Osteoarthritis, also known as senile arthritis, is a pathological phenomenon that occurs due to aging, degeneration, and aggravation of joints.

It can be said to be a disease, or it can be said to be a natural response to human aging.

In other words, as long as you live long enough, everyone will get osteoarthritis, but it's a matter of time.

Osteoarthritis is more than a "aged disease"

According to the current medical level, the aging process of the human body is irreversible, so there is no cure for osteoarthritis .

In China, approximately 61.2 million people suffer from osteoarthritis.

The overall prevalence rate of primary osteoarthritis in people over 40 years old is 46.3%, and the prevalence rate of people over 60 years old is more than double that of people over 40 years old.

Although osteoarthritis occurs mostly in middle-aged and elderly people, this does not mean that people under the age of 40 can sit back and relax.

At least in the outpatient clinic there is no shortage of sick young people in their 30s.

If the joints are overworked and used improperly, the time for osteoarthritis to find the door will also be earlier. The most typical example is those young professional athletes. High-intensity, high-frequency training has caused their joints to be overloaded for a long time, and the condition detected is generally more serious than that of patients at the age of 4 or 50.

Osteoarthritis is the number one killer of disability among the elderly

The early symptoms of osteoarthritis are insidious, similar to rheumatism, and often mild pain, which is related to weather changes. In addition, patients also have atypical symptoms such as morning stiffness, swelling and pain, and joint rustling.

Elderly patients tend to avoid illnesses and doctors. Their coping methods are nothing more than painkillers or plasters. As a result, they become disabled by dragging them.

According to surveys, osteoarthritis is the number one killer of elderly disability, with a disability rate as high as 53%!

And disability due to illness can hit patients more than just physical pain, and depression caused by inferiority and depression can hurt people even more.

Therefore, I suggest that people who frequently engage in high-intensity activities and people over the age of 40 should go to the orthopedics department for regular check-ups every year and receive standardized treatment as soon as possible.

The treatment of osteoarthritis is more than just medication

According to the severity of osteoarthritis, we will divide the treatment into 3 stages.

1. Basic treatment

Mainly to cultivate good living habits, including cognitive management, exercise therapy, physical therapy, and movement support therapy.

Cognitive management is to help patients develop health awareness, manage diet and weight, and reduce the burden on joints.

In terms of exercise, doctors encourage patients to do low-intensity aerobic exercises such as yoga, swimming, stretching, and dancing. At the same time, avoid running, jumping, climbing and other behaviors that wear down joints.

Physical therapy is the use of hot compresses, acupuncture, massage and other methods to relieve pain.

Mobility support therapy refers to the use of props such as knee pads and crutches to reduce the wear and tear on joints caused by daily activities.

2. Medication

There are two commonly used drugs for patients with osteoarthritis: one is analgesics, and the other is chondroprotective agents.

Pain medicine is essential. After all, pain is the most troublesome condition for patients, and improper control will seriously affect their quality of life.

Generally speaking, doctors will prescribe drugs to patients in accordance with the principle of gradual, weak first and then strong, from external use to oral use, and then to combined use. This arrangement can reduce the patient's drug resistance.

However, it should be noted that most of the analgesics prescribed by doctors for osteoarthritis patients are non-steroidal drugs. The main effect is "anti-inflammatory and analgesic", and they are not addictive. They can be used safely under the guidance of a doctor.

Another drug, chondroprotective agent, has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and delayed development of osteoarthritis. It can be seen from the efficacy that it is a very critical therapeutic drug.

There are many types of chondroprotective agents, among which crystalline glucosamine sulfate is considered by the authority to be used as a long-term background treatment for osteoarthritis.

The human body's own glucosamine sulfate is the basic unit of chondrocytes to build proteoglycan, and proteoglycan is the basic substance to maintain the health and function of cartilage.

Therefore, supplementing with crystalline glucosamine sulfate can help repair and rebuild joint cartilage and improve body function.

But the premise of all this is that it must be used for a long time.

In addition to these two drugs, injections into the joint cavity are actually used, but it is limited in use and is an invasive treatment, so doctors will use it only when necessary.

3. Surgical treatment

Including arthroscopic minimally invasive surgery, osteotomy orthopedic surgery and joint replacement surgery. They are generally the choice when the condition is more serious or conservative treatment is ineffective, especially joint replacement surgery, which is often the ultimate treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis.

I know that many people feel uncomfortable about putting artificial objects in their bodies, but it can significantly improve the quality of life of patients, and even prevent patients from getting into the predicament of being unable to move.

When the time comes, surgery is the best choice. If you don't want surgery, you must seriously carry out basic treatment and medical treatment to effectively delay the progression of the disease.