"Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease process that results in the breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone. Symptoms of OA include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness which typically begin gradually. Initially the symptoms will come and go, and after time they will become constant. There are many factors that contribute to development of OA, including genetics, joint injury, and obesity.
Current conservative treatment for OA includes nutrition optimization, exercise, medication, and physical therapy. As the degenerative process continues more aggressive treatments include corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid (Synvisc) injections. These injections can provide good but short term relief. Corticosteroids simply decrease pain and inflammation but do not slow or prevent the progression of the degenerative condition. The last resort option is joint replacement, depending on the joint involved.
What is A2M?
Alpha-2-macroglobulin* (A2M) is a protein found in blood. This protein inhibits different enzymes. Many of these enzymes are found in the blood. This protein has become an area of interest in the regenerative medicine field with recent studies showing that this A2M protein also inhibits the activity of some ADAMTS enzymes in joints. These particular ADAMTS enzymes play a role in the breakdown of cartilage with arthritis. This protein is found in normal, healthy joints."
Search Body Health Providers Find Similar Resources