Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis (a condition that affects your joints). Healthcare providers sometimes refer to it as degenerative joint disease or OA. It happens when the cartilage that lines your joints is worn down over time and your bones rub against each other when you use your affected joints.
Common Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Pain: Affected joints might hurt during or after movement.
- Stiffness: Joint stiffness might be most noticeable upon awakening or after being inactive.
- Tenderness: Your joint might feel tender when you apply light pressure to or near it.
- Loss of flexibility: You might not be able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
- Grating sensation: You might feel a grating sensation when you use the joint, and you might hear popping or crackling.
- Bone spurs: These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, can form around the affected joint.
- Swelling: This might be caused by soft tissue inflammation around the joint.
Complications of osteoarthritis
- Sleep disturbances: Caused due to the pain.
- Reduced ability: Decreased ability to perform the activities.
- Increased body weight: Weight gain due to a lack of interest in physical exercise participation. This might lead to heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
- Depression and anxiety: The osteoarthritis symptoms directly negatively affect the individual’s mental health, resulting in depression and anxiety.
In addition to this, some more complications might arise due to osteoarthritis, including:
- Deterioration of ligaments and tendons.
- Bleeding or infections at the affected site.
- Osteonecrosis (bone death).
- Stress fractures.
- Pinched (compressed) nerves.
- Problems with walking.
- Distorted joint.
- Restricted joint range of motion.
- Radiculopathies (injury or damage to the nerve roots), etc.
Methods of Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis
- Thorough history taking and physical examination.
- Blood tests
- CBC (complete blood count)
- ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate)
- Rheumatoid factor
- ANA (anti-nuclear antibody)
- WBC (white blood cell count)
- X-Ray
- Joint aspiration
- Ultrasound
- MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging)
How is osteoarthritis treated?
Osteoarthritis treated is includes several approaches, such as:
- Medical management of osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis medications)
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications)
- Intra articular corticosteroid injections
- Dietary and vitamin supplements
- Anti-depressants
- Topical pain relievers, etc.
- Physical therapy (physiotherapy for osteoarthritis)
- Assistive or supportive management
- Specially designed footwear or insoles
- Crutches or Canes or sticks
- Leg braces (knee brace for osteoarthritis)
- Splints
- Supportive dressings
- Orthotics, etc.
- Weight loss exercises, exercises for osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis knee exercises), yoga, and heat therapy
- Electric nerve stimulation
- Creative visualisation to relieve stress and depression
- Surgical management of osteoarthritis
- Arthroscopic surgery
- Osteotomy
- Joint fusion (arthrodesis)
- Joint replacement surgery (arthroplasty or total joint replacement)
Osteoarthritis prevention
The following modifiable factors can prevent osteoarthritis:
- Being physically active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Protecting the joints from injuries due to repetitive use, overuse, or trauma
- Managing blood sugar levels
- Choosing a healthy lifestyle
- Taking a balanced diet that is rich in healthy fats and vitamin D
- Taking supplements for vitamin-D deficiency
- Maintaining good posture
- Reducing the workload on the joints, etc.
