Mrs Lee, 58, often experiences knee pain when walking or using the stairs. She is diagnosed with knee degeneration (osteoarthritis) by her doctor. Mrs Lee believes that there is something wrong with her bones, so she has started to take calcium tablets and osteoporosis medications purchased from the drug store.
Many people confuse osteoporosis with osteoarthritis. Although both are common problems among the elderly people, they are two different diseases. Osteoporosis refers to changes in the quality of the bone, while osteoarthritis refers to the degeneration of the cartilage covering the bone ends of a joint. The treatment methods for these two diseases are thus different.
Osteoporosis is the loss of calcium in bones, leading to a lower density of the bony structure. It is most commonly found among middle-aged and older women. People with osteoporosis may not have any symptoms at all, nor do they suffer from any pain. However, if they fall, they are prone to fractures.
To improve bone density and to prevent fractures, patients can do a number of things, such as engaging in weight-bearing exercises, having an appropriate amount of exposure to sunlight and a balanced diet to ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D. Patients can also take osteoporosis medicine such as bisphosphonate to increase bone density. According to medical studies, such medications can decrease the recurrence rate of fractures among osteoporosis patients.
Osteoarthritis refers to the wear of cartilage covering the bone ends of a joint, which results in inflammation and pain. The problem mainly concerns cartilages rather than compact bone; therefore, intake of osteoporosis medicine or calcium tablets does nothing to solve it.
Patients of osteoarthritis should change their daily activities, such as reducing the amount of heavy, manual work and squatting, which puts much stress on the knee joints. If a person is too heavy, losing weight or using a walking stick might help. Anti-inflammatory medicine or glucosamine – which provides nutrition to the worn cartilage – can be taken according to doctor’s advice. Topical treatment using a heating pad may also help to reduce the pain. Special insoles and knee braces to correct the lower limb alignment may help some patients.
If the above methods have not been helpful, the patient may consider undergoing surgery. The surgical procedure includes arthroscopy to remove the loose pieces of bones around the joint, realignment surgery of the lower limbs and, in some cases, total joint replacement.