What Causes Osteoarthritis?
There are several factors that increase the risk for
developing osteoarthritis, including heredity, obesity, injury, or overuse of
certain joints.
People born with joint abnormalities are more likely to
develop osteoarthritis. Being "double-jointed" also increases the
tendency to develop osteoarthritis.
Some people have an inherited defect in one of the genes
responsible for making collagen, a major component of cartilage. This causes
defective cartilage, which leads to more rapid deterioration of joints.
Finally, people who are born with an abnormality of the
spine (such as scoliosis or curvature of the spine) are more likely to develop
osteoarthritis of the spine.
Obesity increases the risk for osteoarthritis of the knee.
Maintaining ideal weight or losing excess weight may help prevent
osteoarthritis of the knee, or decrease the rate of progression once
osteoarthritis is established.
Injuries contribute to the development of osteoarthritis.
For example, athletes who have knee-related injuries may be at higher risk of
developing osteoarthritis of the knee. In addition, people who have had a
severe back injury may be predisposed to develop osteoarthritis of the spine.
People who have had a broken bone extending into the joint margin are prone to
develop osteoarthritis in that joint.
Overuse of certain joints increases the risk of developing
osteoarthritis. For example, jobs requiring repeated knee bending increase the
risk for osteoarthritis of the knee.
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis is based on a combination of
the following factors:
· Your
description of symptoms
· The
location and pattern of pain
· Certain
findings on physical examination
Your doctor may use X-rays to help confirm the diagnosis and
rule out other types of arthritis. X-rays show how much joint damage has
occurred.
If fluid has accumulated in the joints, your doctor may
remove some fluid from the joint (called joint aspiration) and examine it under
a microscope to rule out other diseases.
While there is no blood test to diagnose osteoarthritis,
some blood tests may be helpful to rule out other types of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is usually treated by medications, exercise,
application of heat or cold to the painful joint, use of supportive devices
such as crutches or canes, and weight control. Surgery may be helpful to
relieve pain when other treatment options have not been effective.
The goals of treatment are to accomplish the following:
·
Decrease joint pain and stiffness
·
Improve joint mobility and stability
·
Increase your ability to do daily activities
The type of treatment prescribed will depend on several
factors including the person's age, activities and occupation, overall health,
medical history and severity of the condition.
Medications may be prescribed to reduce pain caused by
osteoarthritis. Pain-relieving medications include acetaminophen and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or
naproxen. Some medications in the form of creams, rubs, or sprays may be
applied over the skin of affected areas to relieve pain.
Unfortunately, medications do not reverse or slow the
progression of joint damage caused by osteoarthritis.
When you are prescribed any medication, it is important to
meet with your physician regularly so he or she can detect the development of
any side effects.
Exercise is important to improve joint movement and to
strengthen the muscles that surround the joints. Gentle exercises, such as
swimming or walking on flat surfaces, are recommended because they are less
stressful on your joints. Avoid activities that increase joint pain, such as
jogging or high impact aerobics.
Heat or cold treatments may be recommended to provide
temporary relief of pain and stiffness. These treatments may be given in the
form of a hot shower or bath, or by applying heating pads or cold compresses.
Supportive or assistive devices may be helpful to decrease
pressure on the joints. Knee supports may be helpful for some people to
stabilize the ligaments and tendons and decrease pain. Canes or crutches may be
helpful to take pressure off certain joints.
Staying at your recommended weight helps prevent
osteoarthritis of the knees, reduces the stress on weight-bearing joints, and
reduces pain in affected joints.
When osteoarthritis pain is not controlled with these other methods, or when the pain prevents you from participating in your normal activities, surgery may be an option to restore function. Surgery involves replacing the damaged joint with an artificial one. Under the best of circumstances, though, surgery cannot return the joint to its normal state (artificial joints do not have all the motion of a normal joint). However, an artificial joint will very likely diminish pain.