Houston Oseoarthritis Treatment
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.
It affects the cartilage, and tends to occur with aging and in women more than men. Additional risk factors include family history, obesity and trauma. It is a non inflammatory arthritis.
How does it affect my body?
Cartilage acts as a smooth gliding surface for the joints and it spreads the load of weight onto the joint, reducing tension. Osteoarthritis develops when the tension on the joint becomes extreme or when contact on the joint becomes repetitive, causing the joint cartilage to wear.
Cartilage is made up of two parts: chondrocytes and the matrix in which chondrocytes are balanced. The matrix consists of collagen and proteoglycans.
Osteoarthritis begins with biochemical changes that affect the matrix. It’s accompanied by a decline in the quantity of the chondrocytes and a reduction in the amounts of proteoglycan and collagen.
As the matrix thins, the cartilage softens and becomes more prone to damage. When this circumstance worsens, the cartilage wears away, revealing underlying bones.
What are symptoms of this disease?
- The joint feeling poorer with movement but relieved when in rest
- Pain that is commonly at its worst at the end of the day
- Morning inflexibility (This usually fades within 30 minutes.)
- Stiffness after extended periods of inactivity
- Inflammation of the joints
- Restricted range of joint movement
- Instability in the joints
Other symptoms may include joint function loss, muscle degeneration around the joints, and muscle weakness.
Hypertrophy (excessive enlargement) of bone may also develop in affected joints. This symptom is most apparent in the hands, where knots may develop in the middle and last row of joints and near the base of the thumb.
How is Osteoarthritis treated?
Non-Medication treatments of osteoarthritis include: education, weight management, and appropriate exercise, which may delay disease progression, reduce symptoms and improve function.
Medication treatments include acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Intra-articular injection of steroids or hayluronan may be useful.
Consult a Physician
Osteoarthritis can severely impact your daily routine. The specialized physicians at Rheumatology Associates of Houston can help to differentiate this common form of arthritis from inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, requiring very specific treatment. Call us at (713) 667-8292 to schedule a comprehensive consultation.