Old age is the age of retardation, when the bodily mechanismsslow down and the systems go in jamming state. By Arthritis people consider pain and stiffness but it is much worse than that. By the word the Arthritis is inflammation or the swelling of joint and related structures. There are variants of the disease but when we consider the elderly the dart strikes at osteoarthritis. It is most common condition especially among in people of age group >60 yrs.
Arthritis may involve multiple symptoms pain, stiffness, redness, swelling, jammingof joints , deformities, loss of function or even worse. Of all the variants of Arthritis those affecting elderly are osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. When the whole of your life have been spent in serving the responsibilities, your joints loose their strength due to over burdening. The phase stuffed with experiences and the pain turns challenging with these Arthritis.
SYMPTOMS :
Whatever be the type of Arthritis some symptoms are common to all variants:
- Pain at joint
- Swelling at joint
- Stiffness at joint
- Intense pain on touching the affected joint
- Warm skin over joint
- Redness over joint surface
- Difficulty in movement
Some Arthritis involving the other systems or infection may show symptoms such as fever or fatigue.
OSTEOARTHRITIS:
This involves the worn out cartilage that in turn increases the friction between joint surfaces. Commonly affected joints are hip and knee. It initiates with pain, stiffness and discomfort and may worse till inability to walk or stand. The stiffness is of type where the stillness elevates the symptoms and movement reduces them. The pain elevates on movement due to increased friction. The major causes of having OA are
- Hereditary
- In females after menopause due to fall in oestrogen
- Poor use of joints , over burdening due to wrong posture.
- Obesity is another cause that pressurize the joint cavity and result in damage to cartilage
- Traumatic injury or congenital bone malformation can also lead to the abnormal surfaces and thus leading to damage to cartilage.
If you are following the disease in lineage than you must keep moving your joints in available range of motion and have calcium and vitamin D rich diet, especially the females. Medicines, exercise and rest can control the symptoms and if they doesn’t work than joint replacement is often preferred for good results.
TREATMENT:
The treatment approach depend upon the cause and symptoms associated. The lifestyle modification is the basic suggestion for the people in age group to omit out the symptoms of Arthritis.
- Regular exercises that may vary from mild to moderate depending on the condition
- Resting in cases of stressful pain
- Healthy and balanced diet
- Proper positioning of joint and avoid tough use of joints.
- Well fitted shoes
- Using of cane or other walking aids to prevent unbalancedweight bearing.
Conservative Treatment:
- Use of non steroidal analgesics or steroids prescribed by your orthopaedic doctor
- Ibuprofen and naproxen can be taken in mild symptoms
- Walking aids, exercises and ergonomic modifications.
Surgical Treatment:
- In severe cases of degeneration surgical approaches are followed
- Joint replacement in case of severely affected joints is preferred.
- Osteotomies are also done to correct the deformities.
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