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 affecting the human body. Osteoarthritis, a disease of joints, is one form that is caused by breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage of one or more joints.
Patients are often unaware of this disease since the symptoms develop gradually, only to be discovered when joints swell or there is discomfort and pain after a period of inactivity. Osteoarthritis is an age related disease affecting nearly 80% of the population above 65 years of age. Women’s joints are often affected from age 55, but men often complain of osteoarthritis from 45 years onwards. This is due to lifestyle and labor intensive work that is stressful and injurious. To effectively tackle Osteoarthritis, we should know whether it is primary or secondary. If the cause is unknown, it is categorized as Primary Osteoarthritis and if it is diagnosed as hereditary, symptomatic, congenital, or due to injuries it is called Secondary Osteoarthritis.
Treatment varies with the extent of damage to cartilage. Next to aging, obesity is a worrisome cause because increased body weight puts extra stress on the knee and hip joints. Other causes are diabetes, surgeries, gout, and congenital deficiencies. Women are especially susceptible if they work long hours bending and lifting, wearing inappropriate footwear, and indulge in diet manipulation.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that needs careful handling. No matter what age and extent of damage to joints, it can be forestalled by preventive measures including self care, proper diet, timely treatment, and appropriate medicines.
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Knee Osteoarthritis
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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...
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Osteoarthritis Prevention
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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...
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Hip Osteoarthritis
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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...
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Osteoarthritis Treatments
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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,...
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Osteoarthritis Symptoms
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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...
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Osteoarthritis Diet
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Diet is an important ingredient in maintaining a perfect physique and disease proof body. With 70% Americans being victims of obesity, the first step in treating any disease is weight reduction. Diet control programs are based on individual preferences as certain people are allergic to...
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Osteoarthritis Medication
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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...
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An Introduction To Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Rheumatoid arthritis is the second major type of arthritis – exceeded in number of cases only by osteoarthritis. It is a very serious ailment caused by inflammation of the joints. The pain associated with the disease is at times so severe that it almost completely...
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Hyaluronic Acid For Osteoarthritis
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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...
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Congenital Scoliosis
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