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Osteoarthritis

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  3. Osteoarthritis

Overview of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis Meaning in Urdu

اس بیماری کو آرتھرائٹس کی سب سے عام قسم سمجھا جاتا ہے۔ یہ بیماری سب سے زیادہ گھٹنوں، ہاتھوں، اور کمر کے سب سے نچلے حصے کو متاثر کرتی ہے۔ اس بیماری کی وجہ سے جوڑوں میں موجود گودا ٹوٹنا شروع ہو جاتا ہے جس کی وج سے ہڈیوں کی ساخت میں تبدیلی آنا شروع ہو جاتی ہے۔ اوسٹیوآرتھرائٹس جو کہ جوڑوں کی ایک بیماری ہے، اس کی وجہ سے جوڑ جکڑن کا شکار ہو جاتے ہیں جب کہ اٹھتے اور بیٹھتے وقت شدید تکلیف کا بھی سامنا کرنا پڑتا ہے۔

Osteoarthritis (جوڑوں کا پرانا درد) also known as degenerative joints disease and ‘wear and tear arthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. In this condition, the cartilage protecting the ends of bones is seen wearing out and breaking down resulting in changes in the shape of bones. The changes usually are seen developing slowly but get worse within no time.
It mostly affects the hips, knees, and hands.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

The symptoms of osteoarthritis are observed developing slowly and getting worse with time. The major signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis observed include:

  • Flexibility Loss: There is stiffness felt in joints which makes it difficult for the joint to move.
  • Severe Pain: During and after movement affected joints might hurt.
  • Swelling: Swelling can occur due to inflammation in the soft tissues present around the joints.
  • Rigidity and Stiffness: Stiffness in joints is felt when the joint is not used actively.
  • Spurs: Hard lump-like bits of bones can be seen forming around the affected joint.
  • Tender Joints: Tenderness is felt in the joints when touched or moved slightly.

All these symptoms can be managed because there is no permanent osteoarthritis treatment available.

Types of Osteoarthritis

There are two major types of osteoarthritis observed generally, these are primary and secondary. These are explained below in detail:

Primary Osteoarthritis

Primary Osteoarthritis occurs with age. It usually starts showing up as the age bracket of 55 to 60 begins. Every old person does suffer from a breakdown of cartilage with age. But some have it worse than others.

Secondary Osteoarthritis

Secondary Osteoarthritis occurs due to some specific triggers that result in deterioration of the cartilage. Here are some of the most common triggers for secondary osteoarthritis.

Genetics

Several researched have proved that genes have a lot to do with osteoarthritis. If it runs in the family, then it increases the risk of you getting affected with OA too.

Injury

Certain fractures in the bones can later in life be a huge reason behind causing osteoarthritis.

Sluggishness or Inactivity

Sluggishness can be a huge reason for weakening the muscles and joints and causing osteoarthritis.

Inflammatory Diseases

Diseases that cause inflammation in the body are also responsible for affecting joints and causing OA.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

There are no specific causes of osteoarthritis as this can happen to anyone at any point in life. The major cause is the deterioration and breakdown of the cartilage that protects the bones from edges. The deterioration then results in the damage of bones as they start to rub against each other as the cartilage wears out.

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Risk Factors of Osteoarthritis

Certain risk factors can increase the risk of osteoarthritis. These include:

Obesity

Joints in the body that bears most of the weight like hips and knees can get affected as there is a change in body weight. Being overweight increases the risk of osteoarthritis because of the extra weight that is put on the joints.

Age

With an increase in age, the chances of suffering from osteoarthritis increase.

Overuse of joints

Overuse of certain joints such as bending too much, and repetitive stress on knees can damage the joints badly and can result in OA.

Race

It has been observed that people from Asia are less likely at risk of getting affected by Osteoarthritis.
Despite these risk factors, there are osteoarthritis treatments available for the patients.

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Prevention

There is no chance that you can prevent Osteoarthritis fully from happening. With an increase in age, there is more wear and tear that happens to the human body. But certain steps can be taken to lessen the stress that is put on the joints daily. Here are some of the ways through which you can lessen the chances of Osteoarthritis:

Control Your Blood Sugar

If you are a diabetic, make sure to get your blood sugar levels checked regularly. High blood sugar levels increase the risk of Osteoarthritis.

Keep a Healthy Weight

Extra weight when put on joints can increase the chances of getting OA. Maintaining a healthy weight, however, can prevent the chances of getting affected by Osteoarthritis.

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Diagnosis

It is very important to get osteoarthritis proper diagnosed and for that certain factors are kept under consideration including,

Your Symptoms - When did they start, how have they been affecting, factors that are making the symptoms worse.

A Physical Exam - doctors check different joints and bones in the body to diagnose the presence of osteoarthritis by looking at:

  • Instability in joints
  • Swelling in the bones
  • Weakness felt in muscles and bones
  • Presence of excess fluid
  • Tenderness in the joints

Treatment of Osteoarthritis | When to Consult a Doctor

There is no permanent treatment available for Osteoarthritis but doctors usually go for a mix of different therapies which include,

Medication

Medication can help immensely in relieving the symptoms and managing the pain caused by arthritis. The medications that can work great include,

  • Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs work great in reducing the pain caused by osteoarthritis. Some of the common anti-inflammatory medications include ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.

  • Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen has been proven to show tremendous results in managing the moderate pain caused by osteoarthritis.

Therapy

Osteoarthritis can be managed well by the use of therapies. The major therapies that work great include,

  • Physiotherapy

A physiotherapist can help you strengthen your muscles around the joints by showing you some exercises. These exercises help increase flexibility and result in pain reduction.

  • Occupational Therapy

An occupational therapist can help you manage your everyday tasks by helping you manage the extra stress that you put on the joints. Various ways are provided by occupational therapists to avoid extra strain on the joints.

Non-Surgical Procedures

If the above-mentioned treatment doesn't work for you, make sure you go for non-surgical procedures that include,

  • Lubrication Injections

There are certain fluids (hyaluronic acid) injected that are already similar to the joint fluid. These relieve the pain in the joints by providing extra cushioning to the knees and other affected joints.

  • Cortisone Injections

A temporary pain reliever known as a corticosteroid is injected into the joint and can help relieve the pain caused by osteoarthritis for a few weeks.

Surgery

Orthopedic Surgeons perform surgery to replace the joint as a last resort and replace the damaged joint with a plastic or metal joint. Artificial joints however can wear out quickly and must be replaced after a certain period.

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