How can osteoarthritis be caused

Eating foods high in the following can be highly beneficial:. Increasing your intake of foods with anti-inflammatory properties will help, too. Check out more reasons and ways to eat well while living with OA.

Osteoarthritis can affect one or several areas of your hands. These areas often include the tips of the fingers, the middle knuckle of each finger, the joint connecting the thumb and the wrist, and the wrist itself. The joints that are affected largely determine the symptoms that occur. These symptoms often include:.

Women are more prone to OA in the hand than men, and usually get it at a younger age. Hand OA can have a big impact on your ability to do the tasks associated with day-to-day living. However, treatments ranging from lifestyle changes to surgery can help. Read more about OA in the hands and how to treat it.

OA can occur in one or both hips. In this way it differs from RA, which usually occurs in both hips at the same time. Hip OA is a slowly degenerative condition. Supports, such as canes, can also help. If the condition worsens, steroid injections, other medications, or surgery can help provide relief. Alternative therapies can also help, and new technologies are on the horizon.

Like hip OA, knee OA can occur in one or both knees. Age, genetics, and knee injury may all play a role in knee OA. Athletes who concentrate solely on one sport that creates extensive, repetitive motion, such as running or tennis, may be at increased risk of OA. Likewise, if you pursue only one type of physical activity, this may overuse some muscles and underuse others, causing weakness and instability in the knee joint. Varying your activities helps to work different muscle groups, allowing all the muscles around your knee to be strengthened.

Treatment for knee OA depends on the stage of the condition. Learn about the stages of OA in the knee and how each one is treated. Wearing a brace around your knee can be an excellent nonsurgical treatment for knee OA.

Braces can reduce swelling and pressure. They can also increase stability in your knee by shifting your weight away from the damaged part of your knee. This allows for greater mobility. There are several types of knee braces. Some may be custom fitted for you, and others are available OTC. Your doctor may recommend that you try different kinds of braces for different activities. Find out what the best type of brace for your OA is.

Cervical OA is also referred to as neck OA or as cervical spondylosis. It occurs in both men and women. The cervical spine is located in the neck and contains facet joints. These joints help to maintain flexibility in the spine, allowing for a full range of motion.

When the cartilage around the facet joints starts to wear away, cervical OA results. If it does, symptoms can range from mild to severe and include:. Occasionally, more serious symptoms can occur, such as loss of bladder or bowel control, or loss of balance.

Check out the risk factors and treatment options for cervical OA. If you have back pain, you may have spinal osteoarthritis. This condition affects the facet joints located in the lower back and buttocks.

Age and spine trauma are both potential factors in spinal OA. Women are more likely than men to get this condition. People who are overweight, or whose jobs require squatting and sitting, may also be at increased risk.

If left untreated, spinal OA can worsen, causing more severe symptoms and disability. Read more about OA of the spine. But other risk factors can be controlled, and managing them can help reduce your risk of OA. If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar can also help manage your risk of OA. See how else you can manage your risk and help prevent OA. The sooner you speak with your doctor, the sooner you can receive a diagnosis, begin treatment, and improve your quality of life.

Left untreated, osteoarthritis can become a serious condition leading to major complications. During an osteoarthritis flare-up, symptoms worsen temporarily before settling down again.

Find out what a flare involves and get some tips to help…. Exercise and physical activity can augment your existing osteoarthritis treatment plan, so try adding these five exercises to counteract your symptoms. It is the most common type of arthritis and is more common in older people. People with osteoarthritis usually have joint pain and, after rest, stiffness inability to move easily for a short period of time. The most commonly affected joints include the:.

Osteoarthritis affects each person differently. For some people, osteoarthritis does not affect day-to-day activities. For others, it causes significant pain and disability. Anyone can get osteoarthritis, but it is more common as people age. Women are more likely than men to have osteoarthritis, especially after age Younger people can also develop osteoarthritis, usually because of a joint injury or problem with how the joint formed.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis often begin slowly and usually begin with one or a few joints. The common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:. Pain and other symptoms of osteoarthritis may lead you to feel tired, have problems sleeping, and feel depressed. Changes in joint tissue can cause parts of the joint to break down and usually happens little by little over time. This does not happen because of simple wear and tear on the joints.

Certain factors may make it more likely for you to develop the disease, including:. There is no single test for osteoarthritis. Your doctor may do the following to see if you have the condition:. Some people may need medications to help manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Your doctor may recommend surgery if all other treatments tried have not helped your osteoarthritis. Treating osteoarthritis requires a team effort involving you and several types of health care professionals. These may include:. Basics In-Depth. What is it? Points To Remember About Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a joint disease in which the tissues in the joint break down over time. Common symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, as well as changes in how the joint moves and feeling like the joint is loose or unstable.

Treatment of osteoarthritis usually includes exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, wearing braces to help with stability, and taking medications, if prescribed. You can do many things to help you live with osteoarthritis, including using hot and cold therapies, avoiding repeated movements, and taking a class to help you learn about the condition. What is osteoarthritis? The most commonly affected joints include the: Hands ends of the fingers and at the base and ends of the thumbs.

Lower back. Who gets it? Who gets osteoarthritis? What are the symptoms? Bony growths spurs at the edge of joints can cause fingers to become swollen, tender and red, sometimes with pain at the base of the thumb. Pain and tenderness in the big toe, with possible swelling in the ankles or toes. Obesity, Diabetes and Heart Disease Painful joints, especially in the feet, ankles, knees, hip or back, make it harder to exercise.

Falls Research indicates people with OA experience more falls and risk of fracture than those without OA. These tests help to make the diagnosis: Joint aspiration. After numbing the area, a needle is inserted into the joint to pull out fluid.

This test will look for infection or crystals in the fluid to help rule out other medical conditions or other forms of arthritis. X-rays can show joint or bone damage or changes related to osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging MRI gives a better view of cartilage and other parts of the joint. Medications Pain and anti-inflammatory medicines for osteoarthritis are available as pills, syrups, patches, gels, creams or injectables.

They include: Analgesics. These are pain relievers and include acetaminophen and opioids. Acetaminophen is available over the counter OTC ; opioids must be prescribed by a doctor. These are the most commonly used drugs to ease inflammation and pain.

They include aspirin , ibuprofen , naproxen and celecoxib , available either OTC or by prescription. The OTC versions help with pain but not inflammation. These OTC products contain ingredients like capsaicin, menthol and lidocaine that irritate nerve endings, so the painful area feels cold, warm or itchy to take focus away from the actual pain.

These prescription anti-inflammatory medicines work in a similar way to a hormone called cortisol. Platelet-rich plasma PRP. Available from a doctor by injection, this product is intended to help ease pain and inflammation.

Other drugs. The antidepressant duloxetine Cymbalta and the anti-seizure drug pregabalin Lyrica are oral medicines that are FDA-approved to treat OA pain.

A good exercise program to fight OA pain and stiffness has four parts: Strengthening exercises build muscles around painful joints and helps to ease the stress on them. Range-of-motion exercise or stretching helps to reduce stiffness and keep joints moving. Aerobic or cardio exercises help improve stamina and energy levels and reduce excess weight. Balance exercises help strengthen small muscles around the knees and ankles and help prevent falls.

Talk to a doctor or physical therapist before starting a new exercise program. Weight Loss Excess weight puts additional force and stress on weight-bearing joints, including the hips, knees, ankles, feet and back, and fat cells promote inflammation. Physical Therapies and Assistive Devices Physical therapists, occupational therapists and chiropractors can provide: Specific exercises to help stabilize your joints and ease pain. Information about natural treatments and products that can ease pain.

Instruction to make movement easier and to protect joints. Braces, shoe inserts or other assistive devices. Surgery Joint surgery can improve pain and function. Maintain Range of Motion Movement is medicine for joints. Protect Joints Make sure to warm up and cool down when doing exercise. Relax Find ways to reduce or avoid stress through meditation , listening to music, connecting with friends and family, doing fun activities, and finding ways to relax and recharge. Choose a Healthy Lifestyle Eating healthy food, balanced nutrition, not smoking, drinking in moderation and getting good sleep will help you to feel your best.

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