OSTEOARTHRITIS Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. TYPES; There are two main types of osteoarthritis: Primary: Most common, generalized, primarily affects the fingers, thumbs, spine, hips, knees, and the great (big) toes. Secondary: Occurs with a pre-existing joint abnormality, including injury or trauma, such as repetitive or sports-related; inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid, psoriatic, or gout; infectious arthritis; genetic joint disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos (also known as hypermobility or "double-jointed; congenital joint disorders; or metabolic joint disorders. SYMPTOMS ; Pain, stiffness, tenderness, loss of flexibility, bone spurs, swelling CAUSES ; Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that enables nearly frictionless joint motion. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, bone will rub on bone. COMPLICATIONS ; Possible complications of osteoarthritis include: Rapid, complete breakdown of cartilage resulting in loose tissue material in the joint (chondrolysis). Bone death (osteonecrosis). Stress fractures (hairline crack in the bone that develops gradually in response to repeated injury or stress). Bleeding inside the joint. Infection in the joint. Deterioration or rupture of the tendons and ligaments around the joint, leading to loss of stability. Pinched nerve (in osteoarthritis of the spine). TREATMENT ; Acetaminophen(Paracetamol) Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) has been shown to help some people with osteoarthritis who have mild to moderate pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Duloxetine (Cymbalta).
