Osteoarthritis is one of the most
common joint diseases which is due to infection or degenerative changes. This
joint disease mostly affects middle-age to elderly people. It is commonly
referred to as OA or as "wear and tear" of the joints, but we now
know that OA is a disease of the entire joint, involving the cartilage, joint
lining, ligaments, and bone. Approximately 80-90% of individuals older than 65
years have evidence of primary osteoarthritis
When bone surfaces become less well
protected by cartilage, bone may be exposed and damaged. As a result of
decreased movement secondary to pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and
ligaments may become more lax.
What
cause OA?
The stresses applied to the joints, especially the
weight-bearing joints like ankle, knee and hip joints play an important role in
the development of osteoarthritis.
If the cartilage breaks down and wears away, the bones rub
together. This causes pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Risk
Factors for OA
·
Age
·
Obesity
(increases mechanical stress)
·
Trauma
·
Genetics
·
Sex
hormones
·
Repetitive
use (ie, jobs requiring heavy labor and bending)
·
Infection
·
Muscle
weakness
·
Acromegaly
·
Crystal
deposition
·
Heritable
metabolic causes (eg, alkaptonuria, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease)
·
Previous
rheumatoid arthritis (ie, burnt-out rheumatoid arthritis)
·
Underlying
orthopedic disorders (eg, congenital hip dislocation, slipped femoral capital
epiphysis)
·
Hemoglobinopathies
(eg, sickle cell disease, thalassemia)
·
Neuropathic
disorder leading to a Charcot joint (eg, syringomyelia, tabes dorsalis,
diabetes)
·
Disorders
of bone (eg, Paget disease, avascular necrosis)
What are
the Symptoms of OA?
·
Knobby
swelling at the joint
·
Joint
pain and stiffness
·
Cracking
or grinding noise with joint movement (cripitus)
·
Decreased
function of the joint
Malalignment with a bony enlargement
(depending on the disease’s severity) may occur. Most cases of osteoarthritis
do not involve erythema or warmth over the affected joint(s); however, an
effusion may be present. Limitation of joint motion or muscle atrophy around a
more severely affected joint may occur.
Heberden nodes, which represent
palpable osteophytes in the DIP joints (Distal interphalangeal joint), are characteristic in women but not
in men. Inflammatory changes are typically absent or at least not pronounced.
How to
Diagnose OA?
Your doctor can detect OA based on
the symptoms explained above. To make it clear and differentiate, doctor may
need X-ray, CBC, RA factor, Synovial fluid biopsy, MRI, Anti CCP and CRP etc.
Management
of OA
Usually NSAID (None steroid Anti-inflammatory
Drugs) are used to treat the pain like Ibuprofen. You should consult your
physician to select your medication. Long term use of anti-inflammatory drugs
will damage your kidney, So use it when necessary.
You can support your joint with the
muscles surrounded by it. For that you have to strengthen those muscles first
by exercises. Exercise will be painful in first few days.
Exercises
for OA
·
Water therapy. When doing exercises in a
pool, the water provides enough resistance to help build strength but it also
stabilizes the body in a way that open-air exercise cannot.Swimming and walking
in a pool can help to strengthen your muscles.
·
Exercise walking or using a treadmill, stationary
biking, or using an elliptical trainer are all relatively low-impact forms of
exercise that primarily provide cardiovascular benefits, meaning that they
provide a good workout for the heart, lungs and burn calories. For those with
osteoarthritis pain, these forms of exercise provide a good aerobic workout
with relatively little stress on the joints. Stationary biking and the
elliptical trainer cause less stress on the spine than walking or using a
treadmill.
For OA in knees , take a pillow and squeeze and release it
with both knees for 10 minutes
Straight Leg Raise
Lie on the floor, upper body
supported by your elbows. Bend your left knee, foot on the floor. Keep the
right leg straight, toes pointed up. Slowly use your thigh muscles, not your
back, to raise your right leg.
Pause for five seconds. With the
thigh muscles still tight, slowly lower your leg to the ground. Relax. Repeat
10 times. Rest. Do another set of 10 lifts; then switch legs.
Walking; Even if you have stiff or sore knees, walking is
still one of the best exercises for knee arthritis. Start slow and keep at it.
Walking can reduce joint pain, strengthen leg muscles, and improve flexibility.
It's also good for your heart.
Source:-
http://emedicine.medscape.com/
www.sophisticatededge.com
www.rheumatology.org
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoarthritis.
http://www.spine-health.com
http://www.webmd.com
Post a Comment Blogger Facebook