The two most common forms of arthritis, ‘joint inflammation’, are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, there are more than 100 rheumatoid diseases and conditions that can cause pain and discomfort to those affected.
Osteoarthritis or “wear-and-tear” arthritis, is a condition where the surface of the joint is damaged and the surrounding bone grows thicker, resulting in bone against bone friction. This friction can cause severe pain and eventually loss of movement. It is commonly believed that osteoarthritis only occurs in older people, though it can in fact also transpire as a secondary condition in younger people. Factors that can trigger the cartilage of the joint to wear away are, injury, occupation, excess weight, and genetics.
Rheumatoid arthritis on the other hand is an autoimmune disease; this is where a person’s own immune system attacks cells within its own joint capsule destroying cartilage, bone and ligaments which can lead to possible deformity and disability.
There are a number of treatments available for these conditions and researches are continuously working on further developing these; however, currently there is no cure for the disease. Joint replacement is likely the most invasive treatment of arthritis available and should only be considered in severe cases. However, should such an approach be necessary it successfully reduces the pain and helps increase the mobility of the knee to assist the person affected to regain a higher quality of life.
If the condition is treated at an early stage, the Oxford® Partial Knee can help prevent the disease from spreading.