Some suffer from roughness of the joints, which results in a group of disturbing symptoms. What is this disease? And what are its reasons? Osteoarthritis is a common type of arthritis that occurs as a result of cartilage erosion, which in turn makes the bones exposed and rub against each other, which leads to the emergence of many disturbing symptoms that affect the patient’s health and limit the practice of his life normally and as usual.
Here is everything related to this disease in terms of causes, methods of diagnosis and various treatments:
joint stiffness
Osteoarthritis, which is known as osteoarthritis, is a health condition that affects the joints of the body, leading to pain whenever the affected joint moves.
Where in the normal state, the joint is covered with a layer of cartilage that acts as a cushion to protect the bones, and helps the joint move smoothly and protects it from friction, but in the case of joint roughness, the cartilage decomposes and becomes thin, so the bones become unprotected to cause friction, which limits the ease of movement in the joint and occurs Painful infections.
Causes of joint stiffness
There are several causes of joint stiffness, the most important of which are
Excess weight that causes double pressure on the joints.
Advance age leads to cartilage erosion.
bone fractures
Lack of fluid in the joint.
Genetic factor.
Going up and down stairs a lot.
Rheumatic disease.
Gout and osteoporosis.
Symptoms of joint stiffness
In general, patients with osteoarthritis suffer from the following symptoms
Pain: It is one of the main symptoms and is described as sharp pain or a burning sensation that appears and disappears from time to time.
Stiffness: stiffness in the joints, especially upon waking in the morning or after a period of inactivity or rest.
Muscle weakness: The muscles surrounding the joint become weak, especially in cases of rough knees.
Spasms and contractures: Muscle spasms or contractions of the attached tendons in the joint may occur.
Swelling: Osteoarthritis usually does not cause severe swelling, but rather a mild swelling, especially in the knees area.
Joint deformity: The joints appear deformed and may lead to bowed legs, especially in the advanced stages of this disease.
Crackling and popping: Crackling or popping sounds are usually seen when the joint is moved or touched.
Where does arthritis appear?
Arthritis appears in the jaw, shoulders, arm, wrist or ankle, if no injuries or unusual conditions occur in these joints, and this condition affects the following areas:
Fingers: An enlargement of the finger joints can occur at the beginning of the disease, and pain, stiffness, and weakness occur in the joints.
Spine: A defect in the vertebral discs occurs between the bones along the spine and leads to stiffness in the back and neck.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
In normal cases, when the problem is in its early stages, the doctor advises the patient to take some drugs and medications that work to reduce swelling and inflammation that appear in the joints. In addition, the doctor prescribes some medications to preserve cartilage and reduce its wear.
The treatment period for osteoarthritis continues according to the stages of disease progression. During the treatment period, a few old habits change in a person’s life, and he becomes forced to do some exercise, avoid certain movement positions, and most importantly lose weight to reduce the burden on all joints.
