Advancing age has its share of trails and tribulations, and a significant financial and medical concern is Osteoarthritis. Arthritis, a combination of Greek word "arthron," for joint, and "itis," for inflammation, is often referred to as one disease though there are more than 100 forms affecting the human body. Osteoarthritis, a disease of joints, is one form that is caused by breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage of one or more joints.

Patients are often unaware of this disease since the symptoms develop gradually, only to be discovered when joints swell or there is discomfort and pain after a period of inactivity. Osteoarthritis is an age related disease affecting nearly 80% of the population above 65 years of age. Women's joints are often affected from age 55, but men often complain of osteoarthritis from 45 years onwards. This is due to lifestyle and labor intensive work that is stressful and injurious. To effectively tackle Osteoarthritis, we should know whether it is primary or secondary. If the cause is unknown, it is categorized as Primary Osteoarthritis and if it is diagnosed as hereditary, symptomatic, congenital, or due to injuries it is called Secondary Osteoarthritis.

Treatment varies with the extent of damage to cartilage. Next to aging, obesity is a worrisome cause because increased body weight puts extra stress on the knee and hip joints. Other causes are diabetes, surgeries, gout, and congenital deficiencies. Women are especially susceptible if they work long hours bending and lifting, wearing inappropriate footwear, and indulge in diet manipulation.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that needs careful handling. No matter what age and extent of damage to joints, it can be forestalled by preventive measures including self care, proper diet, timely treatment, and appropriate medicines.