DR. CORA LIM-MEDICAL INSIDER
Osteoarthritis of the Knee
This is a new topic we are discussing today. It is about Osteoarthritis of the Knee.
Osteoarthritis is a condition that affects the joints, causing pain and stiffness. It’s by far the most common form of joint disease, and the knee is one of the most commonly affected joints.
A NORMAL JOINT:
A joint is formed by two bones. The end of each bone is covered with cartilage which has a smooth, slippery surface that allows the ends of the bones to move against each other almost without friction.
When a joint develops osteoarthritis, some of the cartilage covering the ends of the bones gradually roughens and becomes thin and the knee develops swelling and pain.
THE SYMPTOMS:
Some of the symptoms for Osteoarthritis of the Knee are: • Pain, • Stiffness, • A grating or grinding sensation when the joint moves (crepitus), • Bony swelling, • Excess joint fluid (sometimes), • Restricted movement,
• Joint instability, and • Weakness and thinning of thigh muscle
There’s no cure for osteoarthritis as yet, but there’s a lot that you can do to improve your symptoms. Some of these include the following:
• Lose weight if you’re overweight
• Exercise regularly (both muscle-strengthening and general aerobic exercise)
• Reduce Stress on the Affected Joint
• Break the harder jobs up into chunks and do something more gentle in between
• Use a walking stick/walker
• Use the handrail for support when going up or down stairs
• Don’t keep your knee still in a bent position for too long
• Modify your home, car or workplace to reduce unnecessary strain
• Wear appropriate low-heeled footwear
• shoes with soft, thick soles (joggers) Apply heat or ice packs
• Use painkillers or anti-inflammatory creams, gels and tablets
There are other remedies, too. If you still have pain after trying self-help measures, seek help from a RHEUMATOLOGIST. He/She would examine you and he may advise you to go for an X-ray. (It is not always required). A rheumatologist may recommend the following treatments: Capsaicin cream, Stronger painkillers, Steroid injections into the painful joint, surgery