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Osteoarthritis / Osteoarthrosis / Degenerative Disease

Treatment of Osteoarthritis - a 'Multidimensional' approach

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Osteoarthritis demands a combined modality approach to restore the patient his/her near normal life and improve the quality of living. It requires the co-operation of the various medical and paramedical personnel involved in he treatment process.

Medical management of osteoarthritis
The health status of the patient is assessed drugs are given to reduce the pain and the swelling. Injection can also be given into the joints for the same (hydrocortisone injections). Calcium supplements are also prescribed in case of calcium deficiency.

Role of surgery in Osteoarthritis
If the disease is severe and when the medical treatment and physiotherapy does not yield any relief, surgery can be considered as a treatment option. The various surgical procedures available for treatment are

Replacement Arthroplasty
It is a surgical procedure that involves removal of the affected part of the joint and replacement with suitable artificial joint structures. It is of two types.

Hemi Replacement Arthroplasty When a part of the joint is affected, it is removed and replaced by suitable artificial joint structure.

Total Replacement Arthroplasty When the whole of the joint is affected, it is completely removed and replaced by suitable artificial joint structure.

Osteotomy The term 'Osteo' refers to bone, 'tomy' refers to 'to cut'. It is a surgical procedure which involves the opening and cutting of the affected part of a bone and removing it.

Nutrition & Diet in treatment of Osteoarthritis
Obesity causes strain on the weight bearing joints and induces osteoarthritis. Balanced diet with adequate supplementation of calcium in the diet can be helpful to patients. It is also advisable to avoid foods rich in fat. These are the general principles of diet therapy. However the diet regime of patients can be individualized depending on the clinical scenario.

What is the role of Physiotherapy in Osteoarthritis?
Physiotherapy care reduces and relieves pain, joint stiffness and muscle tightness. It also strengthens the weak muscles and helps in improving the mobility. The following measures are usually adopted to comfort the patient.

Wax Bath
A warm cloth (or) pad dipped in a paraffin wax is placed on the joint area to reduce pain and stiffness of the joint.

Hot Packs
A specialized fabric pack immersed in hot water is placed on the affected area to give relief to the patient. Care should be taken to ensure that the warmth is bearable by the patient.

Ice Application
Ice packs are applied over the affected area to relieve pain and loosen the tight muscles.

Short Wave Diathermy
The warmth obtained from short wave diathermy current is effective in reducing arthritic pain and muscle tightness.

Exercises
Exercises strengthen the muscles and joint structures and improve the physical fitness.

Occupational Therapy in Osteoarthritis
The role of Occupational Therapy is to train the patient to perform his daily activities, independently with or with out the use of assistive devices (splints) in case of disablement. It would be helpful to follow the precautions mentioned below in this regard.

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If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
Posted by:  SARFARAZ.MODI  Posted on: 09/23/2009
static quadriceps
strengthening exercises for quadriceps and hamstrings.
hot modalities



Posted by:  narinderksingh  Posted on: 09/22/2009
my wife has osteoarthritis. where she can get best treatment


Posted by:  SARFARAZ.MODI  Posted on: 09/23/2009
tell her to approach a good physiotherapist.




Posted by:  anirudhsharma04  Posted on: 02/19/2009
dear sir's
my name is anirudh sharma. my mother has arthritis. what is the treatment of arthritis


Posted by:  guest  Posted on: 10/12/2009
If the xray shows that the bones are rubbing on each other then a joint replacement is the only option!




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