Osteoarthritis
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown of the cartilage in one or more joints. Cartilage serves as a "shock absorber" between the bones in the joints. Another name for Osteoarthritis is “degenerative arthritis”. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis conditions; where osteoarthritis is the most common. Osteoarthritis is affecting nearly 27 million people in the United States. Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently as people age.
Before age 45, osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males. After the age of 55, it occurs more frequently in females. Almost all races appear equally affected but there is a higher incidence of osteoarthritis in the Japanese population, while South-African, East Indians, and Southern Chinese have lower rates.
Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, spine and large weight-bearing joints, such as the knees. Most cases of osteoarthritis have no known cause. These cases are referred to as primary osteoarthritis. When the cause of the osteoarthritis is known, the condition is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis.
What causes osteoarthritis?
Primary osteoarthritis is most of the time related to aging process. Aging increases the water content of the cartilage, and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate. In advanced cases, there is a total loss of cartilage between the bones in the joints. Repetitive use of the worn joints over years can irritate and inflame the cartilage, causing pain and swelling joint. Loss of the cartilage causes friction between the bones. This is leading to pain and limitation of joint mobility. Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate new bone growths, like; spurs to form around the joints.
Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by another condition. Conditions that can lead to secondary osteoarthritis include obesity, repeated trauma or surgery in the joint, abnormal joints at birth (congenital abnormalities), diabetes and other hormone disorders.
Obesity causes osteoarthritis by increasing the mechanical stress on the cartilage. Obesity, next to aging, is the biggest risk factor for osteoarthritis in the knees. Repeated trauma to joint tissues (eg. ligaments, bones, and cartilage) is believed to lead to early osteoarthritis of the knees.
Some people are born with abnormally formed joints (congenital abnormalities). These people are especially vulnerable to mechanical wear, causing early degeneration and loss of cartilage in the affected joint.
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