How does osteoarthritis begin? How did mine start? How about yours? How far back to we go to talk about our stories? This will be the topic of my next few posts.
Maybe I should start with what I learned recently about OA. It has a strong genetic link. That means that people in certain families tend to get OA more frequently that people in other families. It has to do with how our bodies work and that is determined, in part, by what we were given from our parents and grandparents.
People who are middle age or younger will likely know if their parents had osteoarthritis. These days, doctors know what it is and what name to give it. Many people who are older do not have this information. The generations who are now gone did not have this one name for their pain. OA had many different names back then. Had I known that OA ran in my family, I might have also learned early on the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, getting exercise, and monitoring my condition.
So, how about you, your loved one, or your patients. Do those you know with OA have a family history? Did their parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles have the same problem?
Let everyone know your answers by posting a comment below!
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