Psychological Aspects of Ostaoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is the commonest condition affecting joints. The number of patients suffer­ing from joint pain and progressive disability has been growing, especially in the most de­veloped countries. It is also the major cause of pain and deterioration of the patient’s quality of life, being among the 10 diseases worldwide, generating the highest social costs. Pain and disability, often leading to permanent disability entail numerous adverse consequences, not only of physical ones but also of psychological and social nature. The feeling of loneliness, helplessness and uselessness as well as anxiety and depression symptoms significantly affect the patient’s quality of life which should be perceived in multiple aspects in order to achieve the expected success in treatment. The need for holistic approach to frequently long-lasting treatment of a somatic condition, requiring treatment of concomitant mental disorders (anxiety, depression, etc.) is rarely implemented in practice, even if the disorders are properly diagnosed. However, good communication between the patient and the physician is a nonspecific factor in the course of treatment, which affects the patient’s motivation to undergo treatment and full adherence to physician’s recommendation. Re­gretfully. Despite the progress in the knowledge of the incidence of mental disorders and chronic conditions (including osteoarthritis) and implementation of this knowledge to standard medical procedures, in practice these recommendations are marginally followed, both by the therapists and patients themselves.