Osteoarthritis Explained!
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA)-(OS-tee-oh-are-THRY-tis) is a specific type of Arthritis with multiple forms which over time cause both damage and deterioration to the cartilage (KAR-til-ij) and the surrounding bones in affected joints. Although there are more than 100 different types of Arthritis that affect various joints and areas of the body, Osteoarthritis is the most common type of Arthritis and only affects joints.
This video provides a demonstration on how the disease affects joints:
The word Osteoarthritis originates from the Greek words:
osteo: which means “of the bone”
arthro: which means “joint”
itis: which means “inflammation”
The word "Osteoarthritis" when translated means inflammation of the bones in a joint. Osteoarthritis was originally thought to result from inflammation of the bones. However, it is now known that it's not the bones that become inflamed but the surrounding tissue in the joint, as a result of the disease process. The symptoms of Osteoarthritis include among others: chronic pain, tenderness,
stiffness, tissue inflammation and noise from within the joints.
OA differs from many other diseases due to the fact that OA “appears” to be caused from changes in the body occurring naturally with the aging process. Even though OA can be considered as a part of the aging process, it is still a disease with appropriate treatments available. There is a large misconception by the public that OA is simply a normal part of the aging process and that there is little that can be done to manage the disease. This is why it crucial to educate yourself!
Did You Know? Osteoarthritis is one of the oldest diseases known and has been found in the bones of prehistoric man who lived over 500,000 years ago.
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