Tuesday, October 7, 2008

What is Degenerative Arthritis?

There are actually over 100 different types of arthritis that a person can develop, but one of the worst and most difficult to deal with is degenerative arthritis. Also known as degenerative osteoarthritis and osteoarthritis, this is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage or one or more joints.

Degenerative arthritis is commonly affects the hands, feet, and spine, and most cases of degenerative arthritis have no known cause and are referred to as primary osteoarthritis. This condition is also often abbreviated as OA.

Degenerative Arthritis Symptoms

There are certain symptoms that are associated with degenerative arthritis, just as with any other type of arthritis. You will want to be aware of these symptoms, so that if you do ever notice you are experiencing them, you will be able to get in and see your doctor and find out whether or not you do have the disease.

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints, and so the symptoms associated with it often have to do with the joints and areas around them. The most common symptom of this type of arthritis is pain in the affected joints after repetitive use. There can be swelling and warmth experienced as well, and the longer the person has been dealing with the disease, the more intense these symptoms will be.

Degenerative Arthritis Treatment

Obviously if you have been diagnosed with arthritis, you are going to need to work towards finding a proper treatment plan that is going to offer you the relief you are looking for and help you get back to living as normal a life as possible.

For degenerative arthritis there are fortunately quite a few different treatments that are available, but keep in mind that there is as of yet no cure for the disease and so you will simply need to work with the treatments that are available and find one that offers the best results.

There are various prescription medications that are accessible for osteoarthritis, but make sure that you are educated on a medication and aware of the side effects if any associated with it before starting on it. You will want to talk to your doctor and have them prescribe the medication for you and also speak detailed to you about the recommended dosage instructions.

Never assume that by taking more of your medication you will be able to feel even better, because in fact you will be reversing the effect and making your condition worse.

No comments:

Post a Comment