Osteoarthritis is a common condition that affects the joints. It causes pain, stiffness, and swelling, and makes it harder to move.
This happens when the cartilage, the smooth layer at the ends of bones, wears down. Without enough cartilage, the bones rub against each other, which causes discomfort.
This condition affects over 500 million people around the world, mostly older adults. Several things can increase the chance of getting osteoarthritis, such as age, injuries, family history, and being female.
Although many people think of osteoarthritis as only a joint problem, new research shows it might be linked to other serious health issues. A long-term study suggests that people with osteoarthritis are more likely to develop several chronic diseases over time.
This is called “multimorbidity,” which means having more than one long-term illness at the same time, like heart disease, diabetes, or lung problems.
Researchers in Sweden studied health data from nearly 10,000 people over the age of 40 who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis between 2008 and 2009. They also looked at data from nearly 20,000 people of similar age and gender who did not have osteoarthritis.
The researchers followed these people’s health records from 1998 to 2019 to see how their health changed. They found that people with osteoarthritis were more likely to develop multiple other diseases, and they developed them more quickly than those without the condition.
The participants were grouped into four classes based on how fast their health got worse. The first group had only a few mild health problems, and they developed slowly. The second group had mild issues too, but they came earlier.
The third group developed a moderate number of conditions. The fourth group had the worst health. They ended up with around 10 diseases on average, and more than half of them died by the end of the study.
At the start of the study in 1998, almost all the people had no major health problems. But by 2019, the differences were clear. People with osteoarthritis were more than twice as likely to end up in the worst health group compared to those without it.
This means osteoarthritis might be more than just a joint issue. It could be a warning sign that a person is at higher risk of getting other serious health problems. While aging alone leads to more diseases, having osteoarthritis seems to speed up this process.
Why does this happen? One reason could be that people with joint pain tend to move less. This can lead to weight gain and other issues like high blood pressure. Inflammation from osteoarthritis may also damage other parts of the body. Diet could play a role as well, especially if someone eats more calories than they need.
This was an observational study. That means it looked at health trends over time but didn’t test any treatments or lifestyle changes directly. So, it can’t prove that osteoarthritis causes other diseases. It also didn’t include details like diet, activity levels, or weight.
Still, the findings are important. They suggest that treating osteoarthritis early and making healthy choices could help people avoid more serious health problems. Staying active, eating healthy foods, and reducing inflammation may protect both the joints and the rest of the body.
In short, osteoarthritis is more than just joint pain. It may be a sign of bigger health risks. Taking care of your body and managing this condition early could lead to a longer, healthier life.
If you care about arthritis, please read studies about extra virgin olive oil for arthritis, and pomegranate: A natural treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
For more information about arthritis, please see recent studies about how to live pain-free with arthritis, and results showing medical cannabis may help reduce arthritis pain, back pain.
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