March 28, 2024

Osteoarthritis as a cause of back pain

Back pain is now a common ailment, with 65 percent of Germans suffering from it at least some of the time. However, the clinical picture can vary widely. Among the most common causes of back pain is arthrosis (wear and tear).

This is an extremely painful disease. However, the symptoms can be significantly improved by taking appropriate measures. Below is everything you need to know about the causes, symptoms and treatment options.

Osteoarthritis as a widespread back problem

In osteoarthritis, there is a mismatch between the load-bearing capacity of the articular cartilage, which subsequently wears away. A cause of back pain can be, for example, arthrosis of the spine. The disease results from overuse. As the disease progresses, the joint capsule, the bone as well as the muscles are affected.

The cartilage breaks down and disintegrates. The body cannot regenerate cartilage tissue that has already been destroyed. It is decomposed by the body’s own enzymes. Eventually, deformation of the joints occurs.

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Causes of osteoarthritis

The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age, but young people can also be affected by the disease. Women are affected more often than men at an older age, as the loss of cartilage seems to progress faster in them. Often there is a hereditary predisposition.

Other causes are heavy overweight as well as incorrect and overloading, for example through certain professions or sports. Our lifestyle is characterized by lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle. These are also risk factors. The orthopedic specialist is usually the right contact person.

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is an extremely painful joint disease that results from wear and tear. The bones, no longer separated by the cartilage, rub against each other, causing the severe pain. The wear and tear of the joints leads to various complaints, for example muscle tension, back pain or immobility of the spine. The small rib joints can also be affected by osteoarthritis.

The pain can radiate into the chest and back. If the osteoarthritis is in the thoracic spine, pain may occur in the heart area. Headaches and dizziness or insomnia may occur in the cervical spine. The chronic change of the vertebral joints is increasingly also accompanied by a functional limitation.

How to treat osteoarthritis?

The degenerative disease occurs frequently, especially in advanced age, but most of the applied treatments usually achieve only unsatisfactory results. Therefore, more surgical interventions such as arthroscopy, endoprosthesis, etc. performed. But sufferers can also resort to non-surgical methods such as the patented Orthokin application. This can lead to positive results.

The joint is preserved, the ability to move is restored and the pain subsides. The treatment is carried out by injecting the orthokine injections into the joints. More information is available at www.MEDICAL ASPECTS.de. When conservative remedies have been exhausted, but the back pain still persists, a surgical solution must be considered.

Conclusion

This was all the information worth knowing about the back condition osteoarthritis, where the causes lie, what symptoms occur and what treatment options are available. In the early stages, the pain occurs only when the affected joints are stressed, later it occurs even during everyday movements. In the final stages, the symptoms are noticeable even at rest.

Sporting activity can help to reduce the symptoms. Endurance sports such as cycling, moderate running or swimming are ideal. Surgery is always a secondary treatment option to consider due to the numerous conservative treatment options available.