Stage Two: Mild – The joint space is noticeably decreased and the cartilage is starting to wear down. Bone spurs may be developing. Increased pain and a loss of mobility are present.
Stage Three: Moderate – There is obvious erosion of the cartilage and joint capsule. Bone spurs may have developed and be pronounced. The joint is inflamed and pain can be moderate to severe espe- cially after activity. There is significant loss of joint space.
Stage Four: Severe – The cartilage has completely worn away, there is a severe loss of joint space, and the joint may be bone-on-bone. Bone spurring may be present and significant. The bone’s physical appearance may be changing due to the added pressures. Severe pain and loss of mobility is associated with this stage, especially with activity or standing for long periods of time. Knee pain may not subside when resting and may be worse in the mornings.
Symptoms For stages one through four, symptoms
will vary but may include:
• Pain in the joint after activity and
repeated use • Pain, swelling and stiffness after long periods of inactivity
• Continuous joint pain even at rest • Throbbing, stabbing, or burning pain
in the joint The degree of symptoms will vary
greatly. Some people become completely debilitated, while others may experience few symptoms even though they may be in a later stage of osteoarthritis. There can be periods of intense pain, followed by periods of no pain.
A proper neurological and orthopedic
exam, followed with x-ray analysis can be performed to determine which stage you are in. MRI or CT scans can be utilized as well.
Causes of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is not a systemic condi- tion and does not spread throughout the body. Instead it will only affect joints where the deterioration has occurred. The most common joints affected are the knees, hips, shoulders, wrist and hands, spine, and feet. In the spine, pain can be both in the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back). If arthritic changes occur this
could cause a debilitating condition known as spinal stenosis, which is a nar- rowing of the spinal canal. This will lead to severe inflammation of the spinal cord and affect the nervous system. Symptoms may include severe lower back pain fol- lowed by radiating pain, tingling, numb- ness, or burning sensation in the upper or lower extremities. That doesn’t sound like fun, does it? So let’s make sure to prevent that from happening!
Causes include:
• Repetitive activities at work and at home • Poor posture and ergonomics • Trauma to a joint • Inflammatory foods – sugar, wheat/ grains, dairy, soda • Inactivity (“use it or lose it” principle) • Genetic factors • Joint and spinal misalignments
Healing Naturally If you want to heal naturally, a great place to start is asking the question of “what is the cause?” This root cause analysis can help you dig deeper into why the inflammation is in the joint to begin with, why it is worsening, and how to start mobilizing the body to remove the inflam-
Dixon & Associates Therapy Services
We look at each patient as a unique individual, not a diagnosis. Personal attention is what our success is based on,
and our whole company is set up to make everyone’s experience with therapy a positive one.
Lori Dixon, OT/L Our Specialties:
Myofascial Release • Chronic Pain • Neck & Back Pain CranioSacral Therapy • TMJ Dysfunction
Women’s Health Issues • Hand Injuries • Orthopaedic Injuries Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) • Worker’s Compensation
We file medical insurance and Medicare • BlueCross/Blue Shield Provider 336.889.5676
204 Gatewood Avenue • High Point, NC 27262
www.DixonTherapy.com
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