Khaberni - Dr. Christina Serotinko points out that the sound of cracking, accompanied by pain in the joint, may be the first sign of arthritis.
Arthritis is defined as chronic and progressive damage to the joint cartilage, which usually does not accompany actual inflammation, where the deterioration of the cartilage leads to the bones rubbing against each other during joint movement, causing the sound of cracking or clicking, and pain usually occurs when exerting effort and disappears with rest, while joint deformity is one of the distinctive features of the disease.
Arthritis usually affects middle-aged and elderly people, especially after the age of 65, due to weakening and damage of the cartilage with aging.
Chronic diseases, unsuitable working conditions, a sedentary lifestyle, and genetic predisposition also contribute to increasing the risk, leading to decreased quality of life, and making even simple movements, such as rising from a couch, painful. However, Dr. Serotinko warns that joint cracking does not always indicate osteoarthritis, as there are other potential causes, such as gas bubbles in the synovial fluid, dehydration, excessive physical activity, inflammations, injuries, salt deposits, and malposition of tendons and ligaments.
Therefore, she advises against self-treatment and recommends consulting a doctor to accurately determine the cause and devise an appropriate treatment plan.
