There are several factors involved in the development of osteoarthritis (OA), a condition that affects around 8.5 million people in the UK. A degenerative disease, it typically affects us as we age, although the condition can develop at any time if you suffer an injury to a bone or ligament. Women are more likely to suffer from OA and it has also been linked with those who are overweight or obese.
OA is caused when the cartilage or tissue that surrounds the joints weakens and thins, often breaking away. The bone grows into the space left by the thinning cartilage, causing inflammation as the bone ends rub against each other. Sufferers will notice that their joints may change shape, impairing their dexterity and mobility. The joints most likely to be affected by OA are the hands, knees, feet and hips but it can also spread to the neck and back.
Typical symptoms of OA are stiff and swollen joints but the condition is one that develops gradually, generally over a number of years, and some patients who have OA might not notice any symptoms at all. As this form of arthritis is a degenerative one, there is no known cure but the condition does tend to settle down with few changes over long periods of time.
Treatment will depend on the severity of your condition and how many and which joints are affected. Anti-inflammatory drugs, along with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and codeine, are the main medication used to give pain relief and alleviate the symptoms. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can offer patients techniques to manage their own pain relief, while those most severely affected by OA may require walking aids. Gentle exercise for those who are able can help increase joint mobility and if you are overweight, you may be encouraged to lose a few pounds to take the pressure off painful joints.
In the most extreme cases, surgery may be offered to replace a joint, to remove damaged cartilage or to relieve the pain where a joint has become permanently fused.
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