Osteoarthritis Research Paper

OSTEOARTHRITIS
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis, is a group of age-related abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage as well as subchondral bone. Symptoms usually include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness and sometimes joint effusion.
Osteoarthritis is caused by physical stress on the joint, and is not caused by inflammation, although inflammation can result from physical damage.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis usually develop progressively. Initially, there may be inflammation or stiffness that seems more like an annoyance than a medical concern.
Common symptoms include:
• Sore or stiff joints – especially in dependant parts, e.g. lower …show more content…
• Pain that is increased after activity or toward the end of the day.
The pain is usually moderate and irregular, and does not affect the ability to perform daily tasks. In some patients osteoarthritis never progresses past this early stage. In others, the pain and stiffness of more advanced disease may make it difficult to walk, squat, climb stairs, sleep, and perform other daily tasks.
Causes
Damage to joints caused by physical stress with insufficient self healing is believed to be the chief cause of osteoarthritis. Sources of this stress include: abnormal alignment of bones and joints caused by congenital or pathological causes; mechanical injury; being overweight; weakness of the supporting muscles; impairment of peripheral nerves leading to abrupt or incoordinated movements.

Primary …show more content…
costochondritis, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis). In gout, uric acid crystals lead the cartilage to degenerate at a faster pace.
• Injury to joints or ligaments as a result of an accident or orthopedic operations.
• Ligamentous deterioration or instability may also be a factor.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made with sound certainty based on history and clinical examination of the patient. X-rays usually validate the diagnosis. The characteristic changes observed on X-ray include: narrowing of joint space, subchondral sclerosis, subchondral cysts and osteophytes. Plain X-rays may not associate with the findings on physical examination or with the extent of pain. Generally other imaging techniques are not essential for the clinical diagnosis of osteoarthritis.
MANAGEMENT
Modification of lifestyle (weight loss, exercise etc) and analgesics is the core of treatment. Lifestyle modification
For overweight people, weight loss is an important factor. It reduces pain, improves function, reduces stiffness and fatigue, and reduces the need for medical intervention.
Physical

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