What Is Osteoarthritis And Its Types?

Osteoarthritis (OA), also referred to as “wear and tear” arthritis, is considered to be the most common form of arthritis that affects 1 in 12 individuals above the age of 60, according to the Arthritis Foundation. This health condition is a progressive disease that means its symptoms tend to worsen over time.

Table Of Contents

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1. What is osteoarthritis?
2. Types of Osteoarthritis
3. Causes of Osteoarthritis
4. Signs and Symptoms
5. Treatment Options

Take Away

1. What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, can be defined as a joint disease that occurs when the joint tissues break down over time. This chronic disease is characterised by stiffness, pain, and loss of function and results in damage to the cartilage and surrounding tissues.

Osteoarthritis can happen to anyone but women are more likely to get affected by this health condition than men. This health condition is more common in older people and the most commonly affected joints include knees, hips, neck, lower back, and hands. Osteoarthritis may affect individuals in different ways. In some cases, patients with osteoarthritis experience disability and significant pain while others don't notice any impact while performing day-to-day activities.

2. Types of Osteoarthritis

There are two types of osteoarthritis:

• Primary: It generally affects the thumbs, fingers, hips, knees, spine, and the great (big) toes.
• Secondary: It happens with a pre-existing abnormality of the joint, including trauma or injury, like sports-related or repetitive; infectious arthritis; inflammatory arthritis like gout, psoriatic, or rheumatoid; or genetic joint disorders like Ehlers-Danlos.

3. Causes of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage (the slippery and firm tissue that facilitates frictionless joint motion) cushioning the bone ends in the joints deteriorates over the time. Eventually, the bone rubs on the bone when cartilage completely wears down. In addition to cartilage breakdown, this health condition also affects the entire joint by causing inflammation of the joint lining, inducing bone changes, and deteriorating the connective tissues that hold the joint together.

Risk Factors For Osteoarthritis

• Ageing. The risk of developing Osteoarthritis increases with ageing.
• Gender. Women are at an increased risk of developing Osteoarthritis as compared to men.
• Genetics. Individuals who have a family history of Osteoarthritis are at a higher risk of developing the health condition.
• Bone deformities. Some individuals are born with defective cartilage or malformed joints.
• Obesity. People who are suffering from obesity are at a higher risk of developing Osteoarthritis as carrying extra body weight adds stress to weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips.
• Repeated joint stress. If your sport or job involves repetitive stress on a specific joint, it may eventually develop osteoarthritis.
• Joint injuries. Injuries that happen because of sports mishaps or accidents may increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis.
• Specific metabolic diseases. Health conditions such as diabetes or hemochromatosis may increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis.

4. Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• A crackling or grating sound in the joint
• Swelling
• Stiffness and pain that worsens when joints are not moved for a while
• Tenderness and warmth in the joints
• Difficulty in moving the affected joint
• A loss of muscle mass
• Loss and damage of cartilage
• Mild tissue inflammation around the joints
• Formation of bony growths around the edges of joints
• Changes in the ability to move the joint

Patients affected by Osteoarthritis may find difficulties in performing the normal activities such as gripping a pan, stepping up, getting out of a chair, getting on or off the toilet, or walking across a parking lot. Pain and other Osteoarthritis symptoms might make patients feel tired or depressed.

5. Diagnostics and Treatment Options

A comprehensive physical examination will be performed to check the affected joint(s) for swelling, redness, flexibility, and tenderness. An X-ray might be recommended to examine bone spurs around the joint and comprehensive images of soft tissues, including cartilage, and the bone can be obtained using MRI. The doctor may also recommend blood tests and joint fluid analysis to identify if the pain is a result of gout or infection instead of osteoarthritis.

The doctor may also recommend physical therapy and occupational therapy to help the patient strengthen the muscles around the joint and identify ways to perform routine activities without putting extra stress on the joint. Cortisone and lubrication injections may be administered to relieve joint pain and provide cushioning to the knee as part of the finest osteoarthritis treatment.

There are different types of osteoarthritis surgeries:

• Arthroscopy: During this procedure, a pen-sized flexible tube (arthroscope) that has an attached fiber-optic video camera is inserted by the surgeon inside the joint. The surgeon then proceeds to smoothen the rough spots by making some small incisions and remove damaged cartilage, cysts, or bone fragments. This procedure helps patients who have a meniscus tear in the arthritic knee.
• Partial knee replacement (UKR) : If the osteoarthritis affects a single compartment of the knee joint (most commonly inner compartment) then only the affected compartment can be replaced. This is a relatively new concept in the treatment of Osteoarthritis and the recovery is faster as only half of the joint is changed.
• Total joint replacement (TKR ): During this surgical procedure, the surgeon takes out the bone's diseased parts and replaces them with an artificial joint using plastic or metal parts. This procedure minimises pain dramatically and improves the quality of life.
• Osteotomy: The bone near the damaged joint is cut or a wedge of bone is added by the surgeon to remove pressure or realign the arm or leg. This procedure shifts weight bearing from the diseased to normal compartment of the joint and pain is relieved.

Takeaway

To know more about the best osteoarthritis treatment options, call Joint and Bone Solutions now to get yourself treated by the best osteoarthritis doctor in Gurgaon. The best joint specialist in Gurgaon at Joint and Bone Solutions will help you access the best osteoarthritis treatment in Gurgaon.

At Joint and Bone Solutions, you will get the best treatment at an affordable cost from an experienced doctor. Access the best osteoarthritis treatment in Gurgaon by calling Joint and Bone Solutions now.

References:

1. What is osteoarthritis? | NHS.uk | March 4, 2021
2. Causes of Osteoarthritis | Mayoclinic.org | March 4, 2021