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Patient information about osteoarthritis

Updated: May 15, 2025


Introduction

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It develops when the cartilage lining your joints wears down over time, causing your bones to rub together. Common symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of motion, and joint deformity. While there’s no cure, you can manage symptoms through physical activity, weight management, joint protection, and self-management skills.


Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, but it most commonly impacts the following:

·        Hands: Particularly the joints at the base of the thumb and the ends of the fingers.

·        Knees: One of the most frequently affected areas, causing pain and stiffness.

·        Hips: Often leads to discomfort in the groin, thigh, or buttocks.

Symptoms

Here are the common signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis.

·       Pain: Affected joints may hurt during or after movement.

·       Stiffness: Joint stiffness is often noticeable upon awakening or after inactivity.

·       Tenderness: Applying light pressure to or near the joint may cause tenderness.

·       Loss of flexibility: You might be unable to move the joint through its full range of motion.

·       Grating sensation: Some people feel a grating sensation when using the joint, accompanied by popping or crackling sounds.

·       Bone spurs: These hard lumps can form around the affected joint.

·       Swelling: Soft tissue inflammation around the joint can lead to swelling.


Causes

Osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. Cartilage is a firm, slippery tissue that enables nearly frictionless joint motion. If the cartilage wears down completely, bone-on-bone contact occurs.

While osteoarthritis has been called a “wear and tear” disease, it affects the entire joint. It leads to changes in bone structure, deterioration of connective tissues that hold the joint together, and inflammation of the joint lining.


Risk factors

Several factors can increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis:

1.       Older age: The risk of osteoarthritis rises with age.

2.       Sex: Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, although the exact reasons aren’t entirely clear.

3.       Obesity: Carrying excess body weight contributes to osteoarthritis in multiple ways. Increased weight stresses weight-bearing joints (such as hips and knees), and fat tissue produces proteins that can lead to harmful joint inflammation.

4.       Joint injuries: Past injuries, even if they seemed to heal, can raise the risk of osteoarthritis. Sports-related injuries or accidents play a role.

5.       Repeated joint stress: Occupations or sports that place repetitive stress on a joint may eventually lead to osteoarthritis.

6.       Genetics: Some individuals inherit a predisposition to develop osteoarthritis.

7.       Bone deformities: Certain people are born with malformed joints or defective cartilage.

8.       Metabolic diseases: Conditions like diabetes and hemochromatosis (excess iron in the body) can also be associated with osteoarthritis risk.


Diagnosis

During the physical exam, doctor will examine the affected joint for tenderness, swelling, redness, and flexibility.


Imaging Tests: To get a clear picture of the affected joint, doctor might suggest:

·        X-rays: While cartilage itself doesn’t appear on X-ray images, cartilage loss can be indicated by a narrowing of the space between the bones in the joint. X-rays can also reveal bone spurs around a joint.

·        Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): This test uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of bones and soft tissues, including cartilage. Although not typically required for diagnosing osteoarthritis, an MRI can provide more information in complex cases.


Lab Tests: Analyzing blood or joint fluid can help confirm the diagnosis.

·        Blood Tests: There isn’t a specific blood test for osteoarthritis, but certain tests can help rule out other causes of joint pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

·        Joint Fluid Analysis: Your doctor might use a needle to draw fluid from the affected joint. This fluid is then tested for signs of inflammation and to determine whether your pain is caused by gout or an infection rather than osteoarthritis.


Treatment

·   Medications: NSAID, Paracetamol, Duloxetine.

· Pain Interventions: 1. Cortisone injections 2. Lubrication injections in the joint 3. Regenerative therapy (Ozone or PRP injections)

·   Surgery when indicated

·   Physiotherapy

·   Occupational therapy

 

You can always contact Dr Chinmoy Roy at Rajarhat pain clinic at Newtown, Kolkata for best advice.


 
 
 

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