Osteoarthritis (calcification of the joints): symptoms, causes and medications

Definition

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis or arthritis. Ordinary people often refer to this disease as calcification of the joints.

The definition of osteoarthritis is inflammation of the joints caused by damage to cartilage, which is the smooth cushion that protects the ends of the bones. This condition can then cause pain or soreness and stiffness in the joints.

Ostheoarthritis is a disease that can affect the joints in any part of the body. However, osteoarthritis or calcification of the joints is more common in the hands or fingers, knees, hips, and spine. This disease generally develops gradually and gets worse over time.

Osteoarthritis is not a disease that can be cured. However, this disease can still be managed effectively by relieving the symptoms.

How common is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a common disease. This disease is also known as age-related degenerative disease or arthritis because it tends to appear as a person ages.

Therefore, osteoarthritis is generally found in the elderly or over the age of 50. However, calcification of these joints can also occur at any age.

Osteoarthritis can occur in both men and women. However, this disease is more common in postmenopausal women.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Symptoms of osteoarthritis generally develop slowly and get worse over time. The severity of the symptoms can vary from person to person.

Some people may experience mild symptoms that come and go. However, some other people may experience more severe and persistent symptoms that make it difficult for the sufferer to carry out their daily activities.

Common symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

• Joint pain, which is generally felt during activity or after exertion.
• Joints feel stiff, which is usually felt in the morning and will heal on its own within 30 minutes, or when you are not actively doing activities.
• The joint feels softer when applied pressure.
• Joints lose their flexibility properties, which make them stiffer and difficult to move.
• A clicking or cracking sound occurs when the joint is bent or moved.
• The appearance of bone spurs around the joints, which are hard, sharp bony protrusions.
• Swelling around the joint.
• The muscles around the joints are weakened.

Apart from the severity, osteoarthritis symptoms can also vary depending on which part of the joint is affected. Reporting from the Arthritis Foundation, a typical symptom of hip osteoarthritis is pain in the groin or buttock area and sometimes on the inside of the knee or thigh.

In knee osteoarthritis, the appearance of pain such as a cut or cut when the knee is moved. In osteoarthritis of the finger joints, the appearance of bone spurs at the edges of the joints can cause the fingers to become swollen, tender, and red.

Apart from these symptoms, there may be signs not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When to see a doctor?

You should immediately contact your doctor if your joints are painful and stiff, they don't even get better in a few weeks. Recognizing the symptoms of osteoarthritis as early as possible can help you manage the disease so that it doesn't get worse.

Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Causes & risk factors

What causes osteoarthritis?

The cause of osteoarthritis is damage to the cartilage, which is the smooth cushion at the end of the bone. These smooth pads are supposed to protect the ends of the bones from rubbing against the other bones when they meet at the joints.

However, when the cartilage is damaged, friction between the ends of the bones occurs, which also affects the joints. The joints will then become inflamed and cause pain and stiffness in the sufferer.

However, the main cause of this cartilage damage is not known for sure. However, this condition is generally influenced by increasing age.

The reason is, as you get older, joints will usually become stiffer and cartilage can also be more susceptible to losing its natural lubricants. All of these things can cause osteoarthritis in old age.

What increases a person's risk of developing osteoarthritis?

Apart from age, there are other risk factors that increase a person's chances of developing osteoarthritis. Risk factors for osteoarthritis are:

1. Female gender

It is not certain what causes it. However, most cases of osteoarthritis are usually experienced by women. Therefore, women are at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis than men.

2. Obesity

Someone who is obese has a high risk of developing osteoarthritis later in life. The reason is, being overweight or obese adds to the pressure on the joints to support body weight, especially the hips and knees. In addition, fat tissue also produces proteins that cause inflammation or inflammation in the joints and in the surrounding area.

4. Trauma or injury

Having experienced trauma or injury during sports or accidents, can increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Even if the injury has healed once, there is still a chance for calcification of the joint in the future.

5. Repetitive pressure on the joints

If you have certain jobs or sports that put pressure on a joint repeatedly and continuously, that joint can develop osteoarthritis at a later date.

6. Genetic

Osteoarthritis is a disease that runs in families, although studies have not identified what single gene is inherited. However, someone who has a family member with OA is more likely to develop this disease in the future.

7. Bone deformities

A person who has congenital or congenital abnormalities associated with joints and bones, is at greater risk for developing osteoarthritis. In particular, if the birth defect attacks the cartilage.

8. Certain diseases

Another risk factor that increases the chances of osteoarthritis is the presence of certain diseases. If you have diabetes, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), or other arthritis diseases, such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis, you can also develop calcification of the joints.

Diagnosis & staging

What are the usual tests for osteoarthritis diagnosis?

To make a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA), doctors generally do a physical examination first of the parts of your joints that are inflamed. This physical examination looks for signs or symptoms of osteoarthritis that arise.

After that the doctor will perform several tests to determine the cause. Some of the examination tests that are commonly performed to diagnose osteoarthritis include:

1. X-rays

X-rays or X-rays are able to detect missing cartilage, showing that the space between the bones in the joint is narrowed. In addition, X-rays can also show the appearance of bone spurs around the joints.

2. MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI works by using radio waves and strong magnetic technology to display detailed images of bone and soft tissue, including cartilage.

MRI is not usually used to diagnose osteoarthritis directly. However, at least it can help provide more information if there are other, more complex conditions.

3. Blood test

There really isn't a blood test specific enough to detect osteoarthritis. However, this test can help determine if your condition is related to other arthritis diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

4. Aspiration of joint fluid

In this procedure, the doctor uses a perforated injection to remove fluid from the affected joint. Furthermore, the fluid will be tested and examined further in the laboratory to determine the possibility of internal inflammation.

If you often complain of pain in joints, this method also works to find out the cause of the pain.

Osteoarthritis stage of disease

Osteoarthritis is a disease that develops slowly and gets worse over time. The progression of the disease is then described by stages.

However, unlike other diseases, the staging of osteoarthritis does not simply refer to the results of the tests or examinations performed. Because, some people who suffer from severe osteoarthrtis may only show mild changes on X-rays or X-rays.

Therefore, the stage of osteoarthritis, including the knee, generally concentrates on the symptoms that arise, not only on the results of the tests that are performed. The following is an explanation of the osteoarthritis stage:

• Stage 0. Stage 0 is also called normal condition or joints that are still healthy and do not show any damage.
• Stage 1. This stage is characterized by minor damage to the joints and the growth of bone spurs at the ends of the joints. Patients generally do not experience pain or discomfort in the joints.
• Stage 2. This stage is characterized by larger bone spurs, although the spaces between the bones appear normal. At this stage, generally a person has started experiencing joint pain symptoms.
• Stage 3. At this stage it is clear that there is damage to the cartilage and the space between the bones appears to be narrowing. The pain is generally more pronounced, especially when running, walking, kneeling, or bending over.
• Stage 4. At this stage, the space between the bones is greatly reduced and the cartilage is getting lost. This condition causes chronic inflammation and increased pain.

Medicines & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the treatment options for osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that cannot be cured. However, sufferers need to receive treatment to relieve symptoms and prevent the disease from getting worse.

Some of the treatment options for osteoarthritis include the following:

1. Take drugs

Symptoms of pain, pain, and stiffness due to osteoarthritis can be helped by administering certain drugs, namely:

• Pain relievers, such as Acetaminophen or opioids.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium (Aleve), and others.
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta) to help relieve chronic pain, including osteoarthritis.

2. Therapy

You can also speed up symptom recovery with regular therapy, such as physical and occupational therapy. Physical therapy is a treatment procedure that will help you to train the muscles around the painful joint. While occupational therapy trains you to do daily tasks without putting extra stress on your sore joints.

3. Medical procedures

If some of the previous treatments aren't helping enough, your doctor may suggest other procedures, such as corticosteroid injections, lubricant injections, joint replacement surgery, or bone alignment surgery.

Home care

What are some lifestyle changes or home treatments that can be done to treat osteoarthritis?

Lifestyle changes and home remedies that can help you manage osteoarthritis include the following:

• Stay active and regularly exercise light to strengthen the muscles around the joints and joints more flexible, such as walking, cycling, or swimming.
• Avoid foods that are taboo for osteoarthritis.
• Maintain ideal body weight.
• Warm and cold water compresses. Warm water is primarily used to relax muscles and relieve pain, while cold water can relieve muscle soreness after exercise.
• Use a support device, such as a brace or a cane to reduce the load on your knees when moving.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.

Prevention

How can you prevent osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a difficult disease to prevent. However, you can reduce your risk of developing this condition by avoiding injury or trauma and living a healthy lifestyle. Here are some ways you can help prevent osteoarthritis:

• Do sports that are good for your joint health, such as swimming, biking, or brisk walking, for 150 minutes each week, and alternate with strength training 2 days a week. Avoid sports that strain the joints, such as running and weight training.
• Maintain good posture and avoid the same position for too long. If you work at a desk, you should move around occasionally and get into a comfortable sitting position.
• Maintain ideal body weight. If you are obese, you should lose weight.