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Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that causes joint damage. Out of almost a hundred known arthritic conditions, OA is the most common. It has been found in all races in all
corners of the earth and all through time (it has even been found in Egyptian mummies). Some 16 million people in the United States suffer from osteoarthritis (approximately 6% of the population). It is responsible for 70% of hip and knee replacement surgeries and is the most frequently found disease affecting the back.
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Both sexes suffer from OA, although it is more frequent in women over 46 years of age than in men. It is highly common in people over 60 years of age, but the first instance of joint damage may occur even in people in their 20's.
While osteoarthritis can involve damage to any joint, those most frequently affected are the fingers and the large, weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, the lower spine, ankles). Damaged joints increase in size and pain occurs with initial movements, gradually easing as the joint warms up. This is most obvious in the lower, or lumbar section of the spinal column, when moving from a sitting to standing position where the back gradually straightens up.
The course of OA varies from person to person, but the pain and stiffness are often more intense in the disease's early stages. As OA develops, the pain lessens but mobility of the joints is progressively reduced. In the lumbar spinal region, for instance, "blocks" are formed where the back's vertebrae are welded together. It is not known why certain people are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, but age and congenital, hormonal and metabolic factors all play a role in its development.
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