Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis: Introduction

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis typically caused by age-related wear-and-tear. In diagnosis, it must be distinguished from other types of arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis (second-most common type, affecting younger adults and juveniles), and various types of secondary arthritis that are caused by an underlying condition: reactive arthritis caused by an infection, psoriatic arthritis from psoriasis, gonococcal arthritis from gonorrhea, and others. Other possible conditions with arthritis-like symptoms include ankylosing spondylitis (affecting the spine) and gout.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

• Joint symptoms
  • Joint pain
  • Joint stiffness
  • Joint tenderness
  • Tenderness around joint
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 52 symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Osteoarthritis:

• Home Andropause Tests
• Prostate Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Prostate Tests
  • Home PSA Antigen Tests
  • Home Testosterone Tests
• more tests...»

Osteoarthritis: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Osteoarthritis:

• Social limitations (see Society problems)
• Muscle inactivity (see Muscle symptoms)
• Frustration (see Irritability)
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Stress
• more complications...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Osteoarthritis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Osteoarthritis

• Physical examination
• X-rays
• Tests to rule out other types of arthritis
• more tests...»

Read more about tests for Osteoarthritis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Osteoarthritis?

• Misdiagnosis of Osteoarthritis
• Failure to diagnose Osteoarthritis
• Hidden causes of Osteoarthritis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Undiagnosed: Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available for Osteoarthritis:

• Pain
• Arthritis & Pain
• Back & Back pain
• more product offers...»

Osteoarthritis: Undiagnosed Conditions

Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:

• Chronic Pain Disorders -- serious medical disorders that may be undiagnosed:
  • Fibromyalgia -- Undiagnosed
  • Arthritis -- Undiagnosed
  • Chronic Pain Syndromes -- Undiagnosed
  • Migraine -- Undiagnosed
  • Back Pain -- Undiagnosed
  • more ...»
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Misdiagnosis and Osteoarthritis

Psoriatic arthritis often undiagnosed cause of joint conditions: Patients with the skin condition psoriasis can also have the related arthritis subtype called "psoriatic arthritis". This arthritic condition tends to be overlooked, even in patients with diagnosed psoriasis. See misdiagnosis of arthritis or psoriasis....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

• Bone, Joint and Orthopedic Specialists:
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
  • Rheumatology (Arthritis / Joint Pain)
• Arthritis & Joint Health Specialists (Rheumatology):
  • Rheumatology (Joint Health)
  • Pediatric Rheumatology (Child Joint Health)
• more specialists...»

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

• Rate Your Doctor Online
• Research Your Doctor Online
• Review Patient Surveys About Your Doctor
• Research local specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

• Joint injury
• Gout
• Lupus
• Viral hepatitis
• Pituitary tumors, adult - osteoarthritis
• more causes...»

See full list of 22 causes of Osteoarthritis

More information about causes of Osteoarthritis:

• Underlying causes of Osteoarthritis
• Osteoarthritis as a complication caused by other conditions
• Osteoarthritis as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Osteoarthritis

Treatments for Osteoarthritis

• Weight reduction - being too heavy does not help and strains weight-bearing joints
• Regular exercise - under medical supervision
• Rest
• Pain-relief
  • Acetaminophen
• more treatments...»

See full list of 62 treatments for Osteoarthritis

Latest Treatments for Osteoarthritis

• Weight reduction
• General fitness
• Heat
• Acetaminphen
• NSAIDs
• more treatments...»

See full list of 11 latest treatments for Osteoarthritis

News Archives for Osteoarthritis

Medical news articles related to Osteoarthritis include:

• Hip Osteoarthritis Therapy No Better Than Placebo
• Prescription Chondroitin May Help Knee Osteoarthritis
• Surgery for Knee Osteoarthritis No Better Than Therapy, Meds
• Almost Half of Adults Will Develop Knee Osteoarthritis by 85
• Modified MRI Spots Early Osteoarthritis
• Cane Use May Cut Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis
• Gender Bias at Play in Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis
• Occupational Therapy Plus Exercise Benefits Osteoarthritis
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Videos for Osteoarthritis

Patient Surveys for Osteoarthritis

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Osteoarthritis
  Take Survey  View Results

Reseach about Osteoarthritis

Visit our research pages for current research about Osteoarthritis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Osteoarthritis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Osteoarthritis include:

• Understanding the Differences in the Management of Patients With Arthritis of the Knee or Hip - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• An Effectiveness, Safety and Quality of Life Measures With Hydromorphone HCL, Dilaudid CR (Controlled Release) - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - OROS hydromorphone HCL ; OxyContin
• A Safety and Effectiveness Study of Acetaminophen (4000 Mg/Day) and Naproxen (750 Mg/Day) in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Hip or Knee - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - acetaminophen
• Trial Evaluating Devil's Claw for the Treatment of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil's claw)
• Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI): A Knee Health Study - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• more trials...»

See full list of 267 Clinical Trials for Osteoarthritis

Prevention of Osteoarthritis

Prevention information for Osteoarthritis has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Osteoarthritis.

• Avoid joint injury
• Weight loss - reduces the stress on knees, hips, and other joints.
• Estrogen replacement therapy - some studies found women at lower risk of osteoarthritis but further study needed.
• more preventions...»

Read more about prevention of Osteoarthritis

Statistics for Osteoarthritis

• Medical statistics for Osteoarthritis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Osteoarthritis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Osteoarthritis
• Society statistics for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis: Broader Related Topics

• Rheumatic conditions
• Arthritis
• Back conditions
• Spinal conditions
• more types...»

Types of Osteoarthritis

Types of Osteoarthritis

• Knee osteoarthritis
• Hand osteoarthritis
• Finger osteoarthritis
• Thumb osteoarthritis
• Wrist osteoarthritis
• more types...»

See full list of 7 Types of Osteoarthritis

Curable Types of Osteoarthritis

Possibly curable types of Osteoarthritis include:

• Inflammatory osteoarthritis
• more types...»

Rare Types of Osteoarthritis:

Rare types of Osteoarthritis include:

• Chondromalacia patellae
• Inflammatory osteoarthritis
• Erosive osteoarthritis
• more types...»

Stories from Users Related to Osteoarthritis

• My joints are getting worse Please Help
• degenerative joint disease in spine
• Joints clicking????
• Blistering on Joints? (Pictures!)
• Joint
• Noisy joints - why?
• All my joints are going wrong!
• my clicking joints
• Osteoarthritis at 22
• Joints Inflamation?
• Weird Joint popping that is spreading..
• Wierd joint feelings
• is this just osteoarthritis?
• Okay guys if you value your balls drop that joint
• sacroilliac joint syndrome
• Osteoarthritis Warning! Hemochromatosis.

Related forums and medical stories:

• Back Conditions (105)
  • early morning back pain
  • sciatica nightmare
  • MRI reveals multi-level degenerative disc disease
  • a new vertebrae????????
  • Pain for over 1 year
  • More user stories

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Osteoarthritis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Osteoarthritis

Handout on Health Osteoarthritis: NIAMS (Excerpt)

Osteoarthritis (AH-stee-oh-ar-THREYE-tis) is the most common type of arthritis, especially among older people. Sometimes it is called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis. (Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Osteoarthritis: NIAMS)

Do I have Arthritis: NIAMS (Excerpt)

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This is the form that usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows an injury to a joint. For example, a young person might hurt his knee badly playing soccer. Then, years after the knee has apparently healed, he might get arthritis in his knee joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the body's own defense system doesn't work properly. It affects joints, bones, and organs--often the hands and feet. You may feel sick or tired, and you may have a fever.

Other conditions can also cause arthritis. Some include:

• Gout, in which crystals build up in the joints. It usually affects the big toe.
  
  

• Lupus (LOOP-us), in which the body's defense system can harm the joints, the heart, the skin, the kidneys, and other organs.
  
  

• Viral hepatitis (VY-rul HEP-ah-TY-tis), in which an infection of the liver can cause arthritis.

Do I Have Arthritis?  

What Can I Do?  

How Will the Doctor Help?  

How Should I Use Arthritis Medicine?  

What If I Still Hurt?