What is the disease osteoarthritis?

What are the causes osteoarthritis?

What are some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

How is the disease osteoarthritis often diagnosed?

How is osteoarthritis regularly treated?

What is the disease osteoarthritis?

The disease Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the loss and breakdown of cartilage of one or more joints on the body. Cartilage is a protein like substance that serves as a "cushion or lubricant" between the bones of the joints. Osteoarthritis can also be known as degenerative arthritis. Among the over 110 types of arthritis conditions, osteoarthritis is the most common, affecting over 25 million people in the United States and Canada. Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently as people age. Before the age of 45, osteoarthritis occurs more rapidly in males. After the age off 55 years, it occurs more often in women. In the United States and Canada, all races appear affected equally. It has been reported that a higher incidence of osteoarthritis exists in the Japanese population, while South African blacks, East Indians and Southern Chinese have much lower rates.

What are the causes osteoarthritis?

Mainly osteoarthritis is related to aging. When people age, the water content of the cartilage increases and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. The Repetitive use of the joints over the years irritates and inflames the cartilage, causing joint pain and swelling. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny crevasses. In advanced Osteoarthritis cases, there is a total loss of the cartilage cushion between the bones of the joints. The Loss of cartilage cushion causes friction between the bones, leading to pain and limitation of joint mobility. Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate new bone outgrowths (spurs) to form around the joints. Osteoarthritis occasionally can be found in multiple members of the same family, implying an heredity (genetic) basis for this condition.

What some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints. Unlike many other forms of arthritis that are systemic illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus, osteoarthritis does not affect other organs of the body. The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain in the affected joint(s) after repetitive use. Joint pain is usually worse later in the day. There can be swelling, warmth, and creaking of the affected joints. Pain and stiffness of the joints can also occur after long periods of inactivity, for example, sitting in a theater. In severe osteoarthritis, complete loss of cartilage cushion causes friction between bones, causing pain at rest or pain with limited motion.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis vary greatly from patient to patient. Some patients can be debilitated by their symptoms. On the other hand, others may have remarkably few symptoms in spite of dramatic degeneration of the joints apparent on x-rays. Symptoms also can be intermittent. It is not unusual for patients with osteoarthritis of the hands and knees to have years of pain-free intervals between symptoms.

How is the disease osteoarthritis often diagnosed?

There is no blood test for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Blood tests are performed to exclude diseases that can cause secondary osteoarthritis, as well as to exclude other arthritis conditions that can mimic osteoarthritis.

X-rays of the affected joints can suggest osteoarthritis. The common x-ray findings of osteoarthritis include loss of joint cartilage, narrowing of the joint space between adjacent bones, and bone spur formation. Simple x-ray testing can be very helpful to exclude other causes of pain in a particular joint as well as assist the decision-making as to when surgical intervention should be considered.

Arthrocentesis is often performed in the doctor's office. During arthrocentesis, a sterile needle is used to remove joint fluid for analysis. Joint fluid analysis is useful in excluding gout, infection, and other causes of arthritis. Removal of joint fluid and injection of corticosteroids into the joints during arthrocentesis can help relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation.

How is osteoarthritis regularly treated?

Aside from weight reduction and avoiding activities that exert excessive stress on the joint cartilage, there is no specific treatment to halt cartilage degeneration or to repair damaged cartilage in osteoarthritis. The goal of treatment in osteoarthritis is to reduce joint pain and inflammation while improving and maintaining joint function. Some patients with osteoarthritis have minimal or no pain, and may not need treatment. Others may benefit from conservative measures such as rest, exercise, weight reduction, physical and occupational therapy, and mechanical support devices. These measures are particularly important when large, weight-bearing joints are involved, such as the hips or knees. In fact, even modest weight reduction can help to decrease symptoms of osteoarthritis of the large joints, such as the knees and hips. Medications are used to complement the physical measures described above. Medication may be used topically, taken orally, or injected into the joints to decrease joint inflammation and pain. When conservative measures fail to control pain and improve joint function, surgery can be considered.