What is Osteoarthritis and How is it Treated?

Arthritis is a word that generally translates into “joint inflammation”. The rheumatic category holds around 200 conditions and diseases and about 53 million adults suffer from an arthritic condition according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The most common of those ailments is osteoarthritis–a condition that degenerates joint cartilage and reaches the underlying bone. Usually people get it in their knees, hips and hands.

What are the Causes of Osteoarthritis?

There are many types of arthritis which means there are many factors contributing to the cause of arthritis. Some common causes are listed below:

  • Being overweight or obese adds more stress to your joints and ligaments, contributing to their degeneration. Weight is an extremely common factor in knee osteoarthritis.
  • Joint infections caused by microbial agents have the ability to develop into a form of arthritis.
  • Sustaining a joint injury can also play a part in developing arthritis.
  • Occupational injuries are common in jobs that require repetitive motion like typing or squatting. These motions can easily contribute to complications like osteoarthritis.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis can vary based on the severity of the condition. However, some common symptoms may include: stiffness and joint pain, morning stiffness, pain that is so severe it causes you to wake from sleep, and pain that can be triggered by exercise or pressure. Allowing these symptoms to worsen can cause other complications as well.

Do Sufferers Have any Options?

Some factors that help osteoarthritis develop may seem unavoidable, but there are options for sufferers to alleviate their symptoms.

  1. Excessive exercise can potentially worsen your arthritis, but moderate workouts a few times a week has the potential to decrease your symptoms in your knee.
  2. You can take pain relievers like acetaminophen without a prescription or you can visit your doctor for a prescribed medication.
  3. It can be extremely helpful to visit a physical therapist for stretching and other treatment. They can shape your treatment to your individual needs.

Occupational injuries are highly likely when you experience the development of arthritis. Unfortunately, when the condition becomes severe, treatment and medication may be costly for the sufferer and may impair their ability to work. If you feel that your arthritis has developed due to your occupational duties, you may wish to pursue worker’s compensation to help you recover. Contact a lawyer today for a consultation, they can determine whether you have a case to pursue. You should preclude this with a doctor’s visit for a diagnosis and the beginning of treatment. Work with an experienced medical professional such as the knee pain doctor Bethesda MD locals turn to.


Thanks to authors at The Pain and Arthritis Center for their insight into Injury and Chiropractors.