OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. About 27 million people in America have osteoarthritis. It is a disease affecting the cartilage that cushions the joints, causing breakdown. This results in bones rubbing against each other, causing stiffness, pain, and loss of movement. The cause is not fully understood. There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but there are medications to help relieve the pain. If the pain is unbearable, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms of arthritis, commonly known as “wear and tear” arthritis. About 27 million people in the United States suffer from OA. It is a disease affecting the cartilage that cushions the joints and protects the bones, causing thinning and breakdown of the cartilage. This results in bones rubbing against each other, causing stiffness, pain, and loss of movement.

A joint, such as the wrist or elbow joint, is where the ends of bones meet. For example, the wrist joint is comprised of the bones of the hand and the radius and ulna. There is cartilage on the bones to assist in the smooth gliding movements of the joints. With OA, the cartilage slowly wears away over time. Without the smooth gliding surface that the cartilage provides, the bone ends are exposed to each other with a rough surface and motion is not as fluid anymore. The bones now rub against each other causing pain and inflammation. OA takes years to develop and usually affects middle-aged and older individuals.

Early symptoms include dull pain and aches as well as stiffness and swelling of the joint. Abnormal sounds can be accompanied by joint movement, like clicking or grinding. As the disease progresses, the joints might weaken, making it hard to perform mundane activities. Unfortunately, there is no cure for OA, but there are treatments that can preserve joint function and relieve pain. Most treatments involve lifestyle modifications, anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy. Avoiding high-impact activities and switching to stretching, walking and swimming will help ease the pain. Anti-inflammatory medication helps to reduce swelling and aid in pain relief.

If these treatment plans don’t work surgery may be recommended based on the patient’s history. Various procedures are available to help manage this condition including arthroscopy, osteotomy, joint fusion and joint replacement.