Medical Treatment and Autism: Tips For Success

Important Information About Hand & Knee Osteoarthritis

Do you suffer from pain in your hands and knees when joints are moved? These are symptoms that are associated with osteoarthritis, which can become worse if you don't get treated soon enough. You should be prepared for undergoing more than one type of treatment, as it will be different for the knees and hands. In this article, you will gain more insight about suffering from osteoarthritis in the knees and hands.

1. Why Osteoarthritis Develops

Basically, osteoarthritis is the result of losing cartilage around the joints in your hands and knees. You must understand that your joints must have plenty of cartilage in order to avoid rubbing against each other when movements are made. Once the cartilage has become thin, you experience pain from the friction of joints rubbing together. The severity of the pain will usually depend on how much cartilage has been lost, as well as if your bones have become damaged from the condition.

2. The Diagnosis Process

Diagnosing hand and knee osteoarthritis will begin with you being asked if there is a history of the condition in your family. Osteoarthritis can actually be inherited from other family members. You may be asked about other health conditions that can increase the risk of osteoarthritis as well. Your hands and knees will also be x-rayed to find out if the joints are damaged in any way. Sometimes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is done for detecting problems that a normal x-ray can't.

3. The Extent of Treatment Available

There is no way to cure osteoarthritis, but an orthopedic surgeon can perform different treatment methods for symptom relief. For example, you might be prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs that can prevent joint swelling and provide pain relief. Wearing a splint on your hands is another treatment method that provides relief. If the pain in your knees is too severe, you might need to undergo knee replacement surgery. Basically, the surgical procedure will involve installing artificial joints in place of the damaged natural ones.

4. Prevention Techniques to Learn

Being overweight is one of the things that put someone at risk for developing osteoarthritis, so it is wise to keep it under control. You can also try to avoid injuring your hands and knees to prevent osteoarthritis from coming back after treatment is done. Your immune system can actually overreact to when joints are injured, which can then cause you to suffer from osteoarthritis.

For more information and options for treatment, visit a local medical center in your area, like Progress West Hospital.


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