Everything You Need to Know About Osteoarthritis

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic (long-lasting) joint condition.

A joint is where two bones come together. The ends of these bones are covered with protective tissue called cartilage. With OA, this cartilage breaks down, causing the bones within the joint to rub together. This can cause pain, stiffness, and other symptoms.

OA occurs most often in older people, although it can occur in adults of any age. OA is also called degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis, and wear-and-tear arthritis.

A leading cause of disability, OA affects more than 30 million men and women in the Country. Here’s everything you need to know about OA, from treatment to prevention and more visit Amri Hospitals Best ortho oncologist in kolkata

Osteoarthritis causes

OA is caused by joint damage. This damage can accumulate over time, which is why age is one of the main causes of the joint damage leading to osteoarthritis. The older you are, the more wear and tear you’ve had on your joints.

Other causes of joint damage include past injury, such as:

• torn cartilage
• dislocated joints
• ligament injuries

They also include joint malformation, obesity, and poor posture. Certain risk factors, such as family history and gender, increase your risk of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis and cartilage

Cartilage is a tough, rubbery substance that’s flexible and softer than bone. Its job is to protect the ends of bones within a joint and allow them to move easily against each other.

When cartilage breaks down, these bone surfaces become pitted and rough. This can cause pain within the joint, and irritation in surrounding tissues. Damaged cartilage can’t repair itself. This is because cartilage doesn’t contain any blood vessels.

When cartilage wears away completely, the cushioning buffer that it provides disappears, allowing for bone-on-bone contact. This can cause intense pain and other symptoms associated with OA. Here’s what else you need to know about cartilage, joints, and osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis symptoms

OA can occur in any joint. However, the most commonly affected areas of the body include the:

• hands
• fingertips
• knees
• hips
• spine, typically at the neck or lower back

The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• pain
• tenderness (discomfort when pressing on the area with your fingers)
• stiffness
• inflammation

As OA becomes more advanced, the pain associated with it may become more intense. Over time, swelling in the joint and surrounding area may also occur. Recognizing the early symptoms of OA can help you to better manage the condition.

 Severe osteoarthritis

OA is a progressive condition with five stages, from 0 to 4. The first stage (0) represents a normal joint. Stage 4 represents severe OA. Not everyone who has OA will progress all the way to stage 4. The condition often stabilizes long before reaching this stage.

People with severe OA have extensive or complete loss of cartilage in one or more joints. The bone-on-bone friction associated with this can cause severe symptoms such as:

• Increased swelling and inflammation. The amount of synovial fluid within the joint may increase. Normally, this fluid helps reduce friction during movement. However, in larger amounts, it can cause joint swelling. Fragments of broken-off cartilage may also float within the synovial fluid, increasing pain and swelling.
• Increased pain. You may feel pain during activities, but also when you’re at rest. You may feel an increase in your pain level as the day progresses, or more swelling in your joints if you’ve used them a lot throughout the day.
• Decreased range of motion. You may not be able to move as well, due to stiffness or pain in your joints. This can make it harder to enjoy the day-to-day activities that used to come easily.
• Joint instability. Your joints may become less stable. For instance, if you have severe OA in your knees, you may experience locking (sudden lack of movement). You may also experience buckling (when your knee gives out), which can cause falls and injury.
• Other symptoms. As a joint continues to wear down, muscle weakness, bone spurs, and joint deformity may also occur.

The joint damage caused by severe OA isn’t reversible, but treatment can help reduce symptoms. Learn everything you need to know about advanced osteoarthritis.