OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis



Osteoarthritis

Introduction

Osteoarthritis abbreviated as OA is the most common disorder of joints and is a chief reason for causing disability in elder or aging population with its increased prevalence and consequences significantly affecting the society (Filardo et al., 2011, p.530). Osteoarthritis is a disease of one or more joints. A joint consists of two bone ends, which are covered with cartilage. The cartilage captures the shock and allows the bone ends to move smoothly. The joint is surrounded by the joint capsule and ligaments. On the inside of the joint capsule is a layer of mucous membrane that acts as a kind of lubricant for the joint. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage takes in quality and becomes thinner. At the joint edges bony swellings (osteophytes) can occur.

Discussion

In osteoarthritis, there are often exceptions to the x-ray to see, but keep only slightly associated with symptoms such as pain, stiffness and loss of joint mobility. So sometimes we see clear deviations from the appropriate radiographs in osteoarthritis, without pain or movement restrictions.

How osteoarthritis develops, varies per joint?

At first hand osteoarthritis arise lumps (nodules of the Heberden) at the ends of the fingers (DIP osteoarthritis). These occur within a few weeks, then do pain and sometimes red. When these lumps once there are symptoms often remain stable. For hip osteoarthritis symptoms often take steadily over the years, with pain in the groin when walking and stiffness.

Knee Osteoarthritis finally characterized by slowly increasing complaints between flare-ups by inflammation or further damage to the cartilage. Because osteoarthritis is not a single cause, there is no single treatment to prevent or cure osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis can be treated by:

reducing or eliminating risk factors for emergence and rise of osteoarthritis

complaints

Reducing risk factors

Some risk factors for emergence and growth of OA should not be affected directly (including gender), but some of it back. It has been shown that knee and hand osteoarthritis are related to obesity and weight loss that helps combat the symptoms. Overloading of a joint can be reduced by various measures, such as better shoes, muscle training and adaptation activities. Also, the operative position, for example, correction of defects or lesions band belongs to the possibilities.

Handling of complaints

Because the main complaint of osteoarthritis pain, painkillers have an important role in the handling of complaints. There are different types of pain relievers:

Paracetamol: a safe painkiller, which - when used consistently - gives a good effect.

NSAIDs: for example, this group ...