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Degenerative Arthritis - What to Expect

Degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis, is the most common type of arthritis today, and affects over 27 million people in the United States. Degenerative arthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions bone joints breaks down. This causes swelling, pain and can even cause deformity.

Small joints in the fingers and toes are the most likely to become deformed. The deformities are enlargements of the bone that are caused by bone spurs and/or gout.

Causes of Degenerative Arthritis

Degeneration can be caused by normal wear and tear, which increases with age. Many people find that injuries and overuse of joints can speed this process up.

Arthritis degenerative usually affects joints in the hips, knees, hands and spine. Basically, the joints in the body that do the most work. The cartilage in the affected joint(s) disintegrates and bone spurs often develop. These two factors combine to create the pain of degenerative osteoarthritis.

There are two types of degenerative arthritis: primary and secondary.

Primary - This type of degenerative arthritis exists on its own, whether due to aging, genetics and/or the natural breakdown of cartilage. There is no other cause for it.

Secondary - Secondary arthritis degenerative is caused by another ailment. The causes for this include, but are not limited to:

• Obesity - Extra weight on the joints is the most influential risk factor, besides aging, and may determine who will develop degenerative arthritis.
• Surgery or repeated trauma - This is commonly seen in people who play sports like baseball and soccer. Research has found, however, that this is not necessarily true for long distance runners.
• Congenital defect - Abnormalities in joints make them more susceptible to wear and tear, which can cause early degeneration.
• Gout - When uric acid crystals form on joints, they act like sandpaper and greatly speed up cartilage loss and spur development.
• Hormonal Disorders and Diabetes - These ailments can also contribute to the early onset of degenerative arthritis.

Degenerative Arthritis Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no way to cure degenerative arthritis. Some evidence DOES exist that taking a supplement with condroitin, glucosamine, vitamin C and vitamin D can help slow down damage and deformity in the joints. Selenium may also help, but there have only been preliminary studies.

Treatment of degenerative arthritis may include some or all of the following:

• Ice
• Rest
• Special Exercises
• Elevation
• Physical therapy
• Weight loss
• Pain medications
• Surgery (in extreme cases)

It can be very difficult to live with degenerative arthritis. This ailment can cause extreme pain and deformities in joints. It can make normal activities difficult, or even impossible. While degenerative arthritis cannot be cured, there is hope that it can be effectively managed with the right treatment plan.

A physician is very instrumental in finding this plan. They know that different things work for different individuals and will help come up with the best options for relief.

See the list of articles on Arthritis.

Other wiki resources:  degenerative arthritis; arthritis knee pain; gout symptoms; joint pain; arthritis pain relief