Consequences of Osteoarthritis
Aim and objectives
The aim of this essay was to undertake a literature review of osteoarthritis. The topics that were covered are: what osteoarthritis actually is, the causes, symptoms, treatments, how a form of treatment works, side effects of this treatment and other treatments. There were two objectives for this SSA. The first objective was to find out what osteoarthritis is and how it affects the body and the second objective was to find out what treatment is available in the UK.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder which affects majority of those over the age of 65 years and is the most common type. [1][4] This is most often seen in the hands, knees, hips and spine. [1][2]
Fig. 1 Normal joint [3]
Figure 1 shows how a normal joint looks. It shows that the ends of adjacent bones are covered by smooth cartilage which allows the bone ends to move smoothly and painlessly against each other when the joint is moved. Articular cartilage is a firm, gel-like substance that also acts as a shock absorber. It’s made of collagens which consist of proteoglycans (proteins attached to carbohydrates and amino acids) and water. Chondrocytes which are responsible for the synthesis of new cartilage and the maintenance of quality are found inside the cartilage. The capsule lined by synovium produces a viscous fluid which helps the joint ends to move easily by acting as a lubricant called synovial fluid. [1]
Usually the joints work smoothly together providing that the bone tissue and cartilage are always going through regeneration. If the cartilage reduces in size then it can put pressure on the other tissues therefore working overtime trying to compensate. [1]
Fig. 2 Synovial joint with seve...
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... Available from http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_info/Osteoarthritis/default.asp
[9] Bupa. (2014) Treatment options for osteoarthritis. [accessed on 1st May 2014]. Available from http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/o/osteoarthritis
[10] Neogi, T. and Scholz, J. (2009) Neurobiological mechanisms of osteoarthritic pain and analgesic treatment. Pain in Osteoarthritis. Canada: Wiley-Blackwell, pp.241-242
[11] NHS choices. (2012) Anti-inflammatories, non-steroidal. NHS, [accessed on 1st May 2014]. Available from http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anti-inflammatories-non-steroidal/Pages/Introduction.aspx
[12] Conaghan, P.G. and Nelson A.E. (2012) Pharmacological management. Fast Facts: Osteoarthritis. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Health Press Limited, pp. 80-81.
[13] British National Formulary. (2013) 65th ed. London: BMJ Group, Pharmaceutical Press, pp. 666-667.
Shiel W Jr.and Stoppler M. (2011). Osteoarthritis . Available: http://www.medicinenet.com/osteoarthritis/article.htm . Last accessed December 2013.
Each bone in a synovial joint has articular cartilage at the articulating surface. The C-shaped medial and lateral menisci serve to deepen the articulation at the superior surface of the tibia, thus enhancing the bony stability of the joint.
Have you ever wondered why when you stub your toe on the chair in the living room, it helps tremendously to yell out an expletive or two and vigorously rub the area? I may not be able to discuss the basis for such language in this paper, but we will explore the analgesic response to rubbing that toe, in addition to the mechanism of pain and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, it affects millions of people around the world. It is also known as Degenerative Joint Disease or Degenerative Arthritis or Wear & Tear Arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage in the joints wear down over time. While osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body, it more often is seen in the knees, hips, hands, neck, and lower back it worsens as you grow older and has no known cure.
Ytterberg, S.R., Mahowald, M.L. & Krug, H.E.(1994) “Exercise for arthritis”, BailliOre' s Clinical Rheumatology, 8(1), pp. 161-189. ScienceDirect [Online]. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950357905802304 (Accessed: 13th May 2014).
2570). His explanation can be used to show that in extreme causes, RA may lead to deformation of the synovial joint. As Aletaha points out, such a severe disability endangers the life of the patient. Aletaha et al. notes that researchers and medical professionals in the last decade have made some improvements with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and they sufficiently have helped with RA management (p. 2571). Moreover, as “early therapeutic intervention” such as DMARDs has been recognized that helps on the “[improvement] of the clinical outcome [by] reducing accrual of joint damage and disability” (pg. 2571). These recent discoveries have helped cases in the first stages of rheumatoid arthritis. However, for more advanced cases in which evolution of joint destruction is presented, is not an practical yet, because there are no validated criteria to classify a patient with early and effective intervention for this disease (Aletaha et al., p. 2571). Many researchers such as Emery and
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that primarily affects the hands, spine and the ankles and hips. It is known to be associated with aging, and is concerned with the cartilage that protects the joints (the meeting place of two bones). Normal cartilage allows for bones to slide over each other uniformly, acting as a shock absorber to any damage. However cartilage in osteoarthritis, located at the ends of the bones erodes and deteriorates, causing friction and hence pain, swelling and restricted movement. Therefore in osteoarthritic both the composition and appearance of the cartilage alters, while the body attempts to repair this damaged cartilage is broken down faster than it can be built up. A defective repair process can cause bone overgrowth, bone spur/osteocytes to form which can be seen at the ends of the joints. In osteoarthritis the bones come in close contact with each other, and wear away leaving the bone exposed and unprotected.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 27 million Americans (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). It is caused when the cartilage in the joints breaks down, causing the bones of the joint to rub against one another. This causes pain, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joint. Osteoarthritis is most prevalent in those 65 and older, but can affect those of any age. In addition, African Americans and Hispanics report a higher incidence of arthritis than Caucasians (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). Although the cause is unknown, it is believed that the increasing age of the population, prevalence of obesity and injuries add to the progression of the condition. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body; however, those of the hand, hip, and knee are often the most common. This condition may be asymptomatic, or may present symptoms including soreness, stiffness and pain. The symptoms are more common in the older population, those with limited activity levels, and those who are obese. Joint cartilage thins over time, causing an increased risk for symptoms in the elderly, and obesity puts extra pressure on the joints during activity. Osteoarthritis is commonly diagnosed with the use of a physical assessment along with results of radiology testing such as X-Ray and MRI.
Hochadel, M. (2014). Mosby's Drug Reference for Health Care Professionals (fourth edition ed.). : Elsevier.
Arthritis affects people of all age groups. More than 100 types of arthritis are known. Among these osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis having the highest incidence. One of the major causes of chronic debilitation in industrialized nations is Osteoarthritis which results from damage to the joints, which may be due to trauma, infection, or age-related wear. Rheumatoid arthritis is encountered less frequently than osteoarthritis and is estimated to affect around one per cent of the world’s population. Amongst patients of Rheumatoid arthritis, women are three times more likely to be affected by this condition than men. This condition is caused by an inflammatory process where the body starts attacking itself. Rheumatoid arthritis also affects several joints, with inflammation sometimes seen in and around the lungs, the heart, the eyes and the skin. The most commonly reported complaint by arthritis patients is pain. The pain might be from the joint itself and be a result of inflammation, damage from the disease, or through daily wear and tear. Muscle pain is also common and is caused by having to force movements against stiff and painful joints. Although range of movement in the affected joint may be limited and uncomfortable, physical exercise has been shown to benefit those with arthritis. Physical therapy has been shown to significantly improve function, decrease pain in the long term and delay the need for surgery in advanced cases. The majority of arthritis cases occur among theelderly, however the disease can occur in children as well. Over 70% of the population that get affected by arthritis in North America are over the age of 65 (4). The disease occurs more commonly in females than males in all races, age groups, and ethn...
Cartilage serves as protection against bone on bone contact to prevent wear in bones an example of this is the lateral and medial meniscal cartilage (articular cartilage). But the lateral and medial meniscal cartilage can be quite easily torn although a common injury in fully grown adults torn cartilage cannot be healed as cartilage receives little blood flow making it hard for it to heal compared to children with
Bibliography: Arthritis Foundation, Understanding Arthritis (1986); Kelley, William N., et al., eds., Textbook of Rheumatology, 2d ed., (1985); McCarty, Daniel F., ed., Arthritis and Allied Conditions, 11th ed. (1988); Moll, J. M. H., Rheumatology in Clinical Practice (1987).
Davies NM, Reynolds JK, Undeberg MR, Gates BJ, Ohgami Y, Vega-Villa KR. Minimizing risks of NSAIDs: cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and renal. Expert Rev Neurother. 2006 Nov;6(11):1643-55.
Weiner, S.S. & Nordin, M. (2010). Prevention and management of chronic back pain. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 24, 267-279. http://dx.doi:10.1016/j.berh.2009.12.001
Almost everyone develops osteoarthrits as they age, some get it while in their fifties and in others it does not appear until their eighties. Osteoarthritis is the most common form that affects older people; this form of the disease wears down the cartilage mostly through overuse and injury but there are other causes. This specific form of the disease causes the cartilage to break down and the bones to rub against each other. Deformity and swelling occurs because knobs of hardened bits of cartilage develop in the joint. It forms especially if a joint has been injured many times.