LOOKING AT ARTHRITIS: OSTEOARTHRITIS AND GOUTY-ARTHRITIS
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is, as the name suggests, connected with the bone structure. In general terms it might be described as a degenerative joint disease where the degenerative factor is with the articular cartilage and structure of the bone. The changes in bone structure can in fact include new bone formation. Unfortunately, this new growth may occur in the form of spurs, or appear in areas which should be occupied by cartilage. In simple terms a ‘spur’ might be described as an abnormal projection of bone.
Osteoarthritis would tend to be associated more with elderly people but it is not restricted to this group. It can also set in as a consequence of bone injuries resulting from sporting activities or accidents. It has several possible causes. One is natural wear and tear during the ageing process of the body. This may start at quite an early age but not give trouble until later in life. Another cause is a breakdown of the lubrication of the joint causing excessive wear. In the case of sporting activities it can be the result of repeated impact shock on the joint. With increasing age the bones become suffer and less elastic. They tend, therefore, to give a sharper impact on the joint cartilage. It may be seen from the above that an overweight person might stand a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis simply because of the extra weight on the load-bearing surfaces of the joints.
Gout or gouty arthritis is a condition in which painful inflammatory attacks, mainly in the feet, knees, or wrists, occur, as a result of the precipitation of crystals of sodium urate. This occurrence, probably resulting from hyperuricaemia (the presence of an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood), is pre-eminently a disorder associated with the male. When present in females it is mainly in the post menopausal groups.
It is believed that heredity can play a part in gouty arthritis. However, it is not necessary to panic if we happen to have a picture of an ancient relative in a wheelchair with a heavily bandaged foot! There is evidence to suggest that gout is associated with over indulgence in food and alcohol. In earlier times over-indulgence was usually associated with affluence too, but like most diseases the causes are not limited to one well-defined feature and people who live in moderation can also suffer attacks. An interesting feature which relates to our topic of the sea and to gout is that involving Polynesian people and diet. A significant increase in the incidence of gout amongst the New Zealand Maoris and other Polynesian people has occurred with the change in their basic diet of seafood and vegetables to our diet of meat, processed breads, sugar, etc.
*2/48/5*
