Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), sometimes known as degenerative joint disease (DJD) is the most common form of arthritis that affects millions of people worldwide.  It happens when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.  OA can damage any joint in your body, however it most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine. 

This disorder is both noninflammatory (unless it’s localized) and nonsystemic. 

OA is known to gradually worsen over time, and unfortunately no cure exists.  The best thing you or your loved one can do if you are diagnosed with OA is to be proactive and do what can help your current condition, and slow down its progression.  For starters, being proactive means the least you can do is lead an active lifestyle and maintain a healthy weight.  Total Home Health has a program that is right for you and your osteoarthritis condition.  Our health professionals understand this condition, and will work alongside you to keep you as comfortable and independent in your home as possible.

With the progression of OA, as mentioned above your cartilage wears down over time and eventually the destruction outweighs the production of cartilage tissue, which causes damage and changes to your joints.  The changes within your joints will lead to pain, immobility, muscle spasms, and the potential for inflammation.  In the early disease process of OA, it could be difficult for your provider to distinguish it from rheumatoid arthritis, so close attention will need to be paid to your signs and symptoms to determine which route your treatment course will take.

Following is a reiteration of important characteristics of OA that are important for you and your loved ones to understand:

•   OA is the destruction of cartilage with the growth of bone spurs at ends of joints.

•  OA is a degenerative condition that gradually worsens.

•  Pain with this condition occurs during activity and improves with rest.

•  There could possibly be a localized inflammatory response.

•  Clients with this disease are usually overweight.

•  There are nodes, medically referred to as Heberden’s and Bouchard’s nodes that could be formed as a result of destruction of cartilage and changes to your joints.

•  OA is nonsystemic, which means that no other organs are involved…just the joints.

•  OA is not symmetrical, which means that you may have damage to joints in one hand, but not the other.

•  OA is diagnosed with x-rays.

Next are the risk factors that increase your chance of experiencing OA, which include:

•  Age (majority of adults over age 60 have joint changes on x-rays)

•  Women have a higher incidence of OA than men

•  Being overweight or obese

•  Smoking

•  Possible genetic link

•  History of repetitive stress on joints (marathon runners, manual laborers, athletes)

Now that you know some important facts and the risks, it is important to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms that could be indicative of OA that you can report to your provider to aid in your diagnosis.  The clinical manifestations of OA include:

•  Joint pain or stiffness that resolves with rest or when you stop the activity.

•  Activity and range of motion of joints is restricted or limited due to pain.

•  Crepitus (a grating sound or sensation produced by friction between bone and cartilage) in one or more of the affected joints.

•  Enlarged joint(s).

•  Inflammation, which means that the disease is advanced.

•  Joint effusion (excess joint fluid) that is easily moved from one area of the joint to another area.

With Total Home Health, our health professionals will implement several interventions that will help you to be as independent as possible in your home and enjoy life to its fullest.  It will be our goal to implement the following routines into your plan of care:

•  Create a routine with a proper balance of rest and activity, which will include completing tasks that require high-energy in the morning when you are the most rested.

•  Educate you about the use of analgesics (Tylenol) and NSAIDs (Motrin, naproxen) prior to activity and around the clock as needed to keep your pain level at a tolerable level.

•  Instruct you about proper body mechanics and importance of exercise.

•  Encourage you to use heat to alleviate pain in your joints, or ice in the case of inflammation.

•  Educate on use of assistive devices to promote your safety and independence, including an elevated toilet seat, shower bench, shoe horn, and long-handled grabber.

•  Encourage you to consume a well-balanced diet and maintain an ideal body weight, consultation with a dietician may be recommended to plan balanced nutrition for you.

There are several medications that could also be included in your treatment plan.  Once your provider confirms a diagnosis for your condition and its severity, a treatment plan will be developed that our Total Home Health nursing professionals will strictly follow in your home.

Total Home Health is ready to join your family and become your go to person for all of your at home, health care needs.  Our highly-skilled, professional, and compassionate staff are eager to increase your independence at home and watch you enjoy life, let’s get started today!