We are a generation of people who are surrounded by either fact or fiction. If a person is dealing with any health-related condition, they will hear a lot of things about the condition and start to trust it. Well, in this article, we are particularly discussing osteoarthritis.
As we all know, with increasing age, the condition of osteoarthritis is quite common, and most people complain about it. Sometimes it happens that they hear a lot of facts or fiction about osteoarthritis and start believing them, which as a result puts them in a depressive state.
Well, to help you out with it, here we are discussing osteoarthritis facts so that this will not happen, and you can prepare yourself for the treatment without having any second thoughts. Keep reading till the end for a better understanding!
What Is Osteoarthritis?
In osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage breaks and deteriorate. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub each other, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joints may lose its normal shape. Also, small accumulation of bone — called osteophytes or bone spurs — may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space. This causes more pain and damage to joints.
Who Has Osteoarthritis?
- Worldwide facts: It affects around 10 percent of men and 18 percent of women aged over 60 years.
- Age: Symptoms normally begin after the age of 40 years, but they can affect younger people after a traumatic injury.
- Sex: OA is more likely to affect women than men after the age of 50 years
- Obesity: The biggest reason for osteoarthritis in several ways, can say “More you weigh, the greater your risk” Increased weight puts added stress on weight-bearing joints, such as your hips and knees. In addition, fat tissue produces proteins that may cause harmful inflammation in and around your joints.
- Joint injuries: Injuries, such as those that occur when playing sports or from an accident, may increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
- Certain occupations: It found after researchers If your job includes tasks that place repetitive stress on a particular joint, that joint may eventually develop osteoarthritis.
- Genetics: Some people inherit a tendency to develop osteoarthritis.
- Bone deformities: Some people are born with malformed joints or defective cartilage, which can increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
What are the signs and symptoms of OA?
- Pain: Your joint may hurt during or after movement.
- Tenderness: joints may feel tender when you apply light pressure to it.
- Stiffness: Joint stiffness may be most noticeable when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
- Loss of flexibility: You may not be able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
- Grating sensation: You may hear or feel a grating sensation when you use the joint.
- Bone spurs: These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, may form around the affected joint.
Prevention of the Osteoarthritis:
Control Weight:-
If you are at a healthy weight, maintaining that weight may be the most important thing you can do to prevent osteoarthritis.
Exercise:-
If the muscles that run along the front of the thigh are weak, research shows you have an increased risk of painful knee osteoarthritis.
Cold and heat:-
- Both cold and heat can help treat OA symptoms. Applying ice to an aching area for 20 minutes helps restrict blood vessels. This reduces fluid in the tissue and decreases swelling and pain. You can repeat the treatment two or three times a day.
- You can do the same 20-minute treatment pattern with a hot water bottle or a heating pad. Both can be found at your local drugstore. Heat opens the blood vessels and increases circulation. This brings in nutrients and proteins essential for repairing damaged tissue. Heat is also good for helping with stiffness.
Avoid Injuries or Get Them Treated:-
Suffering a joint injury when you are young predisposes you to osteoarthritis in the same joint when you are older. Injuring a joint as an adult may put the joint at even greater risk.
Eat Right:-
- Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Vitamin D.
What is the outlook:
A common wrong belief is that osteoarthritis (OA) is always a progressive and serious disease. The severity of symptoms varies. In many people, OA is mild. It does not become worse and does not make you any more disabled than expected for your age. However, in some people, the severity of OA and the disability it causes are out of proportion to their age. One or more joints may become particularly badly affected.
Symptoms often wax and wane. Sometimes this is related to things such as the weather. Symptoms often improve in warmer months. A bad spell of symptoms may be followed by a relatively good period.
[FAQ – Osteoarthritis]
Q.1 – Is there any new treatment for osteoarthritis?
Answer – Some researchers are going on where doctors are coming up with new treatments for osteoarthritis. But majorly, they are focusing on medications that significantly reduce the pain and improve mobility. If these are not helpful, then surgery is the last option left.
Q.2 – Can I rely on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis?
Answer – Relying on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis is not the ultimate solution. It is effective in reducing pain. But understand that it is not a permanent solution.
Q.3 – Is there any permanent cure for osteoarthritis?
Answer – There is no cure for osteoarthritis. But understand that with time as well, the condition will not necessarily get worse.
Q.4 – Can lifestyle changes help in dealing with osteoarthritis?
Answer – Yes, there are some changes that a person needs to make in order to deal with osteoarthritis. These changes are for good and will not cause any problems for them in any case.
Q.5 – Is it possible for me to deal with osteoarthritis without any treatment?
Answer – Unfortunately, if you are not taking treatment for osteoarthritis, you will not be able to deal with it. According to the severity of the condition, the doctor suggests the medications that help them deal with it.
