Having recently been diagnosed with OA and having spoken to few others who have also been diagnosed or are suspected to have it, but are being brushed aside by their GPs, I went on a bit of a trawl online.
GP's are belittling this condition to suit themselves. I can
understand it to a point as there is little they can offer in the way of
treatment. Pain meds, anti-inflammatories
etc are offered as a form of management and ultimately surgery may be required to
replace a joint.
However it is a
degenerative disease and not just the flippant "wear and tear" that
many Doctors call it, leaving their patients in the dark about what it could
ultimately mean for them in the future. Whilst it may take decades to cause
severe damage leading to surgery, for the unlucky few it can be as little as 12
months.
Note that it mentions on many sites the pain levels do not
always match the severity of the disease:
My pain levels were so badly elevated when my knees 1st
started that I thought I was going to end up in a wheelchair. As the condition 'settles' so does the pain
but, as my mum will tell you, each time it affects a new joint those pain
levels rocket again until your body 'gets used' to it.
Mum has had OA since she was 28 (she is now 67). Over the years it has affected every joint in
her body. However, she has never needed surgery. Hers is a wide spread but
fairly stable form of OA which she has managed in the last 10 years using
supplements called Glucosamine and Chondroitin.**
She keeps herself as mobile as she can and
has to manage pain with basic pain killers, heat and rest as she also has diverticular disease
which prevent her from taking strong medications (as her stomach bleeds).
**There have been
studies which have suggested that neither of these supplements benefit people
with OA. I can only tell you it has
helped my mum and as we are all different, in the way we respond to medications
and supplements, I have mentioned it here as a suggestion that some may wish to
consider trying.
The following 3 snippets are
taken from UK, American and Canadian sites in relation to OA. - Please note
that whilst it may be referred to as wear and tear it is also clearly
categorized as a disease and is NOT found in EVERY adult, old person or fat
person.
UK
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
The symptoms of osteoarthritis vary greatly
from person to person, and between different affected joints.
For example, a joint may be
severely damaged without causing symptoms, or symptoms may be severe without
affecting the movement of a joint.
Three key characteristics of osteoarthritis
are:
·
mild inflammation of the tissues in and
around the joints
·
damage to cartilage, the strong, smooth
surface that lines the bones and allows joints to move easily and without
friction
·
bony growths that develop around the edge of
the joints
This can lead to pain, stiffness and difficulty
doing certain activities.
Osteoarthritis mostly occurs in the knees,
hips, spine and small joints of the hands and base of the big toe.
However, almost any joint can be affected.
Who develops osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis usually develops in people
over 50 years of age and is more common in women than in men. It is
commonly thought that osteoarthritis is an inevitable part of getting older,
but this is not quite true. While in very old people the changes of
osteoarthritis are visible on X-rays, they
don’t always have related pain or problems with joint function.
Younger people can also be affected by
osteoarthritis, often as a result of an injury or another joint condition.
USA
If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA), you’re not alone. This chronic disease affects some
27 million Americans. OA is characterized by the breakdown of cartilage – the
part of a joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement.
As cartilage deteriorates, bones begin to rub against one another. This can
cause stiffness and pain that make it difficult for
you to use that joint. Osteoarthritis can also damage ligaments, menisci and
muscles. Over time OA may create a need for joint replacements.
There are two types of OA – primary and secondary. Primary osteoarthritis is generally associated with aging and the "wear and tear" of life. The older you are, the more likely you are to have some degree of primary osteoarthritis. However, not everyone gets it – not even the very old. That’s because OA is a disease, and not part of the normal aging process. Secondary osteoarthritis, in contrast, tends to develop relatively early in life, typically 10 or more years after a specific cause, such as an injury or obesity.
Osteoarthritis occurs most often in knees, hips and hands. Other joints, particularly the shoulders, can also be affected. OA rarely affects other joints, except as a result of injury or unusual physical stress.
The pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis can make it difficult to do daily activities including your job, play sports or even get around with ease. That’s why it’s important to learn all you can about this disease, how it affects you and how to live with it – a process called self management.
There are two types of OA – primary and secondary. Primary osteoarthritis is generally associated with aging and the "wear and tear" of life. The older you are, the more likely you are to have some degree of primary osteoarthritis. However, not everyone gets it – not even the very old. That’s because OA is a disease, and not part of the normal aging process. Secondary osteoarthritis, in contrast, tends to develop relatively early in life, typically 10 or more years after a specific cause, such as an injury or obesity.
Osteoarthritis occurs most often in knees, hips and hands. Other joints, particularly the shoulders, can also be affected. OA rarely affects other joints, except as a result of injury or unusual physical stress.
The pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis can make it difficult to do daily activities including your job, play sports or even get around with ease. That’s why it’s important to learn all you can about this disease, how it affects you and how to live with it – a process called self management.
CANADA
The word arthritis means inflammation
of the joint ("arthr" meaning joint and "itis" meaning
inflammation). Inflammation is a medical term describing pain, stiffness,
redness and swelling.
There are more than 100 types of
arthritis. Arthritis is among the leading causes of disability in Canada,
affecting nearly 4.5 million people of every age, physical condition and ethnic
background.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most
prevalent kind of arthritis, affecting more than three million Canadians. It
occurs when cartilage (the tough elastic material that covers and protects the
ends of bones) begins to wear away. Cartilage is an essential part of the
joint; not only does it act as a shock absorber, it also enables the joint to
move smoothly. With OA, the cartilage erodes, eventually resulting in pain,
stiffness, swelling and bone-on-bone movement in the affected joint.
OA will usually cause the affected
joints to become stiff in the morning, but the stiffness usually lasts about
15-20 minutes. As the day progresses and joints are used, the pain and
discomfort can get worse. Resting the joints tends to provide relief. The joint
may become inflamed with pain, warmth and swelling. The pain and stiffness
causes the joints to be used less often and the muscles surrounding the joint
weaken.
As the cartilage wears down over time,
the joints may slowly become bigger (boney) as the body tries to heal itself.
With severe OA, the cartilage may wear away entirely and the bones may rub
together ("bone-on-bone"). When this happens, the joints become more
painful.
There is also a rare type of
osteoarthritis called Inflammatory OA. This is a more severe, rapidly
progressive, multiple joint OA that is associated with more stiffness in the
morning and swelling in the joints with warmth and redness. This type of OA is
more difficult to diagnose because it is often confused with rheumatoid arthritis
(RA). A rheumatologist can help make the correct diagnosis and suggest
treatment for Inflammatory OA.
