Description One or more painful joints resulting from degeneration of cartilage in the...
Description
One or more painful joints resulting from degeneration of cartilage in the joints. When cartilage thins, bone just beneath the cartilage thickens to absorb more impact. On x-ray, there is a smaller amount of separation between bones than is normal (this is caused by thinning of cartilage ). Thickening of bone at the edge of a joint can create ridges of bone. When a ridge of bone is seen on a 2-dimensional x-ray it is called a bone spur in x-ray reports. Osteoarthritis commonly occurs more in fingers, thumb and wrist, 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
Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. An X-ray can demonstrate thinned cartilage, thickened bone, ridges of bone that are named bone spurs; At times a CT scan and/or MRI is performed for more information.
Tests:
CT Scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray
Do I need this test?
Don't use glucosamine and chondroitin to treat patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee. Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate do not provide relief for patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.
Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, Rheumatology, Pediatrics, Family Practice, Podiatry, Joint Replacement Surgery
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. An X-ray can demonstrate thinned cartilage, thickened bone, ridges of bone that are named bone spurs; At times a CT scan and/or MRI is performed for more information.
Tests:
CT Scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray
Do I need this test?
Don't use glucosamine and chondroitin to treat patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee. Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate do not provide relief for patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.
Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, Rheumatology, Pediatrics, Family Practice, Podiatry, Joint Replacement Surgery
Treatment
The goals of treatment are to decrease pain and maintain function. Treatment includes: exercise, pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications/NSAIDs (ibuprofen/Motrin or Advil, naproxen/Naprosyn), braces (especially for knee arthritis), joint injections, and physical therapy. Osteoarthritis gets worse over time. When it is severe joint replacement surgery can improve function and relieve pain.