Top Osteoarthritis Facts You Need to Know

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease that is typical for elderly people but may occur in younger adults. You could hear other names for this disease, such as degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis. Even though OA is a widespread chronic disease, it can be prevented or partially cured if you know the facts about it and can identify the symptoms.

So, bones are connected with joints, but there is a layer that covers the ends of bones — cartilage. It plays an important role in the body as it does not allow bones and joints to be damaged during movements. However, cartilage can break, which makes bones and joints tear and rub.

Once you are aware of OA, you can stop its development at earlier stages. That is why we suggest you read this review with the main facts about osteoarthritis.

Symptoms and Causes of Osteoarthritis

Trying to investigate the feelings of your body during movements or in a stable position helps to identify such diseases as OA. Osteoarthritis can occur in any part of the body, for example, in the back, knees, shoulder, fingers, and hips. The symptoms cannot be severe in the beginning, and it can be hard to recognize them.

Here is the list of the most common OA symptoms:

• Stiffness;
• Inflammation;
• Pain in joint;
• Reduced flexibility;
• Discomfort;
• Cracking sounds;
• Painless spurs or lumps.

These symptoms may be caused by many reasons and can become signals for you to visit a doctor and start treatment.

Some people are more susceptible to OA because of their lifestyle, age, and background. As we said, OA can occur at any age, and the main reasons for this are:

• Obesity;
• Injuries;
• Posture issues;
• Joint defect;
• Menopause;
• Other medical conditions.

Furthermore, some groups of people experience OA much more often than others. For instance, this disease is more typical for women, people in age over 50, and people having family members with the same medical condition. Of course, lifestyle is a crucial factor in OA development as people having constant loading, climbing, or lifting will have higher chances of OA occurrence.

Osteoarthritis Treatment

As it is hard to find the preconditions to OA, treatment therapy is complex and consists of various methods. Besides, the chosen treatment depends on the stage of OA and other medical conditions.

Usually, doctors apply the following types of treatment to people having symptoms of osteoarthritis:

• Medications (pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medication, Cymbalta, or corticosteroids);
• Exercises;
• Improvement of sleep quality;
• Diet control and management of weight;
• Temperature therapies.

It is impossible to choose treatment without prior medical investigation of the joint condition. This information can help you to start caring for your health, change your lifestyle to a healthier one, and pay attention to pains and aches in your body.