Arthroplasty - Arthritis

Arthritis simply means ‘inflammation of the joints’. The word rheumatism is even more general, and is used to describe aches and pains in joints, bones and muscles. If you have pain, stiffness or swelling in or around a joint it can be arthritis. But there are many types of arthritis and only your doctor can tell whether you have arthritis and if so what type of arthritis it is. The two most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.
It can affect anyone of any age, though it’s more common in older people and women.
As age advances the articular cartilage which forms a smooth surface at the end of the bones becomes weak and breaks down. This is also called the “wear and tear”. The bone ends are exposed and rub against each other and this causes intense pain. It can also develop after an injury to a joint - sometimes many years later.
It usually affects joints in hands, knees, hips, feet and spine.

Risk factors for Osteoarthritis

The exact cause is unknown.
Age: The chances of getting osteoarthritis seem to increase with age.
Heredity: Some people with osteoarthritis have other family members with it.
Obesity: Being overweight can increase your risk of getting osteoarthritis. Excess weight puts stress on joints such as hips and knees.
Injury: Injury to a joint or repeated overuse of it can also damage the cartilage and lead to osteoarthritis.
Secondary arthritis: Other types of arthritis can also damage joints and lead to osteoarthritis

Treatment:
a) Medicines ( Analgesics)

Acetaminophen is often the first medication chosen to treat osteoarthritis. It can relieve pain but does not reduce inflammation.
Creams and gels that are available over-the-counter may provide temporary pain relief.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a type of medication that helps reduce the pain and swelling of the joints and decrease stiffness. However, they do not prevent further joint damage.

Corticosteroids:

Cortisone may be injected into the joint to relieve severe inflammation. Cortisone is a steroid that reduces inflammation and swelling.

Medication Safety

All medications have potential side effects
It is important for patients to discuss the benefits and potential side effects of all their medications with their doctor.

b) Exercises

Exercise helps reduce pain and prevents further joint damage. It can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which puts less strain on your joints.
Not using a sore joint will cause the muscles around it to become weak, resulting in pain.
A physiotherapist can teach you correct exercises such as:
Strengthening exercises improve muscle strength and tone, which will help to stabilize and protect osteoarthritic joints and reduce the pain.
Range of motion exercises help maintain or restore normal joint movement and relieve stiffness.
Low impact exercises such as walking and swimming, which do not put unnecessary strain on joints.

c) Heat/Cold

Applying heat helps relax aching muscles, and reduces joint pain and soreness. For example, take a hot shower.
Applying cold helps to lessen the pain and swelling in a joint. For example, put an ice pack on the area that is sore.

d) Massage
Massage is widely used for pain relief, but its results are open to question. At best, massage may relieve muscle ache or tension by increasing blood flow, but benefit is relatively short-lived. Massage should be avoided when joints are especially tender or inflamed, since it can actually worsen your condition at such times. If you’re having a massage done by a professional, make sure he or she understands that, because of your arthritis, you want only the gentlest procedure.

e) Surgery

If one of your joints becomes badly damaged, or if the pain is too strong, your doctor may recommend surgery.
There are different kinds of surgery for OA. With some surgery, bits of cartilage are removed from the joint. This is called Arthroscopic joint debridement. Other kinds of surgery repair or rebuild parts of the bone, or replace a joint with an artificial or a man-made joint. This is called Joint replacement.