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Not only does osteoarthritis affect the cartilage in the spine, but it attacks
the joints as well. The joints in the spine are commonly called facet joints because
of their hinge-like dexterity in linking vertebrae together. These joints are synovial,
meaning that they are surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue and produce
fluid to nourish and lubricate the joint (Bridwell). The fibrocartilage in the spine
also serves to help the joints glide smoothly, or articulate, against each other,
allowing our backs to bend and move in various directions. Osteoarthritis results in
chronic inflammation that can cause the articular cartilage of these joints to
deteriorate. Symptoms associated with this type of inflammation include stiffness,
locking of the joints, overall joint pain, and sometimes effusions. The pain
associated with osteoarthritis can make it hard for someone to move their back at
all, forcing them into a hunched position, adding to the humped disfiguration. As
osteoarthritis progresses, the affected joints may appear larger, also making the
afflicted persons back seem larger than normal (Dorland). This disease generally
happens as people age, but younger people can also contract it after an injury or
because of a genetic defect involving the cartilage (Zelman).
Currently there is no single test to confirm a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, but
doctors may order a number of tests to aid in its diagnosis. X-rays can be done to
detect bone damage, loss of cartilage, or the misplacement of vertebral disks.
Blood tests may be run to exclude the possibility of other diseases, and a magnetic
resonance imaging scan (or MRI,) may be prescribed to show possible narrowing of
areas where spinal nerves exit due to the eroded cartilage or damage to vertebral
disks (Zelman).
For the most part, the treatment of osteoarthritis focuses on helping the joint
regain some functional ability and alleviating the symptoms of pain, working
towards an overall healthy lifestyle. It is recommended that everyone with
osteoarthritis maintain a healthy weight, and weight loss will be encouraged if
initially needed. Exercise is also likely to be prescribed as a form of treatment.
Besides helping with weight management, staying physically active can help
osteoarthritis sufferers increase flexibility, strengthen the heart, improve blood flow,
improve attitude and mood, and make daily tasks more accomplishable. Exercises
associated with the treatment of osteoarthritis are often broken up into three
categories: strengthening exercises, aerobic exercises, and range-of-motion
exercises. Strengthening exercises work to make the muscles that support the
afflicted joints stronger through the use of resistance with weights or rubber bands.
Aerobic exercises aim to make the heart and circulatory system stronger, while
range-of-motion exercises work to increase the bodys flexibility.
Non-drug treatments for osteoarthritis include massage, acupuncture,
applying heated or cold compresses to the afflicted site based on a doctors
recommendations, nutritional supplements, and transcutaneous electrical nerve
stimulation (TENS,) which is the use of a small device to emit electrical impulses
onto the affected joint. Over-the-counter drugs that may be used to treat the
disease include acetaminophen, certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs,) like aspirin and ibuprofen, and topical ointments and creams that are
applied directly to the skin of the area that hurts. NSAIDs can have serious side
effects, however, including stomach irritation and bleeding and kidney damage, so it
is advisable to consult a physician before starting any NSAID regimen. Prescription
cartilage, experiencing any deterioration, and how limber their backs felt in general,
including a test to see how wide of a range of motion they possessed in their backs.
This would go on for about twenty years, as by that time most participants would
be in their sixties, an age where it would be highly likely for the symptoms of
osteoarthritis to start becoming apparent in the control group or if the treatments
turned out to be useless. Hopefully this study would uncover that strengthening
the cartilage of the spinal column before any deterioration took place, instead of
trying to treat and cope with the loss of mobility that results from osteoarthritis
after the fact, is a better alternative to using drugs to hide the symptoms of the
disease. If we prevent deterioration and inflammation from having a chance to
occur by giving back-up to our fibrocartilage, hopefully the woe of osteoarthritis
could be solved. We wouldnt have to worry about coming up with safer ways to
treat the side effects of the disease because we would be able to prevent it from
ever happening in the first place.
Osteoarthritis of the spine is a severe condition that attacks the cartilage and
joints of the spinal column, leading to severe pain, stiffness, lack of mobility, and
the possibility of developing a hunchback due to the misplacement of vertebrae
following cartilage deterioration. There arent any cures for the disease yet, but
much research has been done trying to find ways to alleviate the associated
symptoms. This only masks the problem of the affliction, however, which can result
in it growing and the eventual destruction of the spines facet joints. I think that a
longitudinal clinical study involving the injection of additional chondroblasts to a
middle-aged persons spinal fibrocartilage could over time result in a strengthening
of the preexisting cartilage, preventing age-related erosion and deterioration and
eliminating the resulting possibility of joint inflammation and eventual drastic joint
replacement surgery. Even though osteoarthritis is not life-threatening, it can be
life-altering, as it dramatically alters a persons ability to function normally due to
its resulting lack of mobility. Any time someone has to change their lifestyle to
accommodate the symptoms of a disease that may be able to be prevented, action
must be taken to examine how we can fix it. I hope that we will someday see
research that focuses on preventing this crippling disease from happening in the
first place, not just on how we can comfort the patient; at that point its too late.
Bibliography
Zelman, David, MD. "Spinal Osteoarthritis Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Pain
Relief, and More." WebMD. WebMD, 03 Jan. 0000. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.
Gyoderpa. "What Causes a Hump in the Back and What Can Be Done about It?"
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Dorland. "Osteoarthritis." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Apr. 2008. Web. 28
Apr. 2013.
Bridwell, Keith, MD. "Facet Joints of the Spine Anatomy." SpineUniverse.
Spineuniverse, 04 June 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.
Mooney, Vert, MD. "Osteoarthritis Complete Treatment Guide." Spine-health. Spine
health, 25 May 2005. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.
Gez, Deborah. "The Causes of and Cures for Cartilage Damage in Joints."
Ezinearticles. Moriahherbs, 13 Apr. 2010. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.
Pratt, Rebecca. "Cartilage." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Oct. 2012. Web.
28 Apr. 2013.