What
is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis
is a degenerative condition that usually gets worse over time. As the
cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in the joints degrades
(breaks down), the bones start to rub together causing pain and
sometimes swelling (See Figure 1). As joints become stiff there is a
loss of motion that combined with the pain makes performing everyday
activities difficult.
Figure
1: Difference between a normal bone joint and osteoarthritis. Image
sourced from AIHW
(http://www.aihw.gov.au/osteoarthritis/what-is-osteoarthritis/)
Osteoarthritis
mostly affects the the hands, spine, hips, knees and ankles, and
usually develops in joints that are injured due to repeated overuse.
It is the predominant condition leading to hip and knee replacement
surgery in Australia, with an 29% rise in the rate of total knee
replacements and a 31% rise in hip replacements occurring over the
last ~10 years.
Symptoms
Although
the symptoms of osteoarthritis can vary between people, and over time
for the affect person, the main symptoms of include:
- Joint pain (particularly pain that worsens following exercise or immobility)
- Joint stiffness
- Swelling
- Limited joint movement
Who
gets Osteoarthritis?
An
estimated 1 in 11 Australians (approximately 2.1 million people in
2014-2015) are believed to have osteoarthritis, with approximately
two thirds of these being female.
Risk
factors
There
are a number of risk factors that contribute to the onset and
progression of osteoarthritis including:
- Being female
- Joint injury or trauma (i.e. dislocation or fracture)
- Joint misalignment
- Repetitive joint-loading tasks (such as kneeling or squatting)
- Being overweight
- Family history of osteoarthritis
Diagnosis
Osteoarthritis
is usually diagnosed through a physical examination of your symptoms
and the affected joints. X-rays may be used to observe any narrowing
or changes to the shape of the joint but cannot determine the amount
of pain or problems you experience in this joint. Blood tests may be
used to rule out other types of arthritis.
Treatment
for osteoarthritis
Treatment
options depend on which joints are affected and to what severity. It
make take some trials before you find the best treatment for you as
an individual. Example treatments include:
- Analgesics (pain relief such as paracetamol)
- Topical creams
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Exercise and physical therapy
- Joint splinting
- Joint replacement surgery if all other therapies are no longer helping
Useful
resources
AIHW
Arthritis
Australia
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