Arthritis can be a condition that causes damage to the body’s joints. There are many types of arthritis, but the most common one is osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative joint condition. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in one or more joints is damaged and is lost. The joint is left without any cushion or lubrication, and the bones’ exposed surfaces are forced to grind against one another. Over 20 million Americans are affected by osteoarthritis, with many more worldwide. Although there is no known cause, osteoarthritis is a common condition in older people.
Primary Osteoarthritis
It is a form of osteoarthritis that has no known cause. Primary osteoarthritis is most common in the hands, feet and spine. It affects all races equally and is considered an equal opportunity disease. Secondary osteoarthritis can be called when the cause of osteoarthritis has been determined. Secondary osteoarthritis can be caused by obesity, trauma, congenital anomalies, surgery, gout and other hormonal disorders. Because the cause of osteoarthritis remains unknown, we will focus our attention on secondary osteoarthritis to learn more about prevention.
We cannot avoid congenital abnormalities, avoid surgery, or heal all traumas. We can only focus on obesity, diabetes, and gout. Gout is a condition where uric acid crystals build up in the joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues. Avoiding obesity, reducing your intake of seafood and meat, limiting alcohol and fructose, and increasing your intake of vitamin C are the best preventive measures.
Obesity
Obesity, another major cause of secondary osteoarthritis is easily avoided. Regular exercise and a healthy diet will help to keep extra weight at bay. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented in some cases. There are several preventive measures that have been proven effective. These include maintaining a healthy weight and height, eating a low-fat and high-fiber diet, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, taking care of any medical conditions.
Type 1 diabetics should adhere to a strict diet that keeps blood sugar levels as normal as possible. Here’s the bottom line. Statistics show that osteoarthritis is the most likely type of arthritis you will develop. It will happen because you are getting older. This is a good thing. Rheumatoid is another type of arthritis that affects approximately 1% of the population. Septic arthritis is caused when there is an infection in the joint.
Conclusion
The infection infects the cartilage, eventually destroying all or part of it. The United States loses approximately $50 billion annually in lost wages due to arthritis and $50 billion annually in health care costs due to arthritis. Arthritis is responsible for approximately 1 million hospitalizations each year and 45 million visits to outpatient clinics and health care centers.