5. Spondylosis and Spinal Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common source of chronic joint pain, affecting over 25-million Americans. The condition is not a single disease, but rather a culmination of structural and functional disorders resulting in the eventual failure of joints.
Osteoarthritis affects the entire area. The affected area includes the joint capsule, joint lining, underlying bone, as well as the muscles and ligaments close to the affected joint. This degenerative condition consists of the loss of joint cartilage. As the body tries to repair damaged cartilage, the bone remodels itself. Subchondral bone cysts form as the bone hardens.
The process of developing osteoarthritis has several stages. The stationary phase involves osteophyte formation and narrowing of the joint spaces. Further progression of the disease leads to the complete elimination of the joint area.
The next step of the condition constitutes the growth of subchondral cysts under the cartilage. The final stage of osteoarthritis involves bone remodeling and repair.