What is degenerative arthritis?

Arthritis is a common issue we see and treat on a daily basis, but it is also misunderstood. When broken down, “arthritis” means “joint” (arth-) “inflammation” (-itis). So, when someone talks about having arthritis, it really means the joint is inflamed. The reason for this inflammation is damage, and the body is flooding the joint with inflammation to try to heal the damage and to irritate the nerves, so you stay off of it while it is trying to heal.

So, how does the damage occur? Most commonly, inflammation in a joint is occurring because the joint isn't working properly. This means there is an imbalance within the joint that is causing it to "track" improperly, which then leads to damage over time. If this continues day after day, week after week and month after month, the body will start to deposit calcium to protect the joint.

This is where the term "degenerative" comes in to play. The joint has been inflamed (damaged) for so long that the body tries to protect the joint by tightening up muscles around the joint and depositing calcium in the bones around the joint, which are called “osteophytes,” or “bone spurs.”

The other problem when a joint isn't functioning properly is it will become dehydrated and lead to tearing of the internal structures like disks, labrum, cartilage or meniscus. This can lead to more complicated issues that require invasive surgery to treat.

So, what is the solution? Creating an environment where the joint can move properly and the muscles are balanced around the joint, so the joint can stay hydrated. Then, we can focus on healing the previous damage, which is why we use regenerative medicine (stem cells) at PC Medical Centers. We have seen clinically that patients who use stem cells improve and heal better than patients who don't.

For more information or to ask specific questions, email admin@pcmedicalcenters.com.