Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease related to the joints of the human body, its name has been derived from the Greek word which itself means joint inflammation, but very different from rheumatoid arthritis though joint inflammation is common symptom of both the diseases.
Joint pain is the primary symptom of Osteoarthritis particularly after a period of rest like getting out of bed in the morning or after a period of physical inactivity like traveling etc. People suffering from OA experience burning or sharp pain in the joints, inflammation of the joints and reduction in the movement of the joints either due to pain or due to swelling. The pain gets more and more severe as the joint is moved during the day; joints make crackling sound when they are moved.
Osteoarthritis affects smaller joints like fingers, ankle, wrist and larger joints like hip and knee though it can affect any joint of the body. Stiffness of the joint slowly reducing the range of motion of the joint with or without severe pain is also a symptom of OA, some patients experience remarkably lesser pain compared to the amount of degeneration of the joint while others have severe pain with lesser degeneration. There can be pain free intervals between two phases of Osteoarthritis symptoms however duration of these intervals varies from person to person. Bony nodes may also appear at the joints due to osteoarthritis mostly on smaller joints like fingers and wrist.
Osteoarthritis is caused due to degeneration of bones or cartilages as the age of a person grows. Primary osteoarthritis is related to age but not caused due to age, as we see that not every old person is suffering from Osteoarthritis, there are few specific people who may develop the symptoms of Osteoarthritis with the growing age mostly due to factors related to genetics. With growing age cartilages loose water content which makes them brittle to become prone to wear and tear, the loss of cartilages let the bones of the joints rub each other causing severe pain during the movement. It also causes swelling and gradual reduction in the movement.
Other arthritic conditions like gout or costochondritis, where uric acid crystals cause cartilage damage also cause OA. Diseases like diabetes, congenital disorders and deterioration of ligaments may also cause osteoarthritis. Any injury caused to the joints or to the bones attached by a joint and also muscle weakness may cause Osteoarthritis, fractures if not treated properly cause slow degradation of cartilages to give rise to osteoarthritis. Obesity is another factor responsible for the wear and tear of cartilages.
Herbal oils made for treating arthritic conditions use herbs as ingredients which have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The massage of these oils regularly on the affected joints relax muscles, increase blood flow and relieve pain and swelling to provide immediate relief. These oils are also helpful in slowing down or stopping the degradation of cartilages by smoothening movements of the joints. These oils are effective in helping the body to cure the infection in the joints for quick relief, massage of these oils all over the body helps in reducing fat and increasing energy levels.
