Osteoarthritis, a bad common

Rheumatic diseases are the cause of many both outpatient and hospital. Spain is estimated that between 10 and 15% of people over fifteen years suffering from rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis being the most prevalent.

Osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal disease, and the disease is leading to increased health spending, while it is the main cause of incapacity or disability of all chronic diseases.

What is osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease which is mainly characterized by degeneration and loss of articular cartilage, altering the mechanical properties of cartilage and bone subcondal. Its main symptom is pain, which occurs with movement and subsides with rest, but may also occur at night. In advanced stages it can be observed limited mobility and joint deformity.

Who gets osteoarthritis?

The age factor is important because between 50 and 60 years maximum peak incidence occurs. As for sex, the disease is prevalent in women over 55, although it was previously more common in men.

The main affected joints are the knees, proximal and distal interphalangeal joints, hips and small joints of the spine. However, the knee is the most affected joint. By gender, there is a slight prevalence of hip osteoarthritis in men and women knee and hands.

What causes osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis occurs by initial disruption in hyaline cartilage, which favors the movement of the articular surfaces and prevents friction thereof. Although initially not hurt, the pain occurs when other joint structures, such as subchondral bone or synovium are altered.

Today, he attaches great importance to -célula chondrocyte production of collagen and other substances that increase metabolic activity and proliferation in the attempt to repair cartilage.

How you can treat or delay osteoarthritis?

Currently treatment at the Pain is symptomatic pain relief is intended, patient education and improved joint function. However, preventive treatment and early intervention are very important for the further evolution of the disease.

As non-pharmacological treatment techniques include educational, dietary hygiene measures, such as reducing weight; occupational physical therapy and exercise programs.

Among the most common drugs anti-inflammatory drugs, weak opioids and paracetamol are included. Among other therapeutic options, is the joint washing or hip or knee.

What are condroprotectores and what they do about osteoarthritis?

According to their mode of action are known as drugs of symptoms of slow action (SYSADOAs).

For tests show that these substances are effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Its action is similar to that of anti-inflammatories, but its onset of action is slower, although its effects are prolonged in time and their side effects are minor.

What are they and what are the growth factors in osteoarthritis?

Since not long ago it has a new therapeutic approach based on the use of Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) that could stop or at least delay its progression.

This plasma is obtained directly from the patient's blood without any external agents. The blood collected is processed in the laboratory under sterile conditions to separate the molecules that serve to therapy. Thus, growth factors are soluble proteins produced by cells of the body, although it is in platelets, macrophages and blood plasma where they are present in greater proportion.

The PRGF mimics and optimizes the physiological repair mechanisms are put in place spontaneously in each tissue after injury. Generally, three injections are performed with two week intervals between them.