Osteoarthritis.
Last updated Thursday, February 10, 2005
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About
Basics of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a form of arthritis characterized by the loss of joint smoothness and range of motion without major joint inflammation.Facts and myths
Fact: Low bone density is not associated with osteoarthritis
Bone density is actually HIGHER, rather than LOWER, in osteoarthritis. Low bone density is the telltale sign of osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder characterized by weakened bones due to excessive loss of bone mass.
Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is characterized by increased
bone density and bony growths (osteophytes) in conjunction with
articular cartilage degeneration.
Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are two different diseases with opposite bone density problems.
Fact: Drinking milk cannot prevent osteoarthritis
Milk is an excellent source for calcium, which is important for bone formation.
However, a low calcium diet is known to increase one's chance of getting osteoporosis, not osteoarthritis.
Calcium intake is not directly associated with the onset of
osteoarthritis. Vitamins A, C, and, E, the major antioxidants, have
been identified as having a potential for protecting cartilage and
connective tissue from oxygen radical damage\. Vitamin D may also play
an important role in osteoarthritis by way of bone mineralization and
cell differentiation. Good dietary practices may help protect individuals against osteoarthritis to some extent.
Fact: Osteoarthritis does not cause bone erosion.
Osteoarthritis does not cause bone loss or fractures. On the
contrary, it is associated with increased bone density and abnormal
growths (osteophytes) due to the deficiency in bone resorption.
Weak, porous bone structures due to low bone density is the signature symptom of osteoporosis, a different and separate disease.
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