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.
Osteoarthritis
provides detailed information about osteoarthritis,
knee osteoarthritis and more. Osteoarthritis is
affiliated with Gout
Diet.
