Osteoarthritis facts and care

 

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the cartilage at the end of bones wears down and can no longer cushion the joint. This can result in bone-to-bone contact which is very painful. Osteoarthritis can develop in any joint but is most common in the spine, knees, hips, and hands. 

 

Symptoms tend to develop slowly over time. These include pain with movement, stiffness after being inactive, tenderness with light pressure, swelling and loss of flexibility in the joint, and a grating or grinding feeling combined with popping or cracking sounds. Bone spurs may also form around the joint which may feel like hard lumps. 

 

There are several risk factors for developing osteoarthritis. Some cannot be controlled such as family history, increasing age, and gender (women are more susceptible than men.) However, there are other risk factors that may be controlled such as injury or overuse of a joint, as occurs with repetitive movement. Another is weight. Being overweight or obese puts excess stress on joints, especially the hips and knees. Therefore, keeping a healthy body weight, and if needed losing weight, may help slow down the progression of osteoarthritis. 

 

Other ways to manage the disease include choosing a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a healthy diet. Managing diabetes is also important because high blood sugar levels stiffen cartilage resulting in its degeneration. Diabetes also causes joint inflammation. 

 

For more information on osteoarthritis go to www.arthritis.org. 

Linda Walsh, RN

Parish Nurse, 

The Catholic Church of St. Ann

lwalshrn@st-ann.org