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Osteoarthritis |
Details
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Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis) is a chronic joint medical disease characterized by degeneration of adjacent and joint cartilage bone that may result in stiffness and joint aches. Osteoarthritis commonly affects many individuals by age of 70. Males and females are affected equally, but the disease tends to progress at an earlier age in males. Osteoarthritis also affects almost all animals, who have a backbone such as amphibian, fish, and birds. Animals, living in water such as whales and dolphins may develop this disorder, but sloths and bats do not develop the disease. Although, Osteoarthritis mostly occurs in elderly, it is not resulted from tear and simple wear that appears with aging. The disorder possibly starts most frequently with cell abnormalities that are synthesizing the componenets of cartilage such as proteoglycans and collagen. The cartilage then can grow too much, but it usually develops and thins surface cracks. Small cavities form in the bone marrow beneath the cartilage, weakning the bones. Bones may overgrow, forming osteophytes (bumps), which may be felt and seen. Such bumps can interact with normal function of joints. Osteoarthritis may be primary (idiopathic), when the cause is unknown and secondary, when the cause is another disorder such as infections like Paget’s diase, joint overuse, deformity, or injury. Commonly, osteoarthritis symptoms develop gradually and affect only 1 or several joints. Knees, hips, lower back, fingers, neck, big toes, and thumb base joints are usually affected. In certain joints including ligaments, knees, which support and surround the joints, stretch so that the joints become unstable. Moving or touching the joints can be very painful. In contrast, the hips become stiffer, losing its motion range; moving is painful. Osteoarthritis often affects the spine. Back aches are the most common symptoms. Commonly damaged spine joint result in only mild stiffness and pain, but the disease in the lower back and neck may result in leg or arm weakness, numbness, pain, and odd sensation when a bone overgrowth presses on a nerve. The disease most frequently continues to develop slowly and many patients develop some degree of disability. Sometimes, degeneration reverses or stops. Proper exercises such as postural, strengthening, and stretching help maintain healthy cartilage, strengthen surrounding muscles, and increase motion range of joint. Use of bed boards, firm mattresses, straight-backed chair is frequently recommended. Maintaining job performances, family independent functional role, ordinary daily activity is very important. Physical therapies, frequently with heart treatment may be helpful, and taking warm baths or dipping hands in a paraffin bath can be used for finger aches. Massages, tractions, and deep heat treatments with ultrasound or diathermy can be recommended when specific forms of osteoarthritis affect the neck. Drugs are the least important to treat osteoarthritis. An analgesic Acetaminhopen can be all that is needed. Ibuprofen or Aspirin can be used to decrease swelling and pain. In cases of sudden inflammation, Corticosteroid can be injected into the joint. Surgery can help, when all other treatment options fail. Certain joints may be replaced with artificial ones. For more information on osteoarthritis, do a search from our function above this page.
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| Category |
Disease Conditions > O
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| Related Searches |
osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, causes of osteoarthritis |
| Date Submitted |
06-Nov-2005
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