Joint pain and Osteoarthritis
Joint pain is a very common symptom in clinical practice. Moreover, joint diseases are a major
cause of disability for the elderly. Many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including
bursitis, gout, injuries and traumas, but the most common one is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a
progressive degenerative joint disease, occurring as the loss of articular cartilage and bone.
Prevalence, symptoms and risk factors of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in elderly patients. About 8 out of every
10 people over 65-year-old in the general population are affected by osteoarthritis. More than
20 million of U.S. citizens and from 35 to 40 million Europeans suffer from this degenerative
disease. Osteoarthritis strongly affects the quality of life, causes loss of joint function, may lead
to reduced ability to move the joint or even disability. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are
joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, loss of flexibility, grating sensation and bone spurs. Factors that
increases the risk of osteoarthritis are age, female gender, obesity, occupation and active sports.
Medical investigation and tests
There are no specific signs, symptoms or tests that can diagnose osteoarthritis. The diagnosis is
based on several factors, including the characteristic symptoms of osteoarthritis and the results of
laboratory tests and X-ray. Laboratory tests may be done only to help diagnose osteoarthritis by
ruling out other conditions or diseases which have similar symptoms.
X-ray are helpful for tracking the status and development of osteoarthritis over time. However,
X-ray may not show any abnormalities or changes during early stages of the disease. Other
imaging techniques, such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging may be used to detect
damage to cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, which cannot be detected using X-ray.
Typical treatment options
The main aim of osteoarthritis treatment is to relieve pain, reduce disability and ensure as active
life as possible. First of all, a patient with osteoarthritis should rest for appropriate period of time
after each pain attack. Another key element in reducing development of degeneration process is
loss of weight.
The most common treatment option is pharmacotherapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs. However, these drugs has various adverse drug reactions and may not be well tolerated
by some patients. Other treatment options include special exercise programs, acupuncture,
occupational and physical therapy, corticosteroid injection directly into a sore joint, etc. There is
growing interest in herbal medicines and the need of alternative treatments. Dietary supplements
derived from herbs have long been used in traditional medicine and there is considerable
evidence that nutraceuticals may play an important positive role in inflammation and joint
destruction in osteoarthritis.
Surgery is only recommended for a small number of patients with osteoarthritis. It can be helpful
if the disease affects hips, knees or joints, particularly those at the base of your thumb. Surgery
may be suggested if other treatments have not been effective or if one of the joints is severely
damaged.
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