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Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the world. Often accompanied by pain, stiffness, disability and radiographic changes, it is the most common cause of chronic pain in the elderly and the leading cause of disability in everyday life.
It is estimated to affect >40 million people across Europe, with a lifetime risk of 45% for knee osteoarthritis and 25% for hip osteoarthritis. With increased life expectancy and rising obesity levels across Europe, osteoarthritis is expected to be the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020....
A cartilage is a protective, smooth, rubbery connective tissue that cushions the ends of the bones in the joints and allows the joints to move smoothly and easily.
In people with osteoarthritis, the smooth surface of the cartilage becomes rough and begins to wear away. As a result, the degeneration of the cartilage causes chronic inflammation that only serves to further break down the remaining cartilage.
While osteoarthritis can develop in any joint, it often affects the knees, hips, hands, lower back and neck.
The membrane (synovium) produces synovial fluid, a thick fluid responsible for keeping the cartilage healthy and the joints moving smoothly. As osteoarthritis progresses, the synovial fluid becomes less viscous and its lubricating, shock-absorbing, and filtering abilities are reduced.
Once the cartilage begins to deteriorate, adjacent bones receive less lubrication from the synovial fluid. After some time, the unprotected bones begin to rub together, causing damage and pain. Further scraping of the bones eventually leads to the development of thick bone spurs (osteophytes), which can give the joint a knobby appearance.
As the bones change shape, the joints become stiffer, less mobile, and painful. Fluid can also build up in the joint, causing swelling.
The older we get, the more we feel the pain of standing or sitting for long periods of time, climbing stairs, and moving around. The body becomes unable to repair joint tissue in the usual way.
Aging alone does not cause osteoarthritis, but promotes the development of osteoarthritis in conjunction with other risk factors. Two of the most common risk factors for osteoarthritis are age and obesity. As most people age, they lose muscle mass and gain fat mass, which could contribute to the development of osteoarthritis due to changes in joint stress. Osteoarthritis can also develop in younger people after an injury or as a result of another joint disease.
Obesity: being overweight can put stress on weight-bearing bones and joints, especially the knees. Obesity also makes us less likely to be physically active.
Gender:the disease affects both men and women. Before the age of 45, osteoarthritis is more common in men than in women. After age 45, it is more prevalent in women than in men until about age 80, when both sexes are equally affected.
Family history:genetics can increase your risk. Your chances of developing osteoarthritis increase if you have family members who have been diagnosed.
Occupation:jobs that involve repetitive motion in a particular joint increase your risk. The more rigorous your body is used as part of your job, the more stress it goes through. Construction, cleaning, agricultural work, retail, workers who use a jackhammer, pianists and rugby players are examples of jobs that can put stress on the body. When your joints are put under harder strain, you tend to physically age faster.
Osteoarthritis is considered degenerative because it is a progressive disease, meaning that symptoms worsen over time. If left untreated, it can lead to irreparable damage.
At this point, there is no cure, so once the damage is done, it cannot be reversed. Symptoms can develop all over your body in any of your joints. The most commonly reported symptoms are joint pain, swelling and tenderness, stiffness after getting out of bed, grinding or sound of bone rubbing against bone, difficulty moving, and problems with daily tasks like getting dressed. In addition, persistent pain causes sleep disturbances, depression, feelings of hopelessness, and weight changes.
In addition to aging, gender, and repetitive strenuous work movements, other factors that can increase your chances of developing osteoarthritis include congenital joint failure, unhealthy lifestyle choices such as lack of exercise, smoking, and malnutrition, or injury or unexpected trauma to joints.
While no treatment or medication can reverse the damage of osteoarthritis, some can help relieve symptoms and maintain mobility in affected joints. The most commonly used medications are over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications. Sometimes the pain can be more severe, in which case stronger medications may be needed.
Corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections can help relieve pain in inflamed joints. However, these injections can cause further damage to the joints, so they are only used as a last resort. Surgery is another option of last resort and is usually reserved for when other therapies have not helped or when there is severe damage in a joint.
Osteotomy is when a surgeon removes a small portion of the bone and can reduce the size of the bone spurs. If this doesn't work, doctors may recommend bone fusion or even joint replacement.
A number of strategies can help prevent joint degeneration or relieve symptoms once they become apparent. The main goals of any treatment are to reduce inflammation or swelling and control pain, as well as improve mobility and function.
Exercise: is always good... But it actually improves circulation, strengthens muscles, increases flexibility, decreases inflammation, maintains mobility and range of motion, prevents weight gain, improves cardiovascular health. Swimming, for example, is a great way to support your weight while gently exercising your muscles and joints.
Diet: Dietary changes can help many people with arthritis. You should include as many anti-inflammatory foods in your diet as possible. These foods provide essential fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that support your immune system, lower pain, and help build healthy tissue and bones.
Supplements:As a final and hollistic treatment method, we recommend our product NEM INTENSE - a 100% natural eggshell membrane product that works better than traditional supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, collagen, etc.
★ Reduction of pain in joints in 7-10 days*.
★ Reduction of joint stiffness in as little as 7 days.*
★ Development of cartilage structures
★ Proven in 12 clinical studies
Our joints are important, but they don't last forever. By understanding how they can degenerate, you can develop a plan to take care of them.
The real key to living well with the disease is you. Research shows that people with osteoarthritis who participate in their own care experience less pain and make fewer doctor visits. They also enjoy a better quality of life.
Do something good for yourself. Follow the golden rule of joint health: "Keep moving. The more you move, the less stiff you will be."
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