All You Want To Know About Osteoarthritis
13 SepOsteoarthritis is the disease of the knee that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joint. In this kind of disorder, the cartilage of the knee joint breaks down, and an abnormal bony growth called the bone spur or osteophyte develops. Any or both of these processes can lead to abnormal joint functioning, leading to stiffness and pain. The symptoms of osteoarthritis may come and go, and develop gradually, which may take years to worsen. Therefore, you must be on the lookout for constant pain in the knee, and immediately consult a doctor to find out at the earliest if you have the symptoms of this disorder, so that appropriate steps can be taken.
What kind of pain should alert you?
Knee pain that follows any of these three patterns must be immediately observed and reported to the doctor.
- Knee pain during regular activities like walking, running, stair climbing, bending, kneeling, and squatting.
- Knee pain and stiffness that is unbearable after extended inactivity or an overnight sleep.
- Knee pain that comes and goes (even if the level of pain is low), disrupted by irregular and intense outbursts.
What can cause osteoarthritis?
The most common reasons that may cause osteoarthritis include advanced age of over 45, obesity, and knee injuries. Also, those who have arthritis in their heredity are prone to this disease.
What causes the pain?
When the cartilage in the knee joint is damaged, thinned, or worn away, it causes friction between the bones, which causes knee pain. With the deterioration of the cartilage, a new cartilage may be produced within the body, but this new cartilage may grow in an irregular or bumpy pattern as compared to the smooth original cartilage. This results in the rubbing and grinding of the thigh and shin bones against each other, causing pain and stiffness. Also, to compensate for the deteriorated cartilage, the bones in the knee joint may produce small bony growths known as osteophytes or bone spurs, which create even more friction and pain. Along with these new cartilages or bone spurs, the associated tendons and ligaments of the knee joint also stretch to compensate for the abnormal functioning of the knee, leading to further loss of functionality and stability in the joint.
What can be done to alleviate the pain?
As soon as you detect any of the problems or pain mentioned above, you must immediately consult a doctor. If the osteoarthritis is in the early or developing stages, the doctor may suggest you to undergo certain treatments like medications, physical therapies, and exercises. In case of discomfort while walking, he may advice you with walking aids. However, if the osteoarthritis is at a later stage, or if the medications and therapies don’t alleviate the pain, he may suggest you to undergo total knee replacement in Bangalore, wherein your original knee will be removed and replaced with plastic or metal prosthesis supplied by high quality dealers like Aditi Corporation.