Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.
Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.
Osteoarthritis symptoms can usually be effectively managed, although the underlying process cannot be reversed. Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight and other treatments may slow progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function.
Causes--Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that permits nearly frictionless joint motion.
In osteoarthritis, the slick surface of the cartilage becomes rough. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, you may be left with bone rubbing on bone.
Risk factors
Factors that may increase your risk of osteoarthritis include:
Older age. The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age.
Sex. Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, though it isn't clear why.
Obesity. Carrying extra body weight contributes to osteoarthritis in several ways, and the more you weigh, the greater your risk. Increased weight puts added stress on weight-bearing joints, such as your hips and knees. In addition, fat tissue produces proteins that may cause harmful inflammation in and around your joints.
Joint injuries. Injuries, such as those that occur when playing sports or from an accident, may increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Even injuries that occurred many years ago and seemingly healed can increase your risk of osteoarthritis.
Certain occupations. If your job includes tasks that place repetitive stress on a particular joint, that joint may eventually develop osteoarthritis.
Genetics. Some people inherit a tendency to develop osteoarthritis.
Bone deformities. Some people are born with malformed joints or defective cartilage, which can increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
Symptoms--Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
Pain. Your joint may hurt during or after movement.
Tenderness. Your joint may feel tender when you apply light pressure to it.
Stiffness. Joint stiffness may be most noticeable when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
Loss of flexibility. You may not be able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
Grating sensation. You may hear or feel a grating sensation when you use the joint.
Bone spurs. These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, may form around the affected joint.
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
BRYONIA ALBA 30-- Bryonia Alba is of great help in treatment of Osteoarthritis of knee joint where the pain in the knee joint gets worse by walking and the patient feels better by taking absolute rest. The pain is accompanied by stiffness and swelling in knees. The joints becomes red , hot and swollen. The patients of Osteoarthritis who complain of pain in knee joint on using the stairs to go up can greatly benefit by Bryonia Alba.There is a cracking sound while walking.
CALCAREA CARB 30-- Calcarea Carbonica patients are mostly obese, fatty and flabby persons.It is also very effective for osteoartitis of knee joint. The patients who are recommended this medicine complain of swelling and pain in knee joints, which get aggravated when getting up from a sitting position and also by walking. Calcarea Carbonica is also a good Homeopathic remedy for pain in knee joints which gets worse by working in water like washing clothes. The knees remain excessively cold along with the pain.
CALCAREA FLOUR. 30-Calcrea flour is useful in chronic conditions. The pain are improved from heat and motion.Joints become enlarged and hard and nodosities or bone spurs may develop.
KALI CARB 30-Kali carb is also used effectively for osteoarthritis. Pain in knees and it may extend from hip to knee. Worse by pressure and better by moving about and warmth . Knee pain along with backache. Pain are sharp and cutting.
APIS MELLIFICA 30- Apis mel is effective in acute conditions. Here the knees swollen, shiny, sensitive, sore , with much stinging pain.Warmth can worse the condition , and better from cold application.
RUTA GRAVEOLENS 30- Ruta Graveolans is another Homeopathic remedy of great help for Osteoarthritis of knee joint. The main indicating symptoms for its use are pain in knees that gets aggravated by bending the knee joint while kneeling and while going down the stairs, and when the pain in knee joint gets better by applying pressure on the affected knee. The pain in knees that gets better by stretching the limb is also relieved by Ruta Graveolans.
CAUSTICUM 30-Causticum is also a effective medicine for treating knee joint Osteoarthritis where the knee pains are associated with much stiffness and cracking in knee joints.The pains better by applying heat and get worse by exposure to cold air
SULPHUR 200- Sulphur is also of immense help in treating Osteoarthritic patients of knee joint. The knee joint pains that are aggravated while using the stairs, along with stiffness and pain that get worse on standing, are also treated with this medicine.Sulphur patients cannot walk erect because of pain. Sulphur is also a good remedy for patients who complain of excessive heat in the feet along with the knee pains.