20/05/2024
‼ Osteoarthritis is a condition in which joint cartilage - the part that functions to protect and reduce friction in the joint - begins to erode and break down its structure. In addition, surrounding tissues can also be damaged, and the lubricating mucus in the joints is reduced, making movements here more difficult.
👉 Joint degeneration is the most common form of damage, which can occur in many different subjects. In Vietnam, statistics show that about 30% of people over 35 years old have osteoarthritis. This rate increases to 60% in people over 65 years old and 85% in people over 85 years old.
When the joint degenerates, there will be symptoms such as:
- Joint pain: In the mild stage, a dull pain will appear in the joints during or after movement, then disappears quickly, making it easy for the patient to be subjective. In the long term, when the articular cartilage is seriously damaged, the pain will be more intense and last longer, especially when the weather suddenly turns cold.
- Stiff joints: Stiff joints that cannot move are often accompanied by pain, appearing mainly in the morning when the patient wakes up or after a period of not moving the joint.
- Reduced mobility: When suffering from osteoarthritis, the patient's daily activities will be limited. For example, in people with knee osteoarthritis, standing up and sitting down, climbing stairs, squatting, and bending the knee will be more difficult.
- Joints are swollen and hot: Joints are swollen and inflamed, with a burning sensation when moving.
- A "crackling" sound appears when moving: The ends of the bones rubbing against each other due to the articular cartilage being eroded will create popping and cracking sounds when moving.
