The 7 Causes of Osteoarthritis That Many Ignore!

The 7 Causes of Osteoarthritis that Many Ignore are very important, so because, through the Causes of Osteoarthritis  , the treatment of Osteoarthritis  is more efficient. Also, to understand about Osteoarthritis , it is necessary to know that Osteoarthritis  is a type of arthritis. Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. There are several types of arthritis and one of them is Osteoarthritis . Osteoarthritis , also known as osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis, is a degenerative and progressive disease  that affects the joints.

Osteoarthritis  begins with increased  friction between bones and can progress to total cartilage destruction, with bone formation (osteophytes) in the joint and deformities. It is a disease  that has no cure, but treatments are usually very effective, helping to improve or completely eliminate symptoms.

The word Arthrosis  comes from the Greek (arthros = joint, ose = wear) which refers to the wear of the cartilage that is between the joints (joints), causing friction between the bones and leading to inflammation of the place, generating pain , swelling  and limitation. of the functions.

Osteoarthritis  is a degenerative disease  that affects the joints, predominantly in the population over 65 years of age . American studies indicate that more than 50 million people have this disease, making it one of the most frequent causes of pain  in the musculoskeletal system  and inability to work in Brazil and in the world.

Before, it was treated as a progressive disease  , with a slow evolution, with no prospects for treatment, seen by many as a natural aging process. Today, however, it is seen as a disease in which it is possible to modify its evolutionary course, both in terms of immediate symptomatic treatment and its prognosis.

Causes of Osteoarthritis Emergence:  Osteoarthritis can  have several causes, which may include:

• Natural joint wear and tear caused by natural aging.
• Demanding jobs that overload some joints, such as maids, hairdressers or painters, for example.
• Sports that repetitively overload certain joints or that require constant twisting movements such as football, baseball or American football for example.
• Weakness in the upper legs .
• Activities in which it is necessary to squat or kneel repeatedly while lifting heavy objects.
• Excess weight , which causes greater wear and tear, especially on the joints of the legs  or spine.
• Trauma such as fractures, sprains or blows that affect the joint.

In addition, it is also important to take into account the family history of Osteoarthritis  , since this disease  has a certain genetic origin, not forgetting that this problem, although common at all ages, appears more easily after the age of 50 due to natural aging of the body .

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis:  The joints most affected by osteoarthritis are the hands, knees, hips and spine. The main symptom of osteoarthritis  is pain , which usually gets worse with physical exertion and relieves with rest. The pain is usually worse at the end of the day and after long periods of immobilization, such as on plane trips or in movie theaters.

Some patients experience worsening pain  with changes in weather. As osteoarthritis progresses, the pain may arise with less and less intense activity, and may eventually occur even at rest and at night. Osteoarthritis in advanced  stages is a  disabling disease .

The pain is not directly caused by the cartilage lesion as it has no innervation. This means that some patients with severe cartilage injuries, visible on radiography, may have few complaints of pain , while others with less visible injuries may have more evident osteoarthritis  symptoms .

Stiffness is also a common complaint in patients with Osteoarthritis . Stiffness of diseased joints is common in the first few minutes after the patient wakes up, improving after about half an hour.

During the day, there may also be episodes of joint stiffness, especially after periods of inactivity. The joint affected by osteoarthritis is usually less mobile and may be swollen, hot and crackling when moving.

Osteoarthritis Treatment:  Osteoarthritis is  a problem that has no cure, and its treatment is based on the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs to reduce joint pain  and inflammation and on physical therapy, exercises  or hydrotherapy.

Physiotherapy and exercises  should be performed daily to maintain joint movement, strengthen and improve its movement. In addition, during physical therapy sessions, electrostimulators and ultrasound devices may be used to stimulate the joint, reduce inflammation, facilitate healing and control pain .

In cases where Arthrosis  is related to excess weight , patients should also be accompanied by a nutritionist in order to start a weight  loss diet . When there is bad posture, a global postural reeducation should be performed by the physical therapist in order to reduce the compensation and pain generated by bad posture.

Generally, these treatments are enough to control Arthrosis , but in the most serious cases where there is no improvement and when the pain  remains, the placement of a joint prosthesis may be indicated.