Keeping Hips And Knees Away From Joint Pains
In life, growing old is something that we can’t avoid. Apart from the experiences and wonderful memories, aging also brings illness. We can see that some of our loved ones hold on to their hips and knees because of joint pains. One of the most common diseases brought about by age is osteoarthritis. Also known as degenerative joint disease, this happens when the joint’s cartilage cannot stand the pressure and friction anymore due to damage it has acquired over time. Joints that are usually affected with osteoarthritis are the hands, hips, knees, lower back and neck. There is no definite cure for osteoarthritis but there are treatments that can help relieve the symptoms. One that can help in the management of osteoarthritis is surgery such as in seriously arthritic hips. However, after any major operation, you need to modify some activities after the hip replacement surgery.
What Causes Osteoarthritis (OA)?
There is no known direct cause but we can directly associate it to aging. Cartilages are rubbery tissues used to protect the joints when bones glide over them. With repeated use over time, the cartilage are damaged which might lead to extra bone formation or bone weakness. Osteoarthritis can also be hereditary. If your family has a history of Osteoarthritis, chances are, you’ll have them later in life. Being overweight will also increase the chance of getting this disease.The joints and cartilages will have to deal with more weight than they could handle and that could cause additional damage. Fractures to the bones and joint injuries may be a factor in having OA as well as overuse in sports or other rigorous activities. These are just some of the factors that can cause Osteoarthritis among others.
How to Determine if it’s Osteoarthritis?
Most common complaints from people who suffer from this disease are pain and stiffness on the affected joint(s). The pain and stiffness are evident in the morning hence the term “morning stiffness”. The pain described in the morning can be relieved with mild activity but will persist once pressure is continuously exerted. Rest may temporarily take the pain away but not for a long time. The symptoms will depend on the extent of damage as some will not feel anything even if x-ray results show that they have osteoarthritis.
Treatment for Osteoarthritis
As previously mentioned, there is no cure for osteoarthritis as it is degenerative in nature. We can only manage the symptoms that this disease may bring. Some options to consider are medications, behavioural changes, physical therapy on top of other things. However, the best option especially in worse cases is surgery. Surgery may not be for everyone as most of those with OA are in their late 60’s and some have pre-existing illnesses. Also, post- surgical complications may arise not just from the operation, but from defective devices such as in hip replacement surgeries which lead to a DePuy Pinnacle Recall, a company manufacturing hip replacement devices. Still, the best thing to do is to talk to your physician to evaluate the treatments best for suited for you.
Tags:arthritis,health,hip pain,hip surgery
Related posts
Filed under Uncategorized by on Nov 28th, 2011. 
Loading ...
Leave a Comment