Almost five million people in Germany wake up in the morning with stiff limbs, can hardly move at first and often suffer from sometimes severe pain. The reason: wear and tear on the joint cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing pain and discomfort. The bones become denser and harder as a result of this process. Prongs can form at the edges of the joints, thickening the joint and making movement even more painful. This degenerative bone joint disease is called “osteoarthritis.”
Arthritis or osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a non-inflammatory, chronic disease of the joint cartilage. Arthritis refers to inflammation of the joint. Osteoarthritis can lead to arthritis. Most importantly, joint inflammation promotes cartilage wear and thus worsens osteoarthritis. In fact, osteoarthritis as a disease is one of the most common causes of disability and early retirement. The cause of the disease is believed to be incorrect physical stress and poor posture at work and during leisure time. All 200 joints in humans can be affected by osteoarthritis, but in fact it predominantly affects them:
- Osteoarthritis of the hip joint (coxarthrosis).
- Osteoarthritis of the knee joint (gonarthrosis)
- Osteoarthritis of the spine (spondyloarthritis)
- Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint (Omarthrosis)
Insidious onset
Normally, you do not even notice the friction in the joints. Because the cartilage tissue has no nerves, the early stage of the disease is also not noticed. At this stage, the cartilage becomes slightly less elastic. Individual cartilage cells die and are not regenerated. The cartilage surface tears and tiny depressions form in the bone, which then become deeper over time. Eventually, the cartilage surface, which is actually smooth, becomes rough and scarred, and the joint can no longer be moved without problems and pain. The entire joint – i.e. bone, joint capsule, synovium and tendons – is affected by this process. Doctors divide the severity of the disease into four levels from I – IV, with cartilage damage IV. Grade, severe joint damage with bone damage is described.
Osteoarthritis affects (almost) all vertebrates
We are not alone with the degenerative joint disease: almost all vertebrates, even whales, can suffer from it. The only exceptions are the two mammalian species that hang overhead: Bats and sloths. Unlike our animal fellow sufferers, however, we humans can do a few things ourselves to alleviate arthritic complaints. It is true that there are no preventive measures such as vaccination. But even the preventive examination of infants to rule out a congenital hip deformity is considered a preventive measure against later hip arthrosis. Relieve pain with osteoarthritis: this helps!
Treatment is possible
Basically, the following factors promote osteoarthritis:
- Overweight
- Lack of exercise
- Smoking
- Competitive sports of certain sports such as weightlifting
- Joint inflammation
Accordingly, the approach to alleviate arthritis symptoms, namely a change in diet that omits nicotine and alcohol, largely avoids animal fat and emphasizes fish and a Mediterranean diet. Particularly important is a sensible exercise program that includes stretching exercises and avoids the wrong kind of stress on the joints. All sports that cause impacts on asphalt and concrete must be avoided or at least practiced with shoes with soft soles and buffering effect. Swimming, walking, cycling and gymnastics are recommended. Targeted physiotherapy can prevent patients from adopting a protective posture to avoid pain, which only leads to further muscle tension and even more pain. This is because movement is the only way to ensure that the area surrounding the articular cartilage continues to be supplied with nutrients. This is also where the strict smoking ban comes in: smoking reduces the oxygen content of the blood and thus worsens the chances of a good supply of nutrients.
Treatment with medications
Osteoarthritis can be treated but not cured. In most cases, drug therapy focuses on pain management, which, along with effective physical therapy, should remove the fear of further movement.If the joints are not moved at all, there is a risk that they will stiffen completely in the future. For mild, occasional pain, patients can use over-the-counter painkillers from the pharmacy. However, these should be taken for no more than ten days a month and for no more than three days in a row. For more severe pain and advanced osteoarthritis, stronger painkillers must be taken under medical supervision. A study conducted at the Charité Hospital in Berlin has shown success with acupuncture in the treatment of osteoarthritis pain in the knee. In addition, the Berlin study also demonstrated progress in the mobility and functionality of the knee joint. However, the scientific explanation for the positive result is still missing. That acupuncture helps with knee osteoarthritis is proven with the study. Why the Chinese healing method helps, not. If acupuncture and pain therapy do not help, the only option is surgery, in which the affected joint is replaced with an artificial joint. Whether and to what extent a prosthesis can be used must be decided jointly by the doctor and the patient.
