What Is Osteoarthritis?
Arthritis is one of the most common joint diseases worldwide…
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is one of the most common joint diseases worldwide. It owes its name to the Greek “arthros”, which means joint. Specifically, arthritis is a disease of the joint cartilage in which the natural balance between cartilage formation and cartilage degradation is disturbed.
This results in progressive cartilage wear, which is often associated with very severe pain for those affected. The more damaged the affected cartilage, the more severe the symptoms and the greater the deformation of the joint even leading to complete loss of functioning.
However, arthritis is not simply an age-related wear-and-tear condition. The disease is primarily caused by long-lasting inflammatory processes that are often not noticeable at first. These lead to the cartilage receiving too few nutrients which it needs to be able to fulfil its main functions. Therefore, vitamins, trace elements and other substances play an important role in cartilage health: they can help to increase the cartilage mass, counteract its degradation and even regenerate it.
Wear of the joints often begins around the age of 45, initially without symptoms. However, the symptoms become more frequent between the ages of 50 and 60: among the over 60s, one in two women and one in three men have to struggle with this disease, and from the age of 65 onwards almost everyone, male or female, suffers from arthritis.
Symptoms
When the joints wear out, the first symptom is discomfort on exertion. As the disease progresses these symptoms become more frequent, even during everyday activities. Morning stiffness and so-called start-up pain are typical of arthritis. These pains occur with the first movements after rest. After taking a few steps the pain subsides.
Night-time pain and related sleep disturbances occur as the disease progresses, with painful and painless phases alternating over a long period of time. Gradually, an excruciating continuous pain develops. The symptoms often worsen in cold and damp weather conditions and during physical exertion.
Causes
Severe stress due to hard work, excessive sport, high body weight, environmental factors, heredity, but also metabolic disorders such as gout or diabetes: all these factors may contribute to the development of arthritis and play a role in its development or its severity. Joint injuries can be a cause too, because even the smallest injuries can damage the cartilage and lead to the disease, which is common in about one third of all cases. Above all, however, the development of arthritis is triggered by acute or chronic inflammations of the joint. Depending on the cause, a distinction is made between two forms: primary arthritis and secondary arthritis.
Primary arthritis
This form of arthritis is mainly due to genetic causes or hereditary predisposition and often starts from the age of 45. Even years of light sport or housework can cause this type of arthritis, which does not occur in people without genetic predisposition when they carry out similar activities.
Secondary arthritis
Contrary to to primary arthritis, in secondary arthritis it is possible to identify certain factors that adversely affect or cause joint wear, for example lifestyle, overweight, unfavourable posture, congenital deformities such as knock knees, bow legs or hip dysplasia, heavy physical work or constant stress. All these factors can be responsible for the development of this form of arthritis. Certain sports such as excessive jogging and some extreme sports can also lead to joint inflammation and ultimately to cartilage breakdown. Although secondary arthritis can affect anyone, it also gives those affected the opportunity to take protective measures against the disease, for example by reducing their body weight and adopting a healthier lifestyle.
