What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a painful degenerative joint condition. It is also known as degenerative osteoarthritis, arthrosis, or joint wear and tear. Millions of people around the world are affected by osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.

Going back to its Greek word origin, the word ''osteoarthritis'' means bone, joint, and inflammation. However, inflammation is not the cause but is often a consequence of joint wear.

This chronic joint condition results from wear and tear of the articular cartilage, the soft tissue that cushions the joints. It acts as a buffer between the two bones that make up the joint. When this protective cartilage breaks down over time, the underlying bone can change.

The breakdown of cartilage can occur due to overuse, injury, or - most often - due to ageing. This is usually followed by inflammation of the inner layer of the joint capsule. Also, symptoms such as pain and increasingly limited mobility appear.  

In the case of so-called activated arthrosis, joint swelling and warmth can also occur as signs of inflammation. The swelling happens when joint fluid builds up in the joint. 

 

Which joints are affected?

Joints connect two or more bones in the body. They are found in our feet, ankles, hips, knees, arms and many other parts of our body. Osteoarthritis can occur in one or more joints.

Most often, osteoarthritis affects the following joints:

  • Hip joint
  • Knee joint
  • Spine
  • Saddle joint of the thumb
  • Ankle joint
  • Shoulder joint 

 

How and why does osteoarthritis develop?

Joint wear occurs when the joint is subjected to a greater, longer or different load than usual. Therefore, age increases the risk of osteoarthritis. About every second person over the age of 60 is affected. Of those over 70 years, the majority have osteoarthritis symptoms. 

Because of our modern way of life, we often have too little exercise, poor posture, and unhealthy nutrition. This is the reason why there are also more and more young people who suffer from osteoarthritis. Almost every third person aged 40 to 50 is affected.

Reasons that may cause osteoarthritis include:

  • Incorrect loading of the joint in places that were not intended for this due to:
    • Misaligned joints (congenital or acquired)
    • Overloading or incorrect loading of the joints due to sport, occupation, heavy lifting, or obesity
  • Joint injuries or previous inflammation of the joint
  • Metabolic disorders
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Poor diet which lacks nutrients that are important for joints
  • Lack of exercise
  • Often, it is a combination of these factors that leads to joint damage. 

 

Stages of osteoarthritis

One or more of these factors initially disrupt the balance between cartilage production and breakdown - to the disadvantage of cartilage production. This results in the loss of cartilage and the protective layer of cartilage become thinner.

Products from cartilage wear and tear get into the joint space and activate inflammatory processes. These, in turn, promote cartilage breakdown and lead to pain, swelling and limitation of movement. This is then called activated arthrosis.

 

Osteoarthritis vs arthrosis

Both are joint diseases whose names derive from the Greek word arthron, meaning joint. 

Osteoarthritis is also called arthrosis. The suffix -osis indicates the progressive disease process which is typical for the wear and tear of osteoarthritis (arthrosis). 

In contrast, the suffix -itis primarily indicates the inflammatory processes typical for arthritis.

Still, arthritis and arthrosis are closely connected. Osteoarthritis is usually accompanied by inflammation in the joint. At the same time severe joint inflammation, like arthritis, always leads to joint damage.

There are many types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and septic arthritis. The causes of arthritis can be diverse. 

Even infections and disturbances of the immune system can lead to arthritis. The latter are so-called autoimmune diseases. These include, for instance, rheumatoid arthritis. Here, the immune system attacks the own body which results in the breakdown of joint tissue. 

So, the main difference between osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid arthritis is the cause behind the joint pain. 

 

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

Even in the initial phase, osteoarthritis causes a feeling of stiffness in the joints. Pain develops later. 

First, the pain only occurs at the start of joint loading. Many know this from getting up after sitting for a long time. A common situation is when you get out of the car at the rest area after a long drive.  

Stress-induced pain is also typical for the early stages of osteoarthritis. First, it only occurs after a long period of stress, such as several hours of hiking. However, it can develop into permanent stress-induced pain. 

The advanced stage of osteoarthritis is characterized by pain at rest that occurs without stress on the joints. Many people also become sensitive to weather changes. This means that their symptoms intensify when the weather changes.

 

What helps with osteoarthritis?

Since there is no cure yet, osteoarthritis treatments mainly focus on reducing pain and improving function.  

Movement is vital

You may know the proverb "A rolling stone gathers no moss." It is true that exercise is the best prevention, and also the best therapy. It stimulates the production of joint lubricant and strengthens the muscles. However, avoid putting additional stress on your joints!

What does this mean in practical terms? If you suffer from knee pain, you should avoid high-impact sports, such as tennis, running, or basketball. Rather choose some low-impact sports. You can also always do some gentle osteoarthritis knee exercises at home, including slowly bending or lifting your knees. 

Nutrition is key

Fruits and vegetables should be included in your diet every day, while meat should be consumed less often. Meat contains arachidonic acid which promotes inflammation. Also, animal products are rich in protein and proteins are acid-forming substances

In the case of joint diseases, the diet should be as low in acid and as rich in bases as possible. Most vegetables, salads, herbs and sprouts are base-forming. A diet rich in vegetables and low in meat can also contribute to weight reduction in the case of obesity. This counteracts another risk factor for joint wear.

Alleviating inflammation

This is very important in order to avoid the cartilage and the affected joint are not damaged any further. If severe inflammation develops in the joint, you need to consult your doctor or health care practitioner. 

Depending on the severity of the inflammation, there are different therapy options. In the early stages, natural remedies are often sufficient. 

However, if you suffer from severe pain and massive inflammation, you might need over-the-counter or even prescription drugs. Unfortunately, many anti-inflammatory drugs are known for their side effects, especially in long-term use. 

 

How to improve mobility and reduce pain?

Here are some tips on what you can do:

  • Regular physical activity is key! Sports that are easy on the joints and involve the whole body is most suitable. These include swimming, dancing, hiking or cycling.
  • Maintain average body weight.
  • Talk to your doctor about physiotherapy or physical therapy, electrotherapy, and ways to relieve weight-bearing joints (walking aids, losing weight).
  • Eat a diet that has an abundance of vitamins and minerals, but is low in meat.
  • Make sure to eat foods that are rich in bases or add basic dietary supplements.
  • Apply compression to the joints using a bandage or wrap.
  • Elevate the joint when resting.
  • Apply hot or cold packs to the affected area. What works best, depends on the intensity of the inflammation. Your therapist can advise you on this. 

 

There’s a Pascoe Remedy for that!