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In spite of the major improvements introduced by ages of evolution, the human body remains subject to an array of conditions, varying from minor inconveniences to lethal diseases. They attack different systems of the body, disrupting its normal functions and causing pain. Osteoarthritis is a highly widespread condition, which affects broad patient groups, mainly within the population of older adults. It is the most common form of arthritis diagnosed in millions of cases across the globe. When the protective cartilage deteriorates, osteoarthritis appears and entails irreversible damage to the patients joints. The mechanism of the diseases origin explains the prevalence of this condition among older adults, as time becomes the primary enabler of the cartilage damage mentioned above. In fact, this social group remains one of the most vulnerable ones. As the system of public health aims to improve the situation for the elderly, osteoarthritis should be one of the primary targets in this regard. The purpose of this paper is to examine osteoarthritis, including the mechanism of the pathology, its effect on the patients body, and the prominent avenues for the issues resolution.
Osteoarthritis is a serious healthcare concern, causing a major decrease in the quality of a patients life without due attention. According to Chen et al. (2017), this is one of the most common degenerative joint conditions, which is found in over 25% of the worlds adult population. As the mechanism of the disease is purely mechanical in nature, it has been present within the population since the dawn of humanity. However, the modern methods of research provide valuable instruments that help measure the impact of the condition and enable comprehensive treatment methods. Vina and Kwoh (2019) state that osteoarthritis has an array of enablers, including genetic factors, obesity, and dietary effects. However, as acknowledged by Chen et al. (2017), age remains the primary contributor to the prevalence of the disease. Hawker (2019) presents statistical data, according to which osteoarthritis is diagnosed in one out of three Americans over the age of 65. At the same time, Vina and Kwoh (2019) present additional demographic variables, stating that female residents and people of African-American origin have higher chances of developing osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is a pressing concern within the professional healthcare community.
As can be inferred from the name of the disease, the effect of osteoarthritis is directly related to the musculoskeletal system. When the protective cartilage of the joints wears out over time, excessive friction entails the inevitable inflammation of synovial joints (Cope et al., 2019). As a result, patients with increasing cartilage degradation develop this chronic degenerative condition, which has adverse effects on health and well-being. As noted by ONeill et al. (2018), while the mechanisms behind osteoarthritis may be observed in any synovial joint, it is especially prevalent in the knees, hands, and feet. Mobasheri et al. (2017) consider the role of metabolism in the process of the diseases development to be critical, as it is directly related to the turnover of articular cartilage tissues. Subsequently, the patient begins to feel increasing pain in the inflamed joint, which becomes acute due to movement or unfavorable environmental factors, such as humidity or low temperatures. The patients mobility rapidly decreases, which translates into poor quality of life and, in severe cases, leads to disability.
As the musculoskeletal system is the core of the whole body, the development of osteoarthritis inevitably affects other organs through inflammation and the general lack of mobility. Accordingly, patients with this condition require immediate treatment. Mora et al. (2018) state that osteoarthritis is a degenerative, progressive disease, the regression of which is highly unlikely. Accordingly, as the existing medical solutions are usually unable to reverse the condition, most treatment procedures are aimed at symptom control. Pharmacological options traditionally include the use of cyclooxygenase inhibitors, which, however, are proved to have negative cardiac, hematological, and gastrointestinal effects (Mora et al., 2018). In order to reduce arthritis-induced pain, medical professionals resort to opioids. Among these medications, tramadol is considered to have the least potential for addiction and substance abuse. Non-pharmacological treatment options are mostly aimed at post-discharge measures and prevention. They include proper physical activity and healthy nutrition, which are supposed to administer the required nutrients to preserve the cartilage. Overall, current solutions do not allow for the complete eradication of osteoarthritis, which makes this disease an area of intense interest for innovative medical research.
Ultimately, osteoarthritis remains a pressing concern within the sphere of public health, and its incidence rate continues to reach critical levels. As such, the need for advanced treatment solutions remains, as the problem is to be addressed effectively. Osteoarthritis is associated with incredible pain, which requires strong painkillers, usually opioids. Accordingly, the development of effective pain-reducing medication is a matter of high priority for researchers. The innovative solution is expected to provide an adequate level of relief while avoiding the adverse consequences of opioid use. At the same time, the organizations of public health should continue to educate their communities on arthritis prevention strategies. Healthy diets and optimal physical activity remain the primary instruments of prevention. Overall, osteoarthritis mostly attacks elderly adults, who form one of the most vulnerable groups. Therefore, effective solutions to this problem will be one of the major steps toward a stronger, healthier society.
References
Chen, D., Shen, J. Zhao, W., Wang, T., Han, L., Hamilton, J. L., & Im, H. (2017). Osteoarthritis: Toward a comprehensive understanding of pathological mechanism. Bone Research, 5.
Cope, P. J., Ourradi, K., Li, Y., & Sharif, M. (2019). Models of osteoarthritis: The good, the bad and the promising. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 27(2), 230-239.
Hawker, J. A. (2019). Osteoarthritis is a serious disease. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, 37, 3-6.
Mobasheri, A., Rayman, M. P., Gualillo, O., Sellam, J., van der Kraan, P., & Fearon, U. (2017). The role of metabolism in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Nature Reviews Rheumatology, 13, 302-311.
Mora, J. C., Przkora, R., & Cruz-Almeida, Y. (2018). Knee osteoarthritis: Pathophysiology and current treatment modalities. Journal of Pain Research, 11, 2189-2196.
ONeill, T., McCabe, P. S., & McBeth, J. (2018). Update on the epidemiology, risk factors and disease outcomes of osteoarthritis. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 32(2), 312-326.
Vina, E. R., & Kwoh, C. K. (2018). Epidemiology of osteoarthritis: Literature update. Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 30(2), 160-167.
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