Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition that is characterized by sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. This results in a sudden and unstoppable need to urinate (urinary urgency), even though the bladder may only contain a small amount of urine. Key features are the sudden urge to void along with urinary frequency (voiding < 2 hour intervals).

Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis has several risk factors that can be broken down into three categories: modifiable local risk factors, modifiable systemic risk factors, and non-modifiable systemic risk factors. Modifiable local risk factors are factors that occur near the site of OA that can be altered. These include muscle strength, physical activity, joint injury, joint alignment and leg length in equitability.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. OA is a chronic disease characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone. Nearly 15% of the world’s population suffers from this disease. It is most common among joints in the lower extremities such as the knees and hip.

Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is typically caught during annual physical exams. During the exam, physicians inspect the joints for swelling, sensitivity, and range of motion. If OA is expected, additional medical tests will be performed. X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be performed to visualize changes in the joints.

Unmodifiable Risk Factors for Osteoporosis: Things you can’t do anything about Over age 50 Caucasian or Asian race Dementia Female gender/ postmenopausal women Women are at a much greater risk for osteoporosis than men.  The loss of sex hormones in the body is the most common cause of osteoporosis. Women experience a decline in estrogen, the female sex hormone, when they undergo menopause.

Before talking about what causes osteoporosis, let’s look at the functions of bones. Bones serve as a large reservoir of calcium and to support the skeletal system. Bones are constantly regenerating as a way to get rid of old bone tissue and strengthen the bones with new bone tissue. It is estimated that the skeleton is completely replaced approximately over 4 years. Bone building, known as “remodeling” is the process of resorption and formation.