ARTHRITIS
By Fr Tony Ogwu
Arthritis is a complex family of muscular and skeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that destroy joints, bones, muscles, cartilages and other connective tissues hampering or halting physical movement.
Osteoarthritis is one of the oldest and most common forms of arthritis and is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the end of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Common risk factors include:
*AGE: Incidences of arthritis increase as you age. Since ‘wear and tear’ does play a role in the development of arthritis, the older you are, and the more you have used your joints. Although age is an important risk factor, it does not mean that arthritis is inevitable.
*OBESITY: Increased body weight is a serious risk factor in the development of arthritis particularly in the knees which carry the brunt of the body weight day in day out. For every pound of weight gained, an additional 4 pounds of pressure is put on the knees and 6 times the pressure on the hips. Recent research suggests that excess body fat produces chemicals that travel throughout the body and cause joint damage.
*INJURY/OVERUSE: Athletes and people who have jobs that require repetitive motion such as landscaping, typing or machine operating have a higher risk of developing arthritis due to injury and increased stress on certain joints. Arthritis also develops in later years in joints where bones have been fractured or surgery has occurred.
*GENETICS OR HEREDITY: Genetics play a role in the development of arthritis particularly in the hands. Inherited abnormalities of the bones that affect the shape or stability of the joints can lead to arthritis.
*MUSCLE WEAKNESS: Studies of the knww muscles not only show that weakness of the muscles surrounding the knee can lead to arthritis but that strengthening exercises for thigh muscles are important in reducing the risk.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?
Most often, arthritis develops gradually; it may start as soreness or stiffness that seems more a nuisance than a medical concern. Pain may be moderate, intermittent and not interfere with ones day-to-day existence. Some peoples arthritis will never progress past this early stage, others will have theirs progress to a point where it interferes with daily activities. Pain and stiffness makes it difficult to walk, climb stairs or sleep.
The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis include:
*Joint soreness after period of overuse or inactivity.
*Stiffness after periods of rest that goes away quickly when activity resumes.
*Morning stiffness, which usually lasts no more than 30 minutes.
*Pain caused by the weakening of muscles surrounding the joint due to inactivity.
*Joint pain is usually less in the morning and worse in the evening after a day’s activity.
*Deterioration of coordination, posture and walking due to pain and stiffness.
Arthritis commonly occurs in the weight-bearing joints of the hips, knees and lowers back. It also affects the neck, small finger joints, the base of the thumb and the big toe.
DIAGNOSIS
These include:
*A good medical history
*A physical examination
*X-Rays of the affected joint
*Joint Aspiration.
TREATMENT
The goals to the treatment include:
*Controlling pain and other symptoms
*Improving your ability to function in daily activities.
Most treatment plans will include a combination of the following:
*Exercise
*Weight control
*Joint Protection
*Physical and occupational therapy
*cinnamon powder as tea and topical application when mixed with honey.
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