Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, affects the elderly in parts of the body where it hurts the most. A person suffering from knee osteoarthritis will most likely equate it with cardiovascular disease because the breakdown of articular cartilage of knee joints restricts movement and the patient has to follow a set regimen affecting his lifestyle.
Knee Osteoarthritis is due to injury, congenital disorder, or obesity. The deterioration of articular cartilage, a smooth and fibrous connective tissue that acts as a protective cushion, narrows the joint space between bones. In time, the cartilage becomes grooved and fragmented and surrounding bones thicken or sprout into spurs. Sometimes, there is additional swelling in the knees caused when synovium, a membrane producing a thick fluid to nourish the cartilage, becomes inflamed and produces additional fluid known as ‘water of the knee’. Changes occur due to constant rubbing of joint bones leading to deformity of joints that is equally painful.
Knee osteoarthritis is diagnosed through physical and pathological examinations of joints on either side of knee including hip joints, checking on posture, and gait. Once knee Osteoarthritis is confirmed, a treatment is suggested depending on nature and extent of damage and on the personal physical history of patient. Women over 60 years of age are high risk factors for knee osteoarthritis as they spend major portion of their lives doing physically demanding work that has direct relationship with knee Osteoarthritis. Wearing high heeled shoes also aggravates the pain. In youngsters, knee osteoarthritis is hereditary or due to some injury.
Precautions such as weight reduction, changing work routine, postures, diet, avoiding injuries, participating in physiotherapy, and exercise are advised. Other methods of relief such as acupuncture, ointments, prescription drugs, magnetic pulse therapy, vitamin regimes, and topical pain relievers are temporary. Using prescription drugs and surgery should be a mutual decision between patient and doctor.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Approaches to Knee Pain Relief
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
You use your knees every time you walk, run, or move your lower body at all. Knee pain, therefore, dramatically affects the daily life of sufferers, who must use their knees throughout the day. Knee pain is the second only to back pain among American...
-
Osteoarthritis
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Advancing age has its share of trails and tribulations, and a significant financial and medical concern is Osteoarthritis. Arthritis, a combination of Greek word “arthron,” for joint, and “itis,” for inflammation, is often referred to as one disease though there are more than 100 forms...
-
Osteoarthritis Symptoms
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Osteoarthritis progresses with age and affects the area around the joints. One experiences pain, stiffness or swellings due to complete loss of cartilage cushion, extended periods of inactivity, or trauma. The pain differs in intensity from low to high, increasing in humid weather, followed by...
-
Osteoarthritis Prevention
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
With Osteoarthritis, prevention is preferable to a cure. If we follow this maxim we can alleviate some of the pain and discomfort through healthy-living strategies and self-care techniques. Osteoarthritis is a degenerating disease affecting the cartilage of joints over the years. Osteoarthritis is generally an...
-
Hip Osteoarthritis
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Osteoarthritis affects a person’s joints. The parts of body at maximum risk are the hips and knees. Hips carry the body weight and, over years, the smooth and glistening articular cartilage that helps the hip joint to glide ultimately wears thin. Initially, there is discomfort...
-
Osteoarthritis Treatments
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Treating Osteoarthritis is a joint venture between the patient and their physician that takes into account the patient’s personal needs and medical condition. The conditions that could affect treatment are cardiac disease, hypertension, peptic ulcers, or renal disease. Standard treatment involves pain killers, physiotherapy, exercises,...
-
Osteoarthritis Medication
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Medicine is an important component of the treatment of Osteoarthritis. A healthy alternative is to combine over the counter pain relievers with alternate treatment and medicines prescribed by physician. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting nearly 20 million Americans. Each affected person...
-
Hyaluronic Acid For Osteoarthritis
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is already widely used in skin care and anti-aging treatments, and it can be used to treat osteoarthritis. Recent studies show that 80 % of patients with osteoarthritis experience relief when given HA treatment, and although some patients do not have the...
-
Research on Hyaluronic Acid Knee Injections
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Hyaluronic acid, a key component of human tissue, aiding the body’s flexibility, mobility and moisture retention is a popular component of many anti-aging products but can also provide a wealth of benefits in the medical sphere. Recently, in an attempt to find effective treatment methods...
-
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Arthritis is a condition characterized by joint inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that leads to inflamed and stiff joints. It is the joint that holds together two bones. The joints contain soft tissues and cartilages that help to hold the bones together and...