OSTEOARTHRITIS AND OZONE
It is also known as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis and hypertrophic osteoarthritis..
Osteoarthritis is defined as a disorder that affects mostly hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone, although all tissues adjacent to the affected joints are usually more or less hypertrophied. It is a very common and progressive disorder of the articulations and movable joints, where cartilage loses its elasticity, it deteriorates, the surface slowly is becoming irregular, and slimming until is completely destroyed.
During the final stages of this process a small amounts of bone are developed at the edges of the joint and these are called osteophytes or parrot beaks.
Osteoarthritis is the most frequent of all joint disorders, which starts about the second and third decade of life and is a universal disease at the age of 70.
Osteoarthritis occurs equally in men and women, although its beginning is earlier in men. By the age of 40, this disease begins to show its first symptoms, particularly in those joints that support the body weight such as the knees.
Etiology
Although in reality the cause of the disease is unknown, it is possible that the development of these changes is related in part to the human aging process. In other words in the same way wrinkles appear on the skin, bone ages and degrades. Clearly this bone degeneration will be faster and more intense in some individuals than in others.
Factors such as trauma, obesity, various metabolic disorders, and infectious sickness, will trigger the acceleration of the arthrosis with the corresponding disease symptoms. Also any alteration of the normal structure and function of the hyaline cartilage, and any acute or chronic disorder of hyaline tissue that surrounds it, will accelerate the sickness.
There will be other individuals who reach older age without suffering consequences, but typically will be those who have had a good health care always. People who have put attention to their diet and weight and have been physically active normally do not have these types of problems.
Symptoms
Initially, osteoarthritis is not inflammatory and at first is subtle and gradual, affecting one or more joints. The first symptom is pain, often aggravated by morning stiffness that continues to inactivity. As the disease progresses, decreased joint mobility, flexion contractures occur, pain and creaking or grating sensation.
The final feature of osteoarthritis is the deformation of the joint. Ligaments are becoming lax, increasing the instability of the joint and local pain, venous pressure inside the cell and thereby increases subchondral pain.
If the joints affected are the legs, a limp appears. Osteoarthritis of the spine is very common, increasingly restricting the movements of the person.
The joints most affected are those that bear the brunt of our body: knees, hips, spine, and the fingers, where nodes are located at the joints and under the nail.
Let us be clear: Osteoarthritis does not kill, but it can make you a disable. The person suffering it is limited in the basic movements that allow them autonomy. This entails an added depression and therefore more damage.
Treatments for Osteoarthritis
There are various options for treating osteoarthritis. The method or methods chosen will depend on the state of deterioration of cartilage.
1. Pharmacological: geared to stop the destruction of cartilage. If there is an increase of glycosaminoglycans, collagen and chondroitin sulphate will be a repair.
2. Infiltration with autologous plasma rich in growth factors platelet in osteoarthritis of the knees, hips, shoulder, etc.
3. Intraarticular hyaluronic acid injections.
4. Ozone intraarticular infiltration, accompanied by systemic ozonation.
5. Magnet, laser, ultrasonic application, parafangos, electrotherapy, acupuncture.
6. Phisioterapy
The ozone therapy in combination with plasma rich in growth factors represent today one of the therapies most revolutionary, innovative and effective for these diseases.
In addition to the above treatments it is recommended to:
• Monitor overweight
• Incorporate physical activity that poses no impact to the joints. Swimming for example would be advisable.
Osteoarthritis is a disease that along years along it may produce various degrees of disability, both to walk and to accomplish any activity normal to our daily life.
¡Remember! ¡Remember! While you delay the decision to enter medical treatment, the joint deterioration continues its implausible path, causing the gradual loss of elasticity and consistency of articular cartilage. The earlier the intervention the better medical results.
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