joints. Spurs grow out from the edge of the bone, and synovial fluid increases. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain and stiffness. Some people also experience swelling, tenderness and a grating or crackling sound when moving the affected joints. The amount of pain and stiffness can be very different from person to person, and between different affected joints. For some people, the symptoms can be mild and may come and go. Other people can have severe symptoms that seem to last all day. This can make doing everyday activities difficult.
Causes of Osteoarthritis
While the main cause is not known, there are several factors that contribute to early wear of the joints ad these are:
Obesity – excess body weight puts excess strain into your joints
Age – as you get older, the risk of wear and tear in your joints becomes higher
Joint injury – any form of injury in the joints can cause malfunction and even damage surfaces in the joints or surrounding supportive structures such as ligaments and muscles
Rheumatoid arthritis – is a another type of arthritis that causes an inflammatory response in the joints which leads to early wear .
Treatment for Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a long-term condition and can’t be cured, but it doesn’t necessarily get any worse over time and it can sometimes gradually improve. A number of treatments are also available to reduce the symptoms.
There are some ways you can manage mild symptoms, such as
Regular exercise.
Losing weight if you’re overweight.
Wearing suitable footwear.
Using special devices to reduce the strain on your joints during your everyday activities.
If your symptoms are more severe, you may need additional treatments such as pain medication and a structured exercise plan created by a physiotherapist. In a small number of cases, where the above treatments haven’t helped or the damage to the joints is particularly severe, surgery may be carried out to repair, strengthen or replace a damaged joint.
References
Handout on Health: Osteoarthritis.” National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017 - Click here
Osteoarthritis (OA) if the Knee. Accessed 22 May 2020 - Click here
Overview: Osteoarthritis. NHS UK. Reviewd 19 August 2019. Accessed 22 May 2020 - Click here