What causes Osteoarthritis?

Answer 1

Osteoarthritis is due to damage to cartilage in a joint do to a physical injury to that joint. Either a bruise or rip of the cartilage or injury to the ligaments holding the joint together. Leads to inflammation which causes damage and also causes abnormal wear on the cartilage which breaks down over time and wears away. Cartilage provides a smooth cushion between bones. Since cartilage has very poor ability to repair itself, when it wears away you eventually get bone rubbing on bone which is very painful.

Answer 2

Osteoarthritis is 'wear and tear' part of the aging process. If you did a complete body x-ray of ever human over the age of 50, you will find Osteoarthritis somewhere.

Answer 3

Because of the use, when a person becomes older some of the most used joints begin to wear away. The most common joints affected are the knees, the finger joints and the ankles.
It is usually caused by the constant trauma on the cartilage that covers the inside of the joint
It should not be confused with the rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease.

Answer 4

It is inflammation of joints. Often due to matuity of the cartilage joining two bones. (Similar to loss of lubrication).

The worst part of this problem that once you have it it is difficult to move the joint which again worsens the problem.

Often doctors prescribe pain relievers so that you can move your joints and exercise, which is good for Osteoarthritis.

Answer 5

Arthritis is a general term that means inflammation in joints. Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. It is associated with a breakdown of cartilage in joints and can occur in almost any joint in the body. It most commonly occurs in the weight bearing joints of the hips, knees and spine. It can also affect the fingers, thumb, neck, and large toe. It usually does not affect other joints unless previous injury or excessive stress is involved.

Cartilage is a firm, rubbery material that covers the ends of bones in normal joints. Its main function is to reduce friction in the joints and serve as a "shock absorber." The shock-absorbing quality of normal cartilage comes from its ability to change shape when compressed (flattened or pressed together).

Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in a joint to become stiff and lose its elasticity, making it more susceptible to damage. Over time, the cartilage may wear away in some areas, greatly decreasing its ability to act as a shock absorber. As the cartilage deteriorates, tendons and ligaments stretch, causing pain. If the condition worsens, the bones could rub against each other.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis most often develop gradually and include:
* Joint aching and soreness, especially with movement.
* Pain after overuse or after long periods of inactivity.
* Bony enlargements in the middle and end joints of the fingers (which may or may not be painful).
* Joint swelling and joint fluid accumulation.

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

There are several factors that increase a person's chances of developing osteoarthritis. These include:

* Heredity. Some people have an inherited defect in one of the genes responsible for making cartilage. This causes defective cartilage, which leads to more rapid deterioration of joints. People born with joint abnormalities are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, and those born with an abnormality of the spine (such as scoliosis or curvature of the spine) are more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the spine.
* Obesity. Obesity increases the risk for osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Maintaining ideal weight or losing excess weight may help prevent osteoarthritis of the knee and hip or decrease the rate of progression once osteoarthritis is established.
* Injury. Injuries contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. For example, athletes who have knee-related injuries may be at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee. In addition, people who have had a severe back injury may be predisposed to develop osteoarthritis of the spine. People who have had a broken bone near a joint are prone to develop osteoarthritis in that joint.
* Joint Overuse. Overuse of certain joints increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis. For example, people in jobs requiring repeated bending of the knee are at increased risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

Answer 6

It is due to lack of calcium in our body, thus making our bones frugal! I recommend a daily intake of 2 cups of soya bean or milk and also other dairy products.

Answer 7

Wear and tear on a moving articulating joint. They wear with age.

Answer 8

bone disease owing to lack of calcium in the body