Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people. You get it when the cartilage on the ends of your bones in the joints wears down over time.
Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.
The disease is irreversible but the symptoms can usually be effectively managed. Eating healthy and exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and other treatments may slow the progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function.
If you have joint pain or stiffness that doesn’t go away, make an appointment with a doctor.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that worsens over time. Joint pain and stiffness may become severe enough to make daily tasks difficult. Some people are no longer able to work. When joint pain is this severe, doctors may suggest joint replacement surgery.
Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs include:
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that permits nearly frictionless joint motion. In osteoarthritis, the surface that is normally smooth of the cartilage becomes rough.
Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, you may be left with bone rubbing on the bone.
Factors that may increase your risk of osteoarthritis include:
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The doctor will check for tenderness, swelling or redness, and for a range of motion in the joint. Your doctor may also recommend imaging and lab tests.
Imaging tests:
Lab tests:
Examining and testing the fluid can determine if there’s inflammation and if your pain is caused by gout or an infection.
Osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, but symptoms can be effectively managed:
Medications:
Pain may be helped by certainmedications, including:
Stronger NSAIDs, available by prescription, may also slightly reduce inflammation along with relieving pain. NSAIDs can cause stomach upset, cardiovascular problems, bleeding problems, and liver and kidney damage.
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