Osteoarthritis
What Causes Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis can occur in anyone but is especially common if among people with history of:
Even without these conditions, it is still possible to develop osteoarthritis
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms generally build up over time and include:
How is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed?
Physical exam:
Many common symptoms can be checked during a standard physical examination. Joint swelling, stiffness, muscle weakness and instability are easy to identify.
X-Rays:
This imaging technique often shows joint space narrowing, increased density of the bone, cysts in the bone, or bone spurs. If these finding are present on X-ray, CT or MRI scans are not necessary
How Do We Treat Osteoarthritis?
There are four categories of treatment for controlling symptoms and improving the quality of life in people with osteroarthritis.
- Exercise: Maintaining a healthy body weight and remaining active are important parts of preserving joint function. Low-impact exercises such as walking, hiking, biking, and swimming can be effective. Physical therapy can also help strengthen muscles and improve motion.
- Medications: Anti-inflammatory medications can be administered orally or by injection into the painful joint. Synthetic joint fluids commonly called viscosupplements are also available by injection.
- Procedures: Genicular artery embolization is a minimally invasive procedure for providing immediate and long-term pain relief for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee by reducing blood flow to the lining of the knee.
- Surgery:Total knee replacement surgery is a safe and effective option for decreasing pain and function in most patients. This surgical procedure uses metal and plastic to resurface bone and cartilage damaged by arthritis