Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 21 million
people in the United States and is characterized by mild to
debilitating pain in the hands and joints such as knees, hips, feet and
back. According to the Arthritis Foundation, the disease is most
prevalent among individuals 45 years of age and older. Women are more
prone to the disease.
What is osteoarthritis?
A degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is one of the oldest and
most common forms of arthritis. The disease causes cartilage breakdown
found in joints. This breakdown removes the buffer between bones and
the resulting bone against bone friction causes pain and eventual loss
of movement. Symptoms include joint pain or aching (often after
exercise or extended periods of pressure on weight-bearing joints) and
limited or eventual loss of range of motion.
How do you get osteoarthritis?
There are a wide array of factors that cause the development and progression of the disease.
Risk factors include:
- Aging
- Obesity
- Joint injuries (sports, work or accidents)
- Genetics
How do patients find out if they have osteoarthritis?
An individual must seek the diagnosis of a
physician. After a physical examination and full detailing of symptoms
have been discussed, the physician may also recommend X-rays to confirm
presence of the disease.
What are treatment options?
The treatment options for osteoarthritis, include:
- Joint and muscle exercises to improve strength and flexibility
- Weight management to relieve stress on weight-bearing joints
- Anti-inflammatory drugs for degenerative joint disorders
- Heat/Cold therapies
- Synovectomy (surgical removal of inflamed synovial tissue)
- Osteotomy (restructuring of the bones to shift stresses from diseased to more healthy tissue)
- Partial knee replacements (unicompartmental knee - replaces only diseased portion of the joint)
- Total knee replacement (used when severe osteoarthritis is present)
