Secondary Osteoarthritis

Degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear”arthritis.

Root cause of disease

Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by another disease, infection, injury, or deformity. Osteoarthritis starts with the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. As the cartilage wears down, the bone ends may thicken and form bony growths (spurs). Bone spurs interfere with joint movement.

Symptoms

When symptoms of secondary OA do appear, you may experience:

• Joint swelling and stiffness
• Loss of range of motion (difficulty moving affected joints)
• Pain that worsens with inactivity
• Warmth and tenderness in affected joints
• Loss of muscle mass
• Crepitus—grating or cracking sounds in the joints

Secondary OA may progress over time, especially if it causes inflammation.

When osteoarthritis is secondary to a type of autoimmune arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), synovitis—mild inflammation of the soft tissues around the joints—is common.

Additional signs of progression in OA are:

• Cartilage that has worn away
• Reduced spacing between joints
• Warm and inflamed joints
• Reduction of normal joint lubricating fluid
• Bony growths and bone rubbing against bone

If your OA has advanced, you will have pain and discomfort when moving affected joints. The pain is often severe enough that it keeps you from performing day-to-day activities.

Causes

Causes of secondary OA may include:

• an existing joint abnormality
• injury or trauma to the joint
• a joint condition present from birth
• inflammatory arthritis
• infectious arthritis
• osteoporosis
• avascular necrosis, where bone tissue dies from a lack of blood supply
• osteochondritis dissecans, where bone underneath joint cartilage dies due to a lack of blood supply
• Paget’s disease
• metabolic disorders
• hemoglobinopathies, which are conditions affecting red blood cells
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Marfan syndrome

Home Remedies to treat Secondary Osteoarthritis

Remedy – 1: Green Tea

Materials Used: Green tea

Green tea contains polyphenols. A 2021 review suggests these compounds may help lower inflammation and the need for medications.

A small 2018 study on the use of green tea in treating knee osteoarthritis showed that the tea can help with joint function, but more research is needed to verify these results.

Due to the risk of liver problems and side effects from concentrated amounts, it’s best to drink green tea in moderation.

Procedure:

1. Heat the water to just about boiling point
2. Add your tea bags to your pot or cup
3. Pour the water directly onto the tea bags
4. Stir the tea once, and then let it steep for 1.5-2 minutes
5. Remove the tea bags

Product Link: Green Tea

Remedy – 2: Ginger

Materials Used: Ginger

Ginger is also noted for reducing pain from osteoarthritis. According to a 2015 study, taking ginger long-term may even decrease the risk of osteoarthritis-related disability.

Procedure:

1. Just add the peeled and chopped ginger and half of the water to a blender (or NutriBullet) and blend into a paste
2. Add more water for desired consistency

Product Link: Ginger

Remedy – 3: Turmeric

Materials Used: Turmeric

Curcumin is the active compound in turmeric. It’s part of the ginger family but may help osteoarthritis in different ways. A 2016 study on mice with osteoarthritis showed that curcumin may be able to slow disease progression and provide pain relief. However, a 2017 review of clinical studies on humans did not find the same conclusive results. More research is needed to verify the effect.

If you want to try turmeric as a natural treatment, the Arthritis Foundation recommends using curcumin extract, as whole curcumin may be contaminated with lead. Take 500 milligrams twice daily. While turmeric is generally safe, it can cause nausea and may interact with blood thinners.

Procedure:

1. Boil 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
2. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes
3. Add lemon, honey, or milk to taste

Product Link: Turmeric

Other Remedies

Essential oils

Essential oils are another great route for all-natural pain relief. Essential oils including lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus and frankincense have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. Try inhaling one for 40 minutes during your daily commute, or add a few drops to your next hot bath. Essential oils, such as rue oils, will relax your muscles and make your pain go away.

Arthritis supplements

New research supports the use of certain supplements for arthritis pain. The Arthritis Fountain recommends a handful of proven supplements, including capsaicin, ASU, cat’s claw, omega-3 and ginger. Check out these supplements to get quick and natural pain relief. In addition, white willow bark is another great supplement for any aches and pains.

Anti-inflammatory diet

Your diet has a big impact on your pain. It’s a good idea to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. This means lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains and olive oil. You should also try to avoid processed foods, which contain unhealthy compounds like MSG. Some of the best anti-inflammatory foods include leafy greens, cold-water fish, avocados and beans. Overall, you should try to get lots of omega-3, antioxidants, fiber and calcium.

Preventions

There is a complex relationship between pain and physical activity. Pain can lead to a sedentary lifestyle leading to a weight gaining system. As mentioned before, high BMI is one of the important risk factors for osteoarthritis. Activity can be helpful in weight adjustment and could also help in reducing pain. Thus, physical activities and pain control have important roles in secondary prevention.

• Getting appropriate information
• Activity and exercise
• Weight loss