Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition of the joints. It is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is a joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged to elderly people. Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of joints, involving cartilage, bones, ligaments, and joint lining. Osteoarthritis is characterized by the breakdown of cartilage, changes in the joints, and inflammation of the joint lining. The wearing down of the cartilage occurs gradually and worsens over a period of time.

The signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis develop and start to deteriorate over a period of time. Following are the symptoms of osteoarthritis:-

• Pain in the joints even while making small movements
• Loss of flexibility
• Tenderness when pressure is applied on the affected area
• Loss of flexibility in the joints
• Grating sensation, you might hear crackling or popping sounds during movement
• Swelling and inflammation around the joints
• Hard bumps around the affected joint

Below are the causes that could have lead to wear and tear of joints.

• Obesity 
• Poor posture
• Joint malformation
• Torn cartilage 
• Dislocated joints
• Ligament injuries

Certain risk factors that can increase the chances of osteoarthritis.

• Elderly people
• Joint injuries
• Patients with bone deformities
• Job that requires excessive movement of joints
• Metabolic diseases like diabetes 

 

After your physical examination, the doctor will check your affected joints with a set of tests to better determine the cause of osteoarthritis.

• Blood tests
• Joint fluid analysis
• X-rays

Osteoarthritis cannot be cured but treatment can help. Below are some ways in which the pain can be controlled.