OA

magenta
magenta Member Posts: 1,604
edited 28. May 2009, 06:55 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello,
I've been thinking about this for a while. OA is wear and tear-is there any other factors with it? Alot of people on here with OA, start off with it in one joint for it then to spread to others. Is it something to do with a reaction on the cartilidge(sp?) and hence that's why other joints are affected? Dunno-just wondering :wink:
Magenta

Comments

  • eckstardeluxe
    eckstardeluxe Member Posts: 1,192
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Yes Magenta. There is primary and secondary arthritis, the primary being due to age and wear and tear, the secondary because of trauma to the bone such as disease or breaks/fractures.

    The way it was explained to me at my diagnosis, was that due to my previous disease, the bone had been destroyed by more than 60% and never regenerated as usually does in childhood.The disease had also invaded the disc spaces with an abscess in the epidural space and again the discs never fully healed. The discs wore and the bones at the end wore until the point was reached where there is bone to bone contact because there are no shock absorbers working between the bones. They said this happens after the arthur has aggressively progressed. Those were the factors involved in mines.
  • lindah
    lindah Member Posts: 445
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sometimes the terms used are misleading cos when I was bemoaning how I couldn't go for walks or to the gym the doc asked why and I said because there is wear and tear I did not want to wear the joints out even faster.
    She told me that it's just the opposite and to walk and exercise as much as I could.
    6 weeks later and I have lost the jiggly bits on my tummy and am a lot more mobile.
    Also changed my tablets to Naproxen at that visit so I think it#s a combination of both.
    Linda H 8)
  • alicea
    alicea Member Posts: 111
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    magenta wrote:
    Hello,
    I've been thinking about this for a while. OA is wear and tear-is there any other factors with it? Alot of people on here with OA, start off with it in one joint for it then to spread to others. Is it something to do with a reaction on the cartilidge(sp?) and hence that's why other joints are affected? Dunno-just wondering :wink:
    Magenta

    Hi again magenta I was also thinking about it lately, I started with it in my hip had it replaced and then it was in my knee had it replaced then in 12 months it is in every joint i think that is strange. I have also lost my voice and have trouble with my ears as you know. reading up on RA it seems there is more in common with it than i thought . The trouble is when your doctor as decided you have OA they seem to put every thing down to OA and dont question anything else, as they are the ones that treat your OA you never get any answers unless you become a pain and insist on seeing someone else so the doctors that know more about OA never get to know about other problems people have, if it was'nt for this site i would not have questioned my doctor not that i have got any answers but at least we can help each other by talking about it .. .bye for now, keep your chin up ...sanrda x
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi I think the latest medical and scientific thinking is that primary OA is not due to just getting older, but due to other factors that effect the joints and cartalige etc so that they wear out or loose cartalige and bone quicker. It tends to run in families, although not always.

    My mother had arthritis for as long as I remember, starting in her hips and back. Spinal problems were so bad for her she had surgery, but that only gave relief for around 6 months. My brother, whom I lost several years ago, had developed arthritis (oa) in some of his joints. My sister has a bad hip, but she hasn't had it diagnosed yet! Her GP says she must be in pain when she goes for her appointment, and as it comes and goes, although shes tried twice, its been better by the time shes got to the appointment :roll: Her GP has told her she must ask for an emergency appointment, for the same day :wink: We seem to be a family of old crooks, but that isn't true, my sister is 17 years older than me and in the late autumn she went mountin walking in Poland to see wolves and bears. (Shes 71). But the pain is getting her down now. :( Love Sue