Top

       alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text alt text


Understanding Osteoarthritis

January 27, 2009

As the name suggests, osteoarthritis is a kind of arthritis and is also known as degenerative arthritis. It is usually a disorder whose risk factor increases with age and thus many people suffering from this problem are 55 years and above. In this kind of arthritis, there is a breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage. Given below are various symptoms and causes associated with osteoarthritis.

As mentioned above, osteoarthritis is a degenerative loss of cartilage in joints. Since it is a degenerative joint disease, it occurs as a result of wear and tear of cartilage with time. Osteoarthritis is a problem of joints and can affect joints in your hands, hips, knees and spine. Though it usually affects a single joint, in some cases, it can affect multiple joints at one time too. Obesity, repeated trauma or surgery to the joint structures, diabetes, gout, muscle weakness, hormonal factors and even genetics can lead to the problem of osteoarthritis.

Emphasizing the same fact again- osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints. Thus signs and symptoms of this problem are mostly related to joints. Some of the common symptoms include pain in joints after excessive using of it or even after some period of inactivity; tender and vulnerable joints; loss of flexibility making the joints stiff and rigid; and even a grating sensation while using of joints.

There can also be swelling and inflammation of the affected joint. Usually, a person suffering from osteoarthritis faces severe pain after repetitive use of the affected joint. Further, stiffness in the joints is mostly noticeable after the joints are inactive for a particular period of time. The most common joints affected by osteoarthritis include hands, hips, knees, and spine. However, unlike other kinds of arthritis, osteoarthritis does not affect other organs of the body.


What's More today?

alt text Causes and Symptoms of Edema

Do you often find your legs and ankles getting puffy and swollen up? If yes, then this can be caused... 

alt text Bad Dental Habits in Kids

Good dental care from early years is a must to attain naturally healthy and shining teeth. However, there... 

alt text Causes and Symptoms of Shingles

Shingles is a skin infection primarily characterized by skin rashes. This article will discuss the various... 

alt text Pain Management Tips

Pain can be caused by a number of factors, be it injuries, ailments, or chronic medical problems. This... 

alt text Sleepwalking in Children

Do you find your child unknowingly moving and walking at night? There are some children who suffer from... 

alt text Causes of Muscle Spasms

Cramping and contraction of muscles is a condition termed as muscle spasms. Such spasms are extremely... 

alt text Risk Factors for Insomnia

Every one of us must have faced a sleepless night sometimes or the other in our life. But chronic sleeplessness... 

alt text Signs and Symptoms of Leukemia

Leukemia refers to the cancer of the blood or the bone marrow. Instead of fearing cancer, one needs to... 

alt text Home Remedies for Blocked Nose

When a person suffers from cold, cough, or flu, then one common problem he/she faces is that of blocked... 

alt text Tattoo Infections

Getting different body parts tattooed with trendy designs is in fashion today. But how safe are tattoos... 

alt text Parenting after Divorce

When we think of divorce, we generally think of a couple who separate into individuals and decide to... 

alt text Ways to Deal with a Defiant Child

Parents of defiant children face a daunting task of upbringing their children in the right way. This... 

alt text Staying Healthy with Watermelon

The delicious watermelons not only quench your thirst, they also keep you healthy and fit. Watermelons,... 

alt text How to Prevent Travel Sickness

As the name suggests, travel sickness is a problem in which a person feels sick while traveling. Popularly... 

alt text Understanding Panic Attacks

Panic attacks are scary as the person experiencing such attacks display symptoms like palpitations, fear,... 

Bottom