What is Osteoarthritis?
What is Osteoarthritis?
- Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition characterised by mechanical disrturbances due to degradation of joints. It is the most common form of arthritis, and the leading cause of chronic disability.
- Osteoarthritis: Noninflammatory degenerative joint disease occurring chiefly in older persons, characterised by degeneration of the articular cartilage, hypertrophy of bone at the margins and changes in the synovial membrane. It is accompanied by pain and stiffness, particularly after prolonged activity. (On-line Medical Dictionary)
Source - Diseases Database
- Osteoarthritis: chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints; the most common form of arthritis occurring usually after middle age.
Source - WordNet 2.1
Osteoarthritis: Introduction
Types of Osteoarthritis:
Types of Osteoarthritis:
Broader types of Osteoarthritis:
How many people get Osteoarthritis?
Prevalance of Osteoarthritis: 20 million people (NIAMS); more than 16 million people (NWHIC)
Prevalance Rate of Osteoarthritis: approx 1 in 13 or 7.35% or 20 million people in USA [about data]
Prevalance of Osteoarthritis:
More than 20 million people in the
United States probably have the disease.
(Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Osteoarthritis: NIAMS)
...
osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting an
estimated 20.7 million adults in the United States. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases: NIAMS)
Who gets Osteoarthritis?
Patient Profile for Osteoarthritis: Typically older people (about half by age 65) but reasonably common by the 40's; younger people mainly from an injury.
Profile for Osteoarthritis:
Some younger people get
osteoarthritis from a joint injury, but osteoarthritis most often occurs
in older people. In fact, by age 65, more than half of the population
has x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis in at least one joint.
(Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Osteoarthritis: NIAMS)
Gender Profile for Osteoarthritis: Women 60%. Men and women both get osteoarthritis but men get it earlier.
Gender Profile for Osteoarthritis:
Both men and women have the disease. Before age 45, more
men have it, while after age 45 osteoarthritis is more common in women.
(Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Osteoarthritis: NIAMS)
How serious is Osteoarthritis?
Complications of Osteoarthritis:
see complications of Osteoarthritis
What causes Osteoarthritis?
Causes of Osteoarthritis: see causes of Osteoarthritis
Cause of Osteoarthritis: Damage or wear-and-tear on cartilage in the joints. May be sped up by injury, abnormality or other type of arthritis.
Risk factors for Osteoarthritis:
see
risk factors for Osteoarthritis
What are the symptoms of Osteoarthritis?
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis:
see symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Complications of Osteoarthritis:
see complications of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis: Testing
Diagnostic testing: see tests for Osteoarthritis.
Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Osteoarthritis.
How is it treated?
Doctors and Medical Specialists for Osteoarthritis: Rheumatologists, Orthopaedists
;
see also doctors and medical specialists for Osteoarthritis.
Treatments for Osteoarthritis:
see treatments for Osteoarthritis
Prevention of Osteoarthritis:
see prevention of Osteoarthritis
Research for Osteoarthritis:
see research for Osteoarthritis
Organs Affected by Osteoarthritis:
Organs and body systems related to Osteoarthritis include:
Name and Aliases of Osteoarthritis
Main name of condition: Osteoarthritis
Other names or spellings for Osteoarthritis:
degenerative joint disease, osteoarthrosis, OA
Degenerative joint disease, OA
Source - Diseases Database
Osteoarthritis, Degenerative arthritis, Degenerative arthritis, Degenerative joint disease
Source - WordNet 2.1
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» Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for Osteoarthritis
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