Osteoarthritis

What are the effect of Osteoarthritis on the body?

- Joints assist in the flexibility, precision and execution of movement. - Therefore the effect of OA include immobility of certain joints, pain or inflammation at the site, stiffness at the joint, lumps at the site of OA, known as bony spurs or growths. - The most commonly affected joints are those at the ends of the fingers (closest to the nail), thumbs, neck, lower back, knees, and hips

How doest Osteoarthritis occur on a more complex level? (IL-1 and MMP's)

one a more technical level, scientists have discovered that an unknown factor may cause the increased secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules, one of which is IL-1. In term, IL-1 increases the activity of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP's), the degradative enzymes responsible for breaking apart cartilage. A loss of proteoglycans and water results in the creaking and drying out of bones.

Surgical procedures for Osteoarthritis include:

Joint resurfacing, to remove loose bone or cartilage and bone spurs Osteotomy to realign deformed joint's Replacing the deteriorated joint with an artificial one, either metal or ceramic. Stem cells and platelet rich plasma therapy, however, have been introduced to reduce the pain and repair the joint partially to avoid or delay this extensive surgery. 

Is Osteoarthritis a skeletal or joint tissue disease?

Joint tissue

What are some secondary/other causes of OA?

OA can result from: - Wear and tear of a joint, caused by repetitive and harmful manual movement. - Being overweight or obese, as there is more pressure but on the joints to sufficiently balance and stabilise the body's weight - Severe sports injuries that aren't immediately treated or are left unattended. - Repeated fractures, which may damage the bone underneath the cartilage, prematurely starting the degradation of the bone. - Hormone changes, which may change the amount of synovial fluid present in the joint cavity

What is Osteoarthritis? (description)

Osteoarthritis is the gradual remodelling and changing of shape of the joints. The joint cartilage and synovial fluid in joint's deteriorates, causing the surface of two bones to grind together, causing pain and inflammation. Frequently associated with ageing, although young people can be affected as well

What are the symptoms of Osteoarthritis?

Pain: Tends to worsen when move the joint, and frequent Stiffness: Still even at or after rest Grinding sensation (crepitus) - may hear or feel your bones creak and crunch together when you move that joint Swelling: may be hard (due to osteophytes or bone spurs) or soft (due to swelling in synovial fluid), and muscles might look thin and limp. Not being able to move potentially affected joint properly: Not being able to move that joint freely, with precision, or with speed. Sometimes it may give way due to the weakening of the joint. In severe cases, pain might never go away. May wake you up from sleeping, or inhibit you from performing simple, daily tasks like opening a door handle.

How does Osteoarthritis occur

The specific cause is unknown, however this is what scientists know so far: Cartilage is a smooth tissue, located over the bone, that helps prevent friction upon movement. Surrounding cartilage is a synovial membrane with fluid inside, which lubricates and nourishes joint tissue, such as cartilage itself. Cartilage contains 'proteoglycans' (pro-teo-gly-cans) , which are proteins that retain water within the joint cavity, and aids in shock absorption. Losing proteoglycans means the cartilage becomes dry and can crack. Once cracked, the cartilage can wear away, and the bone underneath may develop bone spurs (Small, bony outgrowths along joint margin), which decrease the space within the joint cavity, restricting the movement of joints themselves.

Prescribed Medication for Osteoarthritis include:

There are stronger painkillers that relieve the symptoms of OA when paracetamol is not effective enough. When prescribed by a GP, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used as a stronger painkiller. An example of this is NSAIDs. Some NSAIDs are available as creams, which can be directly applied to the painful joint Injections of Hyaluronic Acid into the joint - Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in joint's synovial fluid, which assists in the lubrication in joints, so they can slide over each other. Cortisone can also be injected to relieve pain temporary, however these injections can make arthritis worse over time.

How can people prevent the development of Osteoarthritis?

Weight control: Eat healthy and maintaining weight = no strain on joints, particularly those who bear the entire body weight - such as the hips and knee joints. Exercise: keeps joints limber, keeps blood circulating to bone, muscle tissue and cartilage so all get nutrients and can work efficiently Get injuries treated: Important to warm up and cool down first to prevent injury, but if injury does occur, get it treatment to avoid further damage, such as modifying high impact movements or using a brace to stabilise joints

How is Osteoarthritis diagnosed?

X-rays can effectively detect osteoarthritis. In a healthy joint, cartilage is invisible in an x-ray. Therefore, an image shows the illusion that there is an empty black space between the bones of a joint. As cartilage erodes, this black space between the bones decreases, and bone offcuts become visible, therefore indicating OA

Alternative treatment for Osteoarthritis include:

lifestyle changes , such as losing weight to take the strain of the body's joints, and exercise to keep you active and building muscle, thereby strengthening your joints. Low impact exercise is generally recommended, such as walking or running, to keep joints limber. If this is troubling, it is advised an OA patient wears a brace whilst exercising. Physiotherapy, to release the stiffness experienced with OA