Osteoarthritis
August 27, 2008 · Print This Article
Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of the joints. Osteoarthritis is a kind of degenerative arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting over 20 million people in the United States. Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently with ageing. Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males before 45 years of age.
After fifty five years, it occurs more frequently in females. This type of arthritis commonly affects the feet, hands, large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees and the spine. Osteoarthritis, which has no known cause, is normally referred to as primary osteoarthritis. When the cause is known, the condition is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis.
Primary osteoarthritis is normally related to aging. When we age, the water content of the cartilage increases and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. Continued use of the joints over the years inflames the cartilage, causing joint pain and swelling. Slowly, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny crevasses. In later stages, there is a total loss of the cartilage cushion between the bones of the joints. Inflammation of the cartilage may also stimulate new bone growths to form around the joints. Osteoarthritis occasionally can be found in many members of the same family, implying a genetic basis for this condition.
Unlike other forms of arthritis osteoarthritis does not affect other organs of the body. The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain in the affected joints after prolonged repetitive use. Joint pain usually worsens later in the day. This can cause swelling, warmth, and creaking of the affected joints. Stiffness and pain of the joints can also occur after long periods of inactivity, for example, sitting in a movie hall. In severe cases, complete loss of cartilage cushion causes friction between bones, causing pain at rest or pain with limited motion.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis differ a great deal from patient to patient. Some persons can be debilitated by their symptoms. Others may have remarkably few symptoms in spite of dramatic degeneration of the joints apparent on x-rays. Symptoms may also be intermittent. Patients with osteoarthritis of the hands and knees may also have years of pain-free intervals between symptoms.
