Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. This condition commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. In many cases, the cause of the arthritis is not known, this is referred to as primary osteoarthritis. When the cause is known it is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis.
Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Pain in the joints during or after movement
- Tenderness of joints
- Stiffness particularly first thing in the morning and after a period of inactivity
- Loss of flexibility in joint movement
- Development of bone spurs, that are extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, that may form around the affected joint.
What causes osteoarthritis?
Primary osteoarthritis is mostly related to aging. With aging, the water content of the cartilage increases, and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny crevasses. In advanced cases, there is a total loss of cartilage cushion between the bones of the joints. Repetitive use of the worn joints over the years can irritate and inflame the cartilage, causing joint pain and swelling. Loss of the cartilage cushion causes friction between the bones, leading to pain and limitation of joint mobility.
Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate new bone outgrowths (spurs, also referred to as osteophytes) to form around the joints. The likelihood of developing osteoarthritis also increases in women, with obesity, as a result of occupations that place a lot of stress on the joints, and as a secondary factor to other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Paget’s disease of the bone. There is also a strong genetic predisposition towards developing osteoarthritis and this condition tends to run in families.