Scariest Diseases That Come With Age

Arthritis

There are numerous types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is the type most often associated with aging. This is a joint disease and the most common one older adults experience with approximately thirty million patients in the United States. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that occurs as a result of joint wear and tear. Simply living and using your joints as part of everyday life is enough to cause wear and tear over the decades. Certain factors may heighten your risk, such as obesity, bone deformities, and joint injuries.

Between the joints rests cartilage, which is flexible connective tissue that provides joint cushioning. Once it is gone, the bones of the joint rub against each other, which can cause symptoms including stiffness, pain, a grating sensation, tenderness, flexibility loss, and bone spurs. Over time, the severity of symptoms may progress to where daily tasks become quite challenging to accomplish. It is also possible for joint destruction to get so bad the joint needs to be replaced with an artificial one.