Osteoarthritis
Are you having joint pain and stiffness? You may have a condition known as osteoarthritis. This video presents the information you need to know about your diagnosis and how to feel better soon.
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Transcript
Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, commonly affects the weight-bearing joints of the body such as the hips, knees, and spine. But, it may also affect other joints including those of the hands. In osteoarthritis, the cushion on the end of the bone - the cartilage - begins to wear down, resulting in pain. Although the exact cause of osteoarthritis is unknown, a variety of factors may increase an individual’s risk.
While in the past it was believed that osteoarthritis developed as an individual got older because the joints just wore out, we know now that age is just one cause. Obesity, repetitive movements, and a prior severe injury to a joint can lead to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of the fingers develops more frequently in women than men, and occurs more frequently in some families. Osteoarthritis is not an infectious illness. In other words, you cannot catch it from another individual.
A physician can diagnose osteoarthritis by obtaining a medical history, performing an examination of the joints, and ordering x-rays. An x-ray will show that the joint space where the cartilage separates the two bones is narrowed or absent. The x-ray may also show bone spurs that can be responsible for some of the pain. Blood tests are usually normal.
Symptoms of Your Diagnosis
Most individuals begin to notice osteoarthritis as gradual joint pain and stiffness, most commonly in the hands, knees, hips, and back. Pain and stiffness usually worsen with activity and toward the end of the day. Osteoarthritis may also affect the neck and feet.
Pain and stiffness may make it more difficult to perform some daily activities such as bending at the waist, grasping or reaching for objects, turning the neck and walking, or climbing stairs. While there is no cure, medications, exercises, and assistive devices can decrease the pain and improve one’s quality of life.
Treatment
The best management of osteoarthritis is a combination of different treatments. Acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen are used to decrease the pain and stiffness. A physical therapist can provide exercises to strengthen muscles that provide stability to the joints which may help decrease pain.
Water exercise programs may be particularly beneficial because the water decreases the stress on the joints. An occupational therapist provides hand exercises and may discuss ways to do certain activities differently, or suggest an assistive device to avoid pain. Joint surgery, such as a hip or knee replacement, may be recommended if the pain is particularly severe, and if an x-ray shows there is no space between the two bones of the joint.
The Dos:
- Take your medication as prescribed.
- Ask your doctor what over-the-counter pain medications you may take with your prescription medications.
- Eat a well-balanced diet and lose those extra pounds if you are overweight. Perform a physician-prescribed exercise program because exercise can decrease the pain of osteoarthritis.
The DON’Ts:
- Don’t wait to see whether a side effect from the medication will go away.
- Don’t overeat and assume a gain of two or three pounds a year will not affect your pain.
- Don’t continue an exercise program that causes pain. If pain after exercise continues, it usually means the exercise needs to be modified specifically for you.
When to Call Your Doctor:
- You experience any medication side effects.
- The medication and other treatments are not decreasing the pain.
- You believe you may need a referral to a physical therapist or an occupational therapist.
