Osteo-Arthritis
It is the most important and most common form of joint disease. It commonly appears in old age after 50. Women are more prone to its attack than men. Aging of joints and genetic configuration make people more prone to this disease. Any severe damage to the joints increases the chances of developing osteo arthritis at that site. Though osteo arthritis is mild but some sufferers have severe joint damage, pain and disability. The joints most often damaged are of knees,hips, and those of hands and feet i.e. base of big toe and thumb and joints at the end of fingers. Some joints in the back are also affected.
Symptoms
Osteo-arthritis starts slowly. Sometimes affected joint gets worse suddenly after minor injury. Pain is the main symptom and is usually worse when joints are being used. There is mild joint stiffness in the morning and sticking of joints after rest and inactivity. Some people have cracking sensation and locking of joints.
At times there is a mild firm swelling at the edges of the damaged joints. There is pain when the joint is moved to the extreme of its range. A special form of arthritis occurs in women around the time of menopause. It starts abruptly with inflammation, heat and redness of joints of fingers. it continues for few years leaving stiff finger joints.
In older people sometimes there is sudden worsening of joints. In such cases there are two possible reasons. The surface of damaged joint suddenly collapses causing severe pain and stiffness. At times calcium crystals formed in the joint gets dislodged causing inflammation with accompanying pain.
Osteo Arthritis and Repair Process
Normal joints, used normally will never get osteo arthritis however long we live. However if the cartilages and other tissues in the joints are a little weaker than normal and the structure of the joint is such that it puts more stress on the joint or if repair process of the joint is not good, the joint will develop this disorder. The osteo-arthritis is also developed after fracture of bones, gout or rheumatoid arthritis. This is called secondary osteo-arthritis. In osteo-arthritis, a battle continues between mechanical factors that cause damage to the joint and the ability of the body to repair it. The thickening of bones and capsules is body’s attempt to repair the dasmage. The repairing process continues in cartilages also. Some times joints may heal but in most of the cases they stabilize after a certain degree of damage.
