Osteoarthritis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease), is a group of diseases and mechanical abnormalities entailing degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and the subchondral bone next to it. Clinical symptoms of OA may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, inflammation, creaking, and locking of joints. In OA, a variety of potential forces—hereditary, developmental, metabolic, and mechanical—may initiate processes leading to loss of cartilage -- a strong protein matrix that lubricates and cushions the joints.
As the body struggles to contain ongoing damage, immune and regrowth processes can accelerate damage. When bone surfaces become less well protected by cartilage, subchondral bone may be exposed and damaged, with regrowth leading to a proliferation of ivory-like, dense, reactive bone in central areas of cartilage loss, a process called eburnation. The patient increasingly experiences pain upon weight bearing, including walking and standing. Due to decreased movement because of the pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments may become more lax. OA is the most common form of arthritis, and the leading cause of chronic disability.
Adequate joint motion and elasticity of periarticular tissues are necessary for cartilage nutrition and health, protection of joint structures from damaging impact loads, function, and comfort in daily activities. Exercise to regain or maintain motion and flexibility by low-intensity, controlled movements that do not cause increased pain. Muscle weakness around an osteoarthritic joint is a common finding. Progressive resistive/strengthening exercises load muscles in a graduated manner to allow for strengthening while limiting tissue injury.
Treatments include common pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen, or naproxen to anti-inflammatory, prescriptions medications in more advanced cases, though prolonged use can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, diarrhea, ulcers, and other stomach problems. More advanced cases also require the use of cortico-steroids and other pharmaceuticals of the oral and topical variety.
Other treatments include joint replacement surgery and other forms of surgery. Alternative treatments include acupuncture and other TCM options for knee osteoarthritis as well as Acupuncture microsurgery.
OSTEO-ARTHRITIS (Knee)
Osteo-arthritis (knee-joint pain) is a chronic arthritic disease. The main causes are the deterioration of cartilage and the recurrence of hyperosteogeny. Middle-aged persons, senior citizens, and females are prone to this ailment. The disease is mostly incurred by relatively large joints that are subjected to heavy loads (e.g. knee-joints, hips, spine, shoulder, and fingers).
Shoulder Peri-arthritis
Shoulder Peri-arthritis is commonly known as shoulder ache or adhesive shoulder. It is an inflammation related to the slow damage of muscles, tendons, synovial and artery sockets around the shoulder. The interior and exterior shoulder joints are bound together causing pain when excercising and hence restricting shoulder functions.
The causes of arthritis are very complicated. It may be a composite of the factors listed below: reduced nutrition supply to cartilage during aging, abnormal metabolism, stress, accumulated damage over time, obesity (especially for people 50 years old or above) increases load on joints. The pain worsens when performing physical activities
1. Inflexibility and rigidness felt in the morning
2. Swelling and even physical deformities in affected body areas in long-term situations. |
