Causes and symptoms of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease that involves the cartilages , bones and the synovial membrane that covers the joint. It is one of the most common causes of joint pain and disability in the elderly and is often confused with rheumatoid arthritis .

The causes of osteoarthritis are many and can be divided into primary and secondary factors. The primary factors concern the natural aging of the organism and the degeneration of the joint structures over time, while the secondary ones are caused by joint trauma , congenital or acquired malformations , obesity , postural or repetitive stress , chronic inflammatory diseases .

The symptoms of osteoarthritis are mainly chronic pain and joint stiffness that occur especially in the morning or after a period of inactivity, muscle fatigue , reduced joint mobility , periarticular swelling , deformity of the affected joints , noise ( craquement) during joint movement, pain peaks on days of high humidity or emotional stress.

Diagnosis of osteoarthritis is made by clinical examination , joint radiographs , magnetic resonance imaging , synovial fluid analysis, serological tests to rule out other autoimmune or systemic diseases.

Osteoarthritis therapy is based on a multidisciplinary approach which involves the combination of anti-inflammatory drugs , analgesics , muscle relaxants , chondroprotectors , physiotherapy , occupational therapy, massage therapy, occupational therapy, yoga, gentle gymnastics , weight loss and postural correction.

The main goal of the therapy is to relieve pain, improve joint function and delay the progression of the disease by strengthening the periarticular muscles and stimulating blood circulation.

In summary, osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease that can cause pain and disability in the elderly. The causes are many and range from the body's natural aging process to joint trauma and chronic inflammatory diseases. The main symptoms are chronic joint pain and stiffness, decreased joint mobility, and deformity of the affected joints. The therapy is based on a multidisciplinary approach which involves the combination of drugs, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, massage therapy, gentle gymnastics and postural correction.