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Overview
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints. It occurs when the cartilage or cushion between joints breaks down leading to pain, stiffness and swelling. Sometimes it is called degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear” arthritis.
Symptoms
Sore or stiff joints – particularly the hips, knees, and lower back – after inactivity or overuse, limited range of motion or stiffness that goes away after movement, clicking or cracking sound when a joint bends, mild swelling around a joint, and pain that is worse after activity or towards the end of the day.
Causes
Osteoarthritis was long believed to be caused by the “wear and tear” of joints over time. Osteoarthritis has no specific cause. Several factors lead to the development of OA including excess weight. Being overweight puts additional pressure on the hips and knees. Repetitive movements or injuries to joints (such as a fracture, surgery, or ligament tears) can lead to osteoarthritis.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is based on the information acquired during personal and family medical history and physical examination. These may be followed by laboratory tests, X-rays, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
Prevention
The risk of OA can be reduced, or its onset can be delayed after following recommendations from doctors like maintaining a healthy weight. Losing even a few pounds can reduce joint stress and inflammation, cutting your risk of OA in half. Control blood sugar and involve in physical activity. As little as 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise five times a week helps joints stay limber and strengthens the muscles that support and stabilize your hips and knees. Protect yourself to avoid injury and choose a healthy lifestyle.
Treatment
The first recommendation is exercise and weight loss as per the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). Following this, medicines like analgesics including acetaminophen and oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and celecoxib, opioids (narcotics) and an atypical opioid called tramadol, corticosteroid joint injections, acupuncture, and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) or intra-articular hyaluronate injections for knee OA. As per the recommendation of an orthopedic surgeon, joint surgery can repair or replace severely damaged joints, especially hips or knees.
Everyday Life
Osteoarthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease. There is no cure, but treatments are available to manage symptoms. Long-term management of the disease includes several factors: Managing symptoms, such as pain, stiffness and swelling, improving joint mobility, and flexibility, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting enough exercise.
