Hydroxyapatite Health Dictionary

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Hydroxyapatite: From 1 Different Sources

n. 1. a complex phosphate of calcium (Ca5(PO4)3OH) that occurs as a mineral and is the chief structural element of human bone and teeth. Hydroxyapatite crystals may also occur in joints in association with arthritis. 2. a biocompatible ceramic material that is a synthetic form of natural hydroxyapatite. Some joint replacement prostheses are coated with synthetic hydroxyapatite, which encourages bone to grow on to the implant. The material is also used in some forms of middle-ear surgery.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Arthritis – Osteo

Osteo-arthritis. Erosion of cartilage of a joint with pain and stiffness. “Wear and tear” arthritis of the over 50s, affecting hands, knees, spine or hips. Biochemical changes in the cartilage stimulate overgrowth of bone cells (hyperplasia) which is an effort by the body to correct the disturbance.

Common in the elderly and menopausal women. Calcium salts may be laid down in a joint believed to be due to errors of diet. Small crystals of calcium hydroxyapatite have been observed to form in cartilage and synovial fluid. (Research group: St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London)

The aged sometimes suffer from diminished supply of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and which is necessary for normal calcium metabolism. An effective substitute is 2 teaspoons cider vinegar in a glass of water sipped before or during meals.

Alte rnative s. Black Cohosh and Meadowsweet (natural sources of salicylic acid), Asafoetida (inflammation of connective tissue), Hawthorn (efficient circulation of the blood), Poke root, Bladderwrack, Guaiacum, Devil’s Claw, Bogbean, White Poplar bark, Yucca leaves.

Tea. Celery seeds. 1 teaspoon to each cup boiling water. Infuse 15 minutes. Half-1 cup, 2-3 times daily, before meals. Comfrey tea.

Alternative formulae:– Powders. White Willow 2; Devil’s Claw 1; Black Cohosh half; Guaiacum quarter. Mix. Dose: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Thrice daily in water or Nettle tea. Liquid extracts. White Willow 2; Devil’s Claw 1; Bogbean 1; Fennel 1; Tincture Capsicum quarter. Mix. 1 teaspoon thrice daily in water or Nettle tea.

Tinctures. Bogbean 2; Meadowsweet 2; Black Cohosh 1; Guaiacum quarter; Peppermint quarter. Mix. Dose: 2 teaspoons thrice daily.

Tablets/capsules: Devil’s Claw, Wild Yam, Ligvites.

Cod liver oil. Chief of the iodised oils. Can reach and nourish cartilage by the process of osmosis. Its constituents filter into cartilage, imparting increased elasticity which prevents degeneration. Known to soften-up fibrous tissue. 2 teaspoons once daily. Also helps correct uric acid metabolism.

Topical. Physiotherapy. Osteopathy. Jojoba oil packs. Capsicum Cream. Hot and cold compresses twice daily – followed by a cold compress at night, leaving on when in bed. Hot Epsom salt bath twice weekly. Diet. Oily fish: see entry. Low fat. Low salt. High fibre. Avoid lemons and other citrus fruits. Lemon juice may remove some calculi from the body but later begins to remove calcium from the bones. Supplementation. Pantothenic acid 10mg; Vitamin A 7500iu; Vitamin B6 25mg; Vitamin E 400iu; Zinc 25mg.

General. Warm dry climate often relieves. Surgery may be necessary. Herbs Pleurisy root, Comfrey root and Bryonia, sustain the constitution and promote tissue healing after joint replacements with ceramic substitute after the famous Charnley operation. The condition is disabling but it is possible to manage successfully, maintaining normal activities with minimum difficulty. ... arthritis – osteo

Bone

n. the hard extremely dense connective tissue that forms the skeleton of the body. It is composed of a matrix of collagen fibres impregnated with bone salts (chiefly calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate; see hydroxyapatite), in which are embedded bone cells (see osteocyte). Compact (or cortical) bone forms the outer shell of bones; it consists of a hard virtually solid mass made up of bony tissue arranged in concentric layers (Haversian systems). Spongy (or cancellous) bone, found beneath compact bone, consists of a meshwork of bony bars (trabeculae) with many interconnecting spaces containing marrow. (See illustration overleaf.)

Individual bones may be classed as long, short, flat, or irregular. The outer layer of a bone is called the *periosteum. The medullary cavity is lined with *endosteum and contains the marrow. Bones not only form the skeleton but also act as stores for mineral salts and play an important part in the formation of blood cells.... bone

Bone Graft

the use of bone or a bonelike synthetic substance to fill a bony defect or to augment bone formation. Bone grafts are usually *autografts or *allografts, but synthetic bone grafts, using calcium compounds and hydroxyapatite, are increasingly being used. Hard cortical bone can be used to replace structural defects, softer cancellous bone is used to fill voids or to encourage bony union, and synthetic bone grafts act as a scaffold through which normal bony healing can occur.... bone graft

Dentine

n. the hard tissue that forms the main structure of a tooth. It is the second hardest tissue in the body after *enamel and is about 70% mineral (hydroxyapatite crystals), the remainder being organic matter and water. The dentine of the crown is covered by enamel and that of the root by cementum. The dentine is permeated by fine tubules, which near the centre of the tooth contain cellular processes from the pulp. Exposed dentine is sensitive to touch, heat, and cold.... dentine

Enamel

n. the hard outer covering of the crown of a *tooth. It is formed before tooth eruption by *ameloblasts. The hardest substance in the human body, it is 96% mineral (primarily crystal *hydroxyapatite).... enamel

Bone Scan

an imaging investigation of a patient’s bone using radioactive *tracers. *Technetium-99m phosphate is injected intravenously and absorbed into the hydroxyapatite crystals of bone. It concentrates in areas of increased blood flow and metabolism, such as areas of infection, trauma, and *neoplasia, and gives off radiation that can be detected by a *gamma camera, thereby producing a map or scan of activity in the target area. A bone scan is particularly useful in the diagnosis of subtle fractures (including stress fractures), avascular necrosis (see osteonecrosis), osteomyelitis, tumour spread (metastasis), and loosening of orthopaedic implants.... bone scan

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