Simply put, the causes of osteoarthritis are the wearing away of cartilage and other lining materials found within the joints. There are two main types of osteoarthritis, those that develop as a part of older age, and those cases that develop in connection with other disorders or conditions.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting nearly twenty-one million people in the United States. Osteoarthritis is responsible for roughly twenty-five percent of the primary care physician visits in the United States. The statistics seem to be about the same for Canada and most of the rest of the world.

Primary osteoarthritis is cause by ageing. As the body becomes older and has put in years' worth of walking and moving about, the protective coating of the joints simply begins to wear away. When these protective materials are not replaced, then one will notice pain and discomfort, along with swelling.

Also, as a person ages the protein content in cartilage goes down, while the water content of the cartilage goes up. Both of these processes add to the degenerating of cartilage through repetitive use. Misuse or sports injuries also contribute to the general degradation of joints and their protective linings.

Along with the pain and swelling associated with osteoarthritis, extreme inflammation can also occur. Sometimes this extreme inflammation can lead to bone spurs or 'osteophytes' that form around the affected joint(s).

Sufferers of osteoarthritis may find so many of their everyday movements so painful that this condition can also effect emotional distress and psychological issues. There are many things that can be done to relieve the pain and swelling associated with osteoarthritis, and it is important to help sufferers find the best way to cope with their pain.

Secondary osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by other conditions or diseases. These can include things like obesity, repeated trauma, diabetes, hormonal disorders, surgery, abnormally formed joints and congenital hip luxation.

Osteoarthritis often affects many members of the same family, which suggest that there is a hereditary basis for osteoarthritis. Also, very many studies have indicated that there is a greater likeliness of the disease between siblings, which also indicates a hereditary basis, as far as causes of osteoarthritis are concerned.

Though many other factors can play a part, namely how heavily one has used his or her body over the years combined with the rest and recuperation one has allowed oneself, it seems that the main causes of osteoarthritis, as far as who will suffer and who will not, are purely hereditary.

If your heredity puts you in the osteoarthritis risk group, start taking glucosamine, chondroitin and/or MSM to aid the body in replacing cartilage and other joint lining tissues. This type of nutritional supplementation has been shown to have remarkable results.

Glucosamine is synthesized naturally within the body. In fact, it has been theorized that if the body didn't make glucosamine, we would all suffer from some form of osteoarthritis. So, taking these nutritional supplements that are supportive of the bone and joints is certainly worth trying, in my opinion.