Osteoarthritis
Description
Involves degeneration of cartilage at a joint. The joint becomes narrowed and irregular and bone spurs develop. There may be loss of cartilage and fibrous thickening of the soft tissue of the joint. The disorder can involve all joints, but occurs more often in fingers, feet, knees, hips and spine. It is more common after age 45.
Symptoms
Deep aching joint pain that gets worse after exercise, pain relieved by rest, grating of the joint with motion, joint pain in rainy weather, joint swelling, limited movement, morning stiffness.
Tests
A history and physical exam will be performed. An X-ray can demonstrate the extent of joint destruction. At times a CT scan and/or MRI is performed for more information.
- X-Ray
- CT Scan
- MRI
Treatment
The goals of treatment are to decrease pain and maintain function. Treatment includes: exercise, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications/NSAIDs (ibuprofen/Motrin or Advil, naproxen/Naprosyn), pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), and physical therapy. If the joint destruction is severe surgery may be required to restore proper function and reduce the pain.
Related Videos
News
MONDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- As head coach o...
Mike Krzyzewski has faced plenty of tough opponents...
Failing to train properly before physical activity ...
Emisphere Technologies, Inc. announced today that N...
Thousands of young sports enthusiasts may be destin...
Share Your Experience
Do you have experience with this disease? Do you or someone
you know suffer from Osteoarthritis?
Please share you experience with other members of the iTriage community.