Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the world, with over 20 million people affected in the United States. Also referred to as degenerative arthritis, it is the result of the breakdown of the protein cartilage that serves as a cushion in the joints of the bones. Hands and knees as well as the major weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees are the most joints most commonly affected by this form of degenerative arthritis. There is little known about the causes of arthritis, but with some forms where a precise cause can be pinpointed, it is called secondary arthritis.

Typically experienced by adults over the age of 45, degenerative arthritis gets worse with age and is often called the wear and tear disease. Presuming that continuing to use the joints with lesser amounts of cartilage adds to the degeneration of the cartilage. Although it can be precipitated by an injury to the joint or to the bones in the joint, in a majority of cases there is no exact cause.

It can also be considered an equal opportunity disorder showing no prevalence in social or economic class as well as in races. Once degenerative arthritis has begun, there is little to do to prevent the process from continuing, but many medications are becoming available to slow the process down.

Maintaining Mobility Important To Sufferers

As the disease progresses, a patient may experience times when the affected joint seems to lock up, making movement nearly impossible as well as painful. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually used to dull the pain associated with degenerative arthritis, as well as reduce swelling in the joints. In advanced cases, injections into the joint may be needed to help mobility and in rare cases surgery may be recommended to replace the cartilage.

When a person is first diagnosed with degenerative arthritis, medications may be suggested that appear to slow the degenerative process. Although many manufacturers are suggesting that they have a cure for degenerative arthritis, the reality is many of the medications simply make living with it easier and less painful, without actually reversing the effects of the disease.

A person with degenerative arthritis may not suffer the pain of the disease on a continual basis, especially during its early stages, but as time passes and more cartilage is removed, the pain of the bones rubbing together can be unbearable when it occurs. While often considered as aging disease, it has been known to strike at those considerably younger than 45 years of age.