- Also called:
- osteoarthrosis
- Or:
- degenerative joint disease
osteoarthritis
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What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease, is characterized by the progressive deterioration of the articular cartilage or the entire joint. Estimates of incidence and prevalence vary across different regions and populations, but it is estimated that nearly 10 percent of men and about 18 percent of women over age 60 are affected by the condition.
Osteoarthritis is caused by biomechanical forces that stress the joints, interacting with biochemical and genetic factors. As osteoarthritis advances, pain, stiffness, and limited movement can arise, commonly affecting the vertebrae, knees, and hips. Treatments include pain relievers, rest, weight reduction, and physical therapy. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to relieve pain and improve joint function.
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Which joints are most often affected by osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting nearly one-third of people over age 65. It causes joint pain and mild inflammation from deterioration of the cartilage that cushions joints.
Osteoarthritis can affect one or multiple joints, but it predominantly involves the knee, hips, spine, and fingers. The disease may be asymptomatic, but as it progresses, pain, stiffness, and a limitation in movement may develop. Common sites of discomfort are the vertebrae, knees, and hips, which bear much of the weight of the body.
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What symptoms do people with osteoarthritis usually have?
Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is marked by gradual joint pain and mild inflammation, stemming from the deterioration of cartilage that cushions joints. The pain typically arises after activity and is often deep and achy.
Other common symptoms include:
* Crepitus, or crackling noises, in the affected joint during motion
* Muscle weakness
* Joint stiffness
* Decreased joint stability
* Enlargement of bony processes (osteophytes, or bone spurs) surrounding affected jointsIn the hip, osteoarthritis can affect gait, while in the hands, it can reduce dexterity.
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What causes osteoarthritis to develop in the joints?
Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) arises from a combination of biomechanical, biochemical, and genetic factors that stress joints. The articular cartilage, which cushions joints, deteriorates, leading to pain and mild inflammation.
Damage begins with small cracks in the cartilage, leading to erosion and painful bone-on-bone contact. The body attempts to regenerate destroyed tissue, resulting in increased bone density and uneven remodeling of the joint surface. Bony outgrowths (spurs) may develop, and reduced synovial fluid, a natural joint lubricant, further restricts joint movement.
Risk factors include joint trauma, age, obesity, genetics, and repetitive joint stress from certain occupations or sports.
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How is osteoarthritis diagnosed by doctors?
Osteoarthritis, the most prevalent joint disorder, is diagnosed through a comprehensive evaluation. Doctors typically begin with a physical exam to assess joint pain, swelling, and range of motion. Imaging techniques, such as X-rays, can reveal cartilage loss, bone spurs, and other joint damage characteristic of osteoarthritis. While not always necessary, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to provide more detailed images of the joint. Doctors may also order blood tests to rule out other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
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What treatments are available for people with osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis treatments range from conservative therapies to surgical interventions, depending on disease severity and location.
Moderate symptoms can be managed through analgesics for pain relief, periodic rest, weight reduction, and physical therapy or exercise. Corticosteroid injections and hyaluronic acid injections, which act as joint lubricants, can also alleviate pain and stiffness. More severe cases may require surgical procedures such as joint debridement or hip or knee replacement to relieve pain and improve joint function.
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osteoarthritis, disorder of the joints characterized by progressive deterioration of the articular cartilage or of the entire joint, including the articular cartilage, the synovium (joint lining), the ligaments, and the subchondral bone (bone beneath the cartilage). Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, although estimates of incidence and prevalence vary across different regions of the world and among different populations. By some estimates nearly 10 percent of men and about 18 percent of women over age 60 are affected by the condition. Although its suffix indicates otherwise, osteoarthritis is not characterized by excessive joint inflammation as is the case with rheumatoid arthritis. The disease may be asymptomatic, especially in the early years of its onset. As it progresses, however, pain, stiffness, and a limitation in movement may develop. Common sites of discomfort are the vertebrae, knees, and hips—joints that bear much of the weight of the body.
The cause of osteoarthritis is not completely understood, but biomechanical forces that place stress on the joints (e.g., bearing weight, postural or orthopedic abnormalities, or injuries that cause chronic irritation of the bone) are thought to interact with biochemical and genetic factors to contribute to osteoarthritis. Early stages of the condition are characterized by changes in cartilage thickness, which in turn are associated with an imbalance between cartilage breakdown and repair. The cartilage eventually becomes softened and roughened. Over time the cartilage wears away, and the subchondral bone, deprived of its protective cover, attempts to regenerate the destroyed tissue, resulting in increased bone density at the site of damage and an uneven remodeling of the surface of the joint. Thick bony outgrowths called spurs sometimes develop. Articulation of the joint becomes difficult. These developments are compounded by a reduction in synovial fluid, which acts as a natural joint lubricant and shock absorber.
Depending on the site and severity of the disease, various treatments are employed. Individuals who experience moderate symptoms can be treated by a combination of the following: analgesic (pain-relieving) medications, periodic rest, weight reduction, corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy or exercise. Surgical procedures such as hip or knee replacement or joint debridement (the removal of unhealthy tissue) may be necessary to relieve more severe pain and improve joint function. Injections of a joint lubricant consisting of hyaluronic acid, a substance normally found in synovial fluid, can help relieve pain and joint stiffness in some persons with osteoarthritis.
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Researchers have also been investigating the therapeutic potential of the purine nucleoside adenosine, a substance that is found naturally in cells and that has been developed into a drug for medical use. Studies in animals have shown that replenishing adenosine levels in diseased joints can aid cartilage regrowth.