Osteoarthritis is described as a chronic bone disease which involves reduced joint spaces, cartilage loss, signs of inflammation due to mechanical joint rubbing and injury to joints.
Cartilage is a tough elastic material. It surrounds the joint articulating surfaces. It protects the articulating surfaces, but due to age (wear or tear) or injury it gets damaged resulting in bone surface friction and causes osteoarthritis.
In Osteoarthritis there is slow erosion of this cartilage. This causes signs of inflammation like redness, pain, stiffness and swelling in joints.
Facts of Osteoarthritis -
- Osteoarthritis is considered most common form of Arthritis.
- It is one of the leading causes of chronic disability in United States.
- Osteoarthritis affects about 1.9 million people in Australia, 8 million people in the United Kingdom and nearly 27 million people in the United States.
With OSTEOARTHRITIS, there is severe risk to your bone health which will give you immense pain and deteriote your life quality. The treatment of disabilities and severe pain also drain you economically.
Types of OA-
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Primary- No particular cause is found here. It is further divided into-
- I.Generalized nodal OA- it results in nodes formation in all the joints.
- II.Erosive OA- It is less common, and more aggressive inflammatory form of OA.
- Secondary - It is secondary to certain cause.
Stages of OA:
The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) is used to assess pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with hip and / or knee osteoarthritis.
- Stage 1: There is softening of the cartilage on the knee surface. This does not appear on X-ray.
- Stage 2: The cartilage starts to wear away and X Ray shows narrowed joint space.
- Stage 3: Now osteophytes can be easily seen. Stage 2 and 3 may merge and difficult to separate.
- Stage 4: There is the "bone-on-bone appearance" with very narrow joint space, lots of osteophytes, and distortion of the joint at this stage.
Homeopathy promises wonderful relief in the form of potent remedies that manage OSTEOARTHRITIS and remove it right from the root.
