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The breakdown and loss of cartilage in a joint or multiple joints leads to Osteoarthritis, a specific type of arthritis that affects over 20 million people in the United States alone.
Before the age of 45, the condition is much more common in males, though after the age of 55, women are equally affected. It doesn’t seem to target a specific race more often, though outside the United States, the Japanese tend to see more cases, while South African blacks, Southern Chinese, and East Indians all seem to have lower rates. |
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Ways to Relieve Aches and Pains of Osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthritis and is the most commonly found form of the disease. It causes cartilage (the protein between bones that serves as a cushion for your joints) to break down, leaving behind a grinding of the bones that causes pain in the joints. The areas usually affected are hands, feet, and the spine, as well as joints that bear large amounts of weight like the hips or knees.
Primary Osteoarthritis is usually related to aging, which often causes an increase in water content within the cartilage, automatically breaking down the protein content. Because you repetitively use the affected joints, irritation causes inflammation of the cartilage, leading to swelling and joint pain. As the cartilage degenerates, crevasses in the cushion are formed and eventually, friction between bones occurs that limits mobility and causes extreme pain.
Secondary Osteoarthritis is caused by some other condition or disorder, such as trauma that damages the cartilage or obesity that puts increased weight and pressure on load bearing joints and breaks down the cartilage more rapidly. This is especially common in the knees of overweight individuals.
Swelling, warmth, and creaking can be related symptoms aside from just pain, and pain tends to increase throughout the day with use of the affected joints. Stiffness occurs when there are long periods of inactivity, again causing pain as the individual begins to move. Bony spurs can form in the back and neck, causing greater pain for the person. In some cases, total knee or hip replacement surgery may become necessary with severe pain and reduction in motion.
There is currently no cure, however, there are some treatments to assist in pain management. The first order of business for an overweight individual is to get their weight under control to relieve unnecessary pressure from joints. This can lead to years of being unaffected by any pain because it will slow or stop the degeneration of the cartilage.
Other pain management therapies include avoiding any activities that unnecessarily stress the joint (sports activities often are cut out completely), rest and relaxation, and careful exercise to strengthen the muscles around the affected joints to help relieve the load. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to reduce inflammation in the joints, including topical creams that can help reduce painful symptoms. While Osteoarthritis can be a hindrance in lifestyle, millions of people live with it on a daily basis and manage to function normally with the right medications and careful avoidance of excess stress.
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