The Role of Inflammation in Osteoarthritis

The Role of Inflammation in Osteoarthritis

One term you often hear in discussion of osteoarthritis and other pain conditions is inflammation. Let’s look at OA statistics, the disease’s relationship to inflammation, and treatment options for pain relief.

Osteoarthritis statistics and what exactly it is

Why is osteoarthritis pain relief an important topic? The disease is incredibly widespread. In fact, it is the most frequently diagnosed form of arthritis, according to CDC statistics. There were nearly 31 million American men and women suffering with arthritis between 2008 and 2011. To look at it a bit more shockingly, it’s likely that half of US citizens who live to age 85 will experience symptoms of knee OA by that point. In other words, if you are in need of osteoarthritis pain relief, you are certainly not alone.

Osteoarthritis (OA), also called degenerative joint disease, is a health condition chiefly characterized by degradation of the cartilage that protects the ends of bones at the joints. The ordinarily slick cartilage surface gets rough and is gradually worn away, explains David Foreman in Natural Products Insider. Without the cartilage there for cushioning, inflammation occurs, in turn leading to increased pressure in the joint.

OA’s relationship to inflammation actually gets confusing, which is related to its traditional classification, as indicated below – but inflammation is still recognized as a common symptom of the disease.

OA as an inflammatory disease

The understanding of this disease is being revised as the central role of inflammation is becoming increasingly clear, according to a 2013 report in the medical journal Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease. Osteoarthritis is generally considered a non-inflammatory type of arthritis, but that categorization is problematic, explain researchers Jeremy Sokolove and Christin M. Lepus.

“[T]he dichotomy between inflammatory and degenerative arthritis is becoming less clear with the recognition of a plethora of ongoing immune processes within the OA joint and synovium,” explain the authors. Specifically, patients experience inflammation of their synovial membranes, the soft tissue that’s in between the joint capsules (articular capsules) and joint cavities in synovial joints. Synovial joints make up most of the body’s joints, including the knees, shoulders, elbows, and knuckles; when these joints’ membranes become inflamed, the condition is called synovitis.

“Increasingly recognized is the presence of synovitis in a significant proportion of patients with primary OA,” says Jeremy Sokolove and Christin M. Lepus. “[B]ased on this observation, further studies have gone on to implicate joint inflammation and synovitis in the pathogenesis of OA.”

As indicated above, the inflammation leads to pressure and, in turn, the need for osteoarthritis pain relief.

Expertise for osteoarthritis pain relief

Are you suffering from the inflammation and pain associated with osteoarthritis? At Flexogenix, we provide options that eliminate the need for surgery and restore normal joint function. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. 

 
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