Is Your Knee Pain Because of Osteoarthritis?

WHAT CAUSES OSTEOARTHRITIS DIAGNOSED?

Sometimes osteoarthritis is detected on X-rays taken for other purposes. In this case, people may not feel any aches or pains but may be told by their physician that they have osteoarthritis. Often if a person complains of pains in joints, the PHYSIO will order X-rays because damage to a joint may be seen that way. However, X-rays are only part of the procedure your physician will follow to diagnose osteoarthritis. 

The history of your symptoms and the findings of the complete physical examination also will be valuable factors in the diagnosis. Your explanation of how you feel will be very important. 

For example, persons with osteoarthritis usually do not have a feeling of being ill, do not experience severe weight loss, and do not have a poor appetite or fever. Also, the pain in the involved joint is usually maximal with activity (walking, etc.) and decreased by rest in patients with osteoarthritis.

HOW IS OSTEOARTHRITIS TREATED?

There is no cure for osteoarthritis. The goal of therapy is to control the disease and possibly slow its progress by keeping the affected joints mobile, preventing further disability, and relieving pain. In some cases drugs, special exercises, rest, and heat are effective.

If you have osteoarthritis, depending on your symptoms, your physician may suggest avoiding physical activities that strain your sore joints. You may be advised to avoid occupational and recreational use of the affected joints. If weight-bearing joints are involved, you may be told to avoid weight-bearing activities such as climbing stairs or prolonged standing.In other cases, orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation therapy are helpful. Sometimes drugs are injected directly into the joint affected by osteoarthritis. Some people obtain temporary relief from pain and disability in this way.

 If you are overweight, your physician will probably suggest a weight-reducing diet. Reducing weight will help reduce the strain on your joints, particularly if your osteoarthritis is in the hip or knees.In some cases, physicians recommend traction, which involves  stretching the upper part of the spine in the area of the neck, as a treatment for spinal osteoarthritis.

 In other cases physicians recommend using a neck collar or a heavy towel wrapped around the neck to support the weight of the head, thereby allowing the painful muscles to relax. These techniques provide relief but do not influence the progress of the disease.