Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the joints wear down. It is the most common form of arthritis and occurs mostly in older people, but it can also occur at a younger age.

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is still viewed as a condition in which cartilage in the joints wears away with age. However, recent scientific breakthroughs are changing our view of this condition. We now understand that inflammation plays an important role, both within joints and throughout the body. This inflammation can lead to cartilage damage, pain and ultimately loss of joint function. This new view highlights the complex interaction between genetic factors, metabolism, inflammatory processes and the balance between breakdown and repair of joint tissue.

These new insights also lead to a new perspective on the treatment of osteoarthritis. Traditional treatments focus primarily on symptom relief and pain reduction, without addressing the underlying causes of the disease. The new approach puts the focus on controlling inflammation, addressing the condition at its core. This can slow or even stop the progression of the condition.

We speak of a complex condition that often involves multiple factors. Preventive measures and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.

What symptoms do you experience with osteoarthritis?

Artrose kan verschillende klachten veroorzaken. Een van de meest voorkomende klachten is pijn in en rondom het gewricht. Deze pijn kan toenemen bij bewegen of belasten, maar kan bij sommige mensen ook in rust aanwezig zijn.

Daarnaast kan het gewricht stijf aanvoelen, bijvoorbeeld bij het opstaan in de ochtend of nadat u langere tijd heeft gezeten. Door pijn en stijfheid kan het steeds lastiger worden om het gewricht goed te bewegen en kunnen dagelijkse activiteiten meer moeite kosten. Andere klachten die kunnen voorkomen zijn zwelling, een gevoelig of warm gewricht en een krakend of knarsend gevoel tijdens het bewegen. Welke klachten optreden en hoe ernstig deze zijn, verschilt sterk per persoon.

Omdat artrose een complexe aandoening is waarbij verschillende factoren een rol kunnen spelen, vinden we een persoonlijke aanpak belangrijk. We kijken niet alleen naar de klachten, maar ook naar de conditie van het gewricht, mogelijke ontstekingsprocessen, eerdere behandelingen en persoonlijke factoren. Op basis daarvan wordt bekeken welke behandelmogelijkheden het beste aansluiten bij de individuele situatie.

Osteoarthritis can occur in joints throughout the body:

Elbow
Hand & Wrist
Hip
Knee
Shoulder
Foot & Ankle
Spine

What are possible causes of osteoarthritis?

Metabolic syndrome

Artrose werd lange tijd vooral gezien als een aandoening die ontstaat door slijtage en veroudering van de gewrichten. Inmiddels weten we dat artrose complexer is en dat ook andere factoren een rol kunnen spelen. Zo zijn er steeds meer aanwijzingen dat metabole factoren, processen die te maken hebben met de stofwisseling, samenhangen met het ontstaan en verloop van artrose.

Een voorbeeld hiervan is het metabool syndroom. Hierbij komen verschillende gezondheidsfactoren tegelijkertijd voor. De vijf belangrijkste kenmerken zijn:

Overweight or obese, especially around the waist.
High blood pressure (hypertension).
Verhoogde bloedsuikerspiegel (hyperglycemie).
Verhoogde triglyceriden en/of een laag HDL-cholesterol.
Insulineresistentie, waarbij het lichaam minder goed reageert op insuline, waardoor de bloedsuikerspiegel kan stijgen.

Het metabool syndroom kan op verschillende manieren samenhangen met artrose. Overgewicht zorgt bijvoorbeeld voor een grotere mechanische belasting van gewichtdragende gewrichten, zoals de knieën en heupen. Daarnaast kunnen veranderingen in de stofwisseling en laaggradige ontstekingsprocessen invloed hebben op het kraakbeen en andere weefsels in en rondom het gewricht.

Mechanische belasting, stofwisseling en ontstekingsprocessen kunnen elkaar beïnvloeden en mogelijk versterken. Dit laat zien waarom artrose tegenwoordig steeds meer wordt gezien als een complexe aandoening waarbij meerdere factoren een rol spelen.

Een gezonde leefstijl kan daarom belangrijk zijn. Voldoende bewegen, een gezond gewicht, evenwichtige voeding en aandacht voor onder andere bloeddruk en bloedsuiker dragen bij aan de algemene gezondheid en kunnen helpen om risicofactoren die samenhangen met artrose te beperken

Long-term strain

Prolonged overuse or underuse of joints can contribute to the development or worsening of osteoarthritis. Overuse, such as repeated stress or heavy loading on a joint, can accelerate the wear of cartilage and damage the joint structure. On the other hand, underloading can cause the muscles surrounding the joint to weaken, which can reduce the stability and support of the joint and increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Maintaining a balanced, moderate load and regular exercise can help prevent excessive wear and tear and maintain healthy joints.

Overweight

Being overweight can have a significant impact on osteoarthritis. It increases the stress on the joints, leading to accelerated wear of cartilage. This can result in worsening symptoms such as pain, stiffness and reduced mobility. In addition, being overweight can promote inflammation, which can accelerate the progression of osteoarthritis. Therefore, reducing weight can play an important role in managing symptoms and slowing the progression of osteoarthritis.

Age

As people age, their joints undergo natural wear and tear and degeneration of cartilage. This can lead to loss of cartilage tissue, resulting in symptoms of osteoarthritis such as pain, stiffness and reduced mobility. Older individuals therefore have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis, especially in joints that are subjected to more stress from age-related activities and wear and tear.

Genetic factors

Patients with family members who have osteoarthritis typically have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis.

Gender

Gender may play a role in the risk of developing osteoarthritis. In general, women have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis than men, especially with osteoarthritis of the hands and knees. Hormonal factors, such as estrogen, may contribute to these gender differences. In addition, differences in physique, muscle strength and activity level between men and women may also affect the risk of this condition and its symptoms.

Previous injuries

Previous injury, such as an injury or fracture, can damage the cartilage in a joint and increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis. Even if the initial injury heals, the injury can cause permanent damage to the joint surface, leading to accelerated wear of the cartilage and eventually osteoarthritis. It is important to adequately treat and rehabilitate injuries to reduce the risk of later osteoarthritis.

Attitude

Improper posture can put excessive pressure and stress on joints and cartilage structures, which can contribute to the development or worsening of osteoarthritis. For example, prolonged sitting or standing with poor posture can cause overuse of certain joints, such as the back, neck, hips and knees, which can lead to accelerated wear of cartilage and the development of osteoarthritis. Maintaining good posture, as well as regular stretching and exercise, can help reduce stress on joints and reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.

How do we determine if you have metabolic syndrome?

The presence of three or more of the aforementioned characteristics is often considered having metabolic syndrome, although the exact criteria may differ between different health organizations and guidelines. We measure this by looking at:

BMI
Increased blood pressure
Belly circumference
Possibly additional glucose measurement via urine

Osteoarthritis caused by mild form of metabolic syndrome, we recommend a lifestyle program at GOED Medical Center. For severe metabolic syndrome, you will be referred to your primary care physician for possible further medical treatment.

Get in touch

PRP treatment in osteoarthritis

What is a PRP treatment?

At GOED Medical Center, we specialize in regenerative medicine with PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma). PRP is also known as ACP (Autologous Conditioned Plasma). This is a treatment in which we inject plasma from the patient's own body with a high dose of platelets into tendons, joints and ligaments. This naturally stimulates the repair of muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments.

Why do we treat with PRP in osteoarthritis?

PRP is used to reduce pain, improve function, and possibly promote the healing process of the affected cartilage. It is especially popular for knee osteoarthritis, but is also used for other joints.

Treatment with PRP has no long-term adverse effects. This is in contrast to treatment with corticosteroids, which can have adverse effects if used repeatedly.

How effective is PRP?

Most studies and the best results have been achieved in patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis symptoms. After a course of treatment with ACPmax, an injection of platelets with an increased number of growth factors, 80% of patients are satisfied with the effect. With severe wear and tear, the success rate becomes lower. The patient's general health also contributes to the effectiveness of treatment. This is included in the personalized treatment plan.

Because PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) is made from the patient's own blood, it is considered a very safe injection, with little to no side effects and a low risk of infection or immune reactions. The most common side effects are temporary pain or discomfort at the injection site.

Please note that PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatment is not covered by your insurance company.

GOED Medical Center

GOED Medical Center Breda
Oude Vest 3B
4811 HR Breda

GOED Medisch Centrum Rotterdam
1e Middellandstraat 105
3021 BD, Rotterdam

T. 076 204 32 40
E. info@goedmedischcentrum.nl

Follow us:

Privacy policy