Don’t Let Degenerative Joint Disease Keep You From Moving

Don’t Let Degenerative Joint Disease Keep You From Moving

If joint pain and stiffness are making daily tasks difficult, you may be suffering from degenerative joint disease. According to the World Health Organization, one of the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries, degenerative joint disease affects more than 27 million Americans. While it can occur in any joint, degenerative joint disease most commonly occurs in the weight-bearing joints of the knees, hips, and spine. Often referred to as a “wear and tear” disease, degenerative joint disease worsens over time, can lead to chronic pain, and can become severe enough to make daily tasks difficult. Discover how you can relieve your pain and reclaim your life.

Manage The ‘Wear and Tear’ on Your Joints

While degenerative joint disease can happen to any, it most often affects older adults. More than 50% of adults over the age of 65 are affected by degenerative joint disease. When the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time, it causes the bones to run against one another within the joint. This can result in pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, and loss of flexibility. Depending on the degenerative joint disease location, a person may experience difficulty walking, a limited range of motion, and weakness. As the disease progresses, a person may begin to experience persistent joint pain and reduced life quality.

Degenerative Joint Disease Can Cause Spinal Stenosis

When the wear and tear of degenerative joint disease affect the spine, it can cause spinal stenosis. The neck and lower back generally undergo the most motion and stress, and they are the same places in the spine that are most susceptible to degenerative joint disease. As discs in the spine start to flatten, it causes the spine’s central canal to narrow, reducing space for the nerves and leading to spinal stenosis.

Your spine has many functions, including enabling movement in the body. But when a person is suffering from spinal stenosis, that movement can become painful and limited. Spinal stenosis often causes numbness, back pain, tingling in the extremities, muscle weakness, even balance problems, or incontinence. Just like degenerative joint disease in other parts of the body, spinal stenosis can worsen over time and keep you from doing the things you love the most.

Your Joints Keep You Moving

While risk factors like joint injuries and repeated stress can increase your risk of degenerative joint disease, the most significant threat is simply aging. Most sufferers of degenerative joint disease or spinal stenosis are over the age of 50. As you age, it’s essential to take care of the joints that keep you moving.

Stop struggling with joint pain. Dr. Rich and the ACellOrtho team offer patient-focused and solution-driven minimally invasive treatment options. We’ll start by pinpointing the underlying cause of your pain and then work together to develop an individualized treatment plan just for you. Take charge of your life and contact us today to schedule a consultation.

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Key Takeaways

• Degenerative joint disease affects more than 27 million Americans and is one of the ten most disabling conditions in developed countries.
• More than 50% of adults over the age of 65 are affected by degenerative joint disease.
• Degenerative joint disease can result in pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, and loss of flexibility.
• When the wear and tear of degenerative joint disease affect the spine, it can cause spinal stenosis.
• Dr. Rich and the ACellOrtho team offer patient-focused and solution-driven minimally invasive treatment options.