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Osteoarthritis Research Paper

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Osteoarthritis Disease/Disorder: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, age-related inflammatory joint disease of the synovial joints. Its characteristics include local areas of loss and damage of articular cartilage, new bone formation of joint margins, subchondral bone changes, synovitis and thickening of the joint capsule. It is typically found in the hands, knees, hips, and spine. OA is often associated with wear and tear therefore symptoms improve with rest (Walker, 2011). Pathophysiology: The exact cause of OA is unknown but involves low-grade inflammation, calcification of articular cartilage, genetic alterations and metabolic disorders as well as environmental-lifestyle factors. Loss of articular cartilage is the primary problem in …show more content…

The goals for management are to reduce joint pain and stiffness, maintain and improve joint mobility, improve muscle strength, limit subsequent joint damage and improve quality of life. Conservative treatment may include rest, range-of-motion exercises, use of assistive device to decrease weight-bearing, weight loss and glucosamine. Pharmacological treatment may include analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs or intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid (Ng, Heesch & Brown 2012). Alternative therapy includes acupuncture or magnetic bracelets. Surgical treatment includes artificial implants to create new joints, correction of a deformity or misalignment, and improvement of joint movement (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2010). The Osteoarthritis Research Society International (ORSI) has an extensive list of recommendations to manage OA that emphasizes weight reduction in the obese, exercise and educating patients (ORSI, …show more content…

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