Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a condition that affects the joints, causing pain and stiffness. It is the most common form of arthritis and occurs in people all over the world. It is also known as degenerative arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressive, non-inflammatory disorder of the musculoskeletal system. It is a deterioration of the articular surfaces of the bones that progresses over time and may be either idiopathic or due to another pathological condition.

The causes of its occurrence at younger ages are usually post-traumatic, such as an accident or a car accident or in some cases osteonecrosis, the disorder of the hip vascularity that can also be caused by an injury. However, other factors also contribute, such as blood sugar, coagulation disorders, pregnancy in women and the use of cortisone. Wear and tear of the articular cartilage is the cause of the onset of joint damage and the subsequent formation of bony prominences (osteophytes) in the joints, which people know as "salts". Osteoarthritis is divided into Primary / Idiopathic when no cause is found and Secondary when it occurs due to an underlying disease or after an injury to the joint.

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, especially if it has been injured in the past. It occurs most often in the knees, hips, hands, neck and back, big toes, shoulder.

• Pain or even Rigor.

• Stiffness.

• Reduced range of motion (or stiffness).

• Joint swelling and deformity: hard swelling (caused by osteophytes), gelatinous swelling (caused by fluid accumulation in the joint).

For the diagnosis and monitoring of osteoarthritis the history, clinical examination and simple X-Rays are usually sufficient, but in special cases a CT or MRI scan is needed.

There is still no cure for osteoarthritis. But there are treatments that soothe the symptoms and reduce the likelihood of arthritis getting worse.

Conservative treatment

It certainly requires lifestyle adjustment, weight reduction, appropriate mild exercises etc. depending on the etiology. Measures to treat the symptoms are:

• Pharmaceutical treatment with painkillers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (pills or creams), more powerful analgesics with combination of substances in stronger pain.

• Cryotherapy or thermotherapy.

• Cortisone injections in the painful joints.

• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Surgical treatment

Surgical treatment involves joint replacement, meaning that you are referring to the repair of the damage caused by osteoarthritis. It is recommended in case of very severe pain throughout the day, which does not subside with the treatment mentioned above, or in case of severe mobility problems.

• Joint replacement offers significant pain relief when other treatments are not effective.

• In the case of a locked knee, arthroscopic flushing, a procedure in which the joint is flushed of free bodies or broken meniscus parts, is performed.