Osteoarthritis, the most common type of
arthritis, is especially common in older people. The disease is thought to affect over 20 million people in the United States.
Osteoarthritis starts when cartilage begins to become ragged and wears away. Cartilage is the tissue that pads bones in a joint. At osteoarthritis's worst, all of the cartilage in a joint wears away, leaving bones that rub against each other.
You are most likely to have osteoarthritis in your hands, neck, lower back, or the large weight-bearing joints of your body, such as knees and hips.
Osteoarthritis is sometimes called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that mostly affects the cartilage.
Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another. It also absorbs energy from the shock of physical movement.
In a person with osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its normal shape. Also, bone spurs -- small growths called osteophytes -- may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space. This causes more pain and damage.
What causes osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis research scientists do not know the exact cause or causes of osteoarthritis. Growing older is what most often puts you at risk of developing osteoarthritis. Other than that, scientists think the cause depends on which part of the body is involved. For example, osteoarthritis in the hands or hips may run in families.
Knee osteoarthritis can be linked with being overweight. Injuries or overuse may cause osteoarthritis in joints such as the knees, hips, or hands.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis symptoms can range from stiffness and mild pain that comes and goes with activities like walking, bending, or stooping -- to severe joint pain that keeps on even when you rest or try to sleep. Sometimes osteoarthritis causes your joints to feel stiff when you haven't moved them in a while, such as after riding in the car. But the stiffness goes away when you move the joint. Over time, osteoarthritis can also cause problems moving joints -- and sometimes disability -- if your back, knees, or hips are affected.
Unlike some other forms of
arthritis, osteoarthritis affects only joints and not internal organs. One example of a type of arthritis that affects other parts of the body besides the joints is
rheumatoid arthritis (which is the second-most-common form of arthritis). Rheumatoid arthritis -- which begins at a younger age than osteoarthritis does -- causes swelling and redness in joints, and may also make people feel sick, tired, and feverish (though this is rare).
(Click Osteoarthritis Symptoms for more information on possible symptoms of osteoarthritis, as well as some specific symptoms of osteoarthritis by location.)
There is no one specific test that can be used for diagnosing osteoarthritis. Therefore, in order to make a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, the healthcare provider will ask a number of questions, and may recommend certain tests. These tests may include x-rays or blood tests.
Doctors often combine treatments to fit a patient's needs, lifestyle, and health.
Preventing Osteoarthritis
There is no guaranteed way to prevent osteoarthritis. However, there are a number of choices that you can make that may help slow down or even stop osteoarthritis from occurring in the first place.
Some of these suggestions include:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Eating a well-balanced, healthy diet
- Exercising regularly
- Preventing joint injuries.
Statistics on Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent causes of physical disability among adults. More than 20 million people in the United States have the disease. By 2030, an estimated 20 percent of Americans -- about 70 million people -- will have passed their 65th birthday and will be at risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Although some younger people get osteoarthritis from joint injuries, the disease most often occurs in older people. In fact, more than half of the population ages 65 and older would likely show x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis in at least one joint. Both men and women have the disease. Before age 45, more men than women have osteoarthritis; but after age 45, it is more common in women.
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