Description

Osteoarthritis

The most common rheumatic disease: The definitions of
osteoarthrosis and degenerative joint disease are also used for this disease. It
is generally a process that parallels aging. Pain and loss of movement
occur with the aging of the cartilage covering the bone ends in the joints.

It is more common in women over the age of 55 and especially
in women. The type of swelling and bony protrusions, pain, and short-term
stiffness in the morning is known as generalized osteoarthritis. It is
genetic and often occurs in women.

In osteoarthritis, the first finger root joint of the hand is
one of the most frequently involved joints.

In knee osteoarthritis, knee pain, short-term morning
stiffness, friction sound that occurs with movement called crepitation in the
knees, limitation of movements and joint deformities develop over time. Patients
have trouble crouching, climbing up and down stairs, and sitting on a chair. In
severe cases, bony changes, severe deformities and joint locking develop in the
joints.

Hip osteoarthritis is more common in men. There is
insidious pain, stiffness in movements, difficulty in walking, pain and
difficulty in lifting the leg to a high place. Initially, restriction and
pain develop in the inward rotation and backward movement of the hip, and in the
other directions over time. The patient states that he cannot even wear
socks. The diagnosis is made with a detailed examination and the changes
seen in the radiographs confirm the diagnosis.

In the spine, osteoarthritis involves the apophyseal joints, which
are the lateral joints of the vertebrae. Spondylosis occurs as a result of
degeneration in the spinal body and disc. The patient has pain in the
spine involvement area and adjacent spine segments, difficulty and stiffness in
movements, and pain radiating to the leg. Leg pain may be due to the
compression of the nerve that passes through this area and descends into the
leg, and the narrowing of the canal. These complaints can be confused with
hernia findings from time to time and patients can be diagnosed with disc
herniation.

The aim of the treatment of osteoarthritis is to relieve the
pain and stiffness, if any, and to increase the quality of life. It is
important to preserve joint functions. For this reason, it is beneficial
to use a corset, knee brace and splint for well-planned and personalized
exercises and to rest the affected joint from time to time. Medications,
physical therapy methods, weight loss, and patient education are important.

Today, drugs that stimulate the cartilage matrix are used in
these patients. Glucosamine and its complexes can be useful in preventing
degradation. Sometimes cortisone applications are also included in the
treatment of severe single joint involvement.

There have been great advances in osteoarthritis surgery
in the decades. Prosthesis operations, which are called total joint
replacement, are also effective in improving functions in patients who do not
respond adequately to medical treatment and the disease is very advanced.

Active Approach to Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis
(Calcification) is joint degeneration that begins to be seen over the age of
forty. It is very common in the elderly population all over the world. With
an optimistic estimate, each country causes complaints in about 10% of its
population. In fact, joint pain is something everyone experiences. However,
a small proportion of people complain of persistent problems and constant pain
caused by aging joints.

Signs and symptoms of the disease are pain in the joints,
limitation of movement and deformity. Diagnosis is made by examination and
imaging techniques.

Some Suggestions for Keeping Joints Pain-Free:

You will also have the opportunity to stop the progression of
osteoarthritis if you are likely to catch joint pain when it is just beginning. The
right treatments can stimulate the body’s natural self-healing process. This
repair process works as follows: During our daily movements, especially the
knees and hip joints are body weight. This load is usually 3-4 times our
body weight and is absorbed by the articular cartilage. With the movement,
the joint is first compressed and then released. During this load-bearing
and unloading, water and nutrients first move into the cartilage and then out
of it. This fluid movement and change keeps the joint slippery and
flexible and allows it to repair itself. As a result, movements keep
joints slippery and lead to pain reduction. Also exercise,

The FTR specialist’s approach to treating osteoarthritis will
be versatile:

Weight control: Excess body weight has an accelerating effect
on hip, knee and waist degeneration. Slimming should be in healthy ways to
reduce this effect. Rest: Resting during very painful periods will remove
the load on the joint. However, the rest period should be kept as soon as
necessary. Long rest periods will reduce cartilage nutrition and delay
returning to old activities.

Heat and ice: Especially in periods of acute pain and
swelling, cooling the joint 3-4 times a day and for 15-20 minutes will help to
dissipate the edema and accelerate the repair. Cold application can be
done with ice, gel packs, freezer wet towels, or frozen pea pods. Application
of heat in the chronic period will increase blood flow and nutrition by
expanding the vessels. This application can be done with a hot bath or
shower, infrared lamps and an electric blanket.