Osteoarthritis | OA | MedlinePlus

Osteoarthritis | OA | MedlinePlus

Osteoarthritis

Also called: Degenerative joint disease, OA, Osteoarthrosis

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• Bone x-ray
• Cervical spondylosis
• Lumbosacral spine CT
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Synovial fluid analysis
• Tibial osteotomy - slideshow

Related Health Topics

• Arthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Osteoarthritis is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Osteoarthritis

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• Know the Difference: Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis?

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Summary

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It causes pain, swelling, and reduced motion in your joints. It can occur in any joint, but usually it affects your hands, knees, hips or spine.

Osteoarthritis breaks down the cartilage in your joints. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage absorbs the shock of movement. When you lose cartilage, your bones rub together. Over time, this rubbing can permanently damage the joint.

Risk factors for osteoarthritis include

• Being overweight
• Getting older
• Injuring a joint

No single test can diagnose osteoarthritis. Most doctors use several methods, including medical history, a physical exam, x-rays, or lab tests.

Treatments include exercise, medicines, and sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Start Here

• Osteoarthritis (American Academy of Family Physicians)
• Osteoarthritis  (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Bone X-Ray (Radiography)  (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)Also in Spanish
• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• MRI of the Musculoskeletal System (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)Also in Spanish
• Synovial Fluid Analysis (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)

Treatments and Therapies

• Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Hip Replacement: MedlinePlus Health Topic  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Knee Replacement: MedlinePlus Health Topic  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Shoulder Joint Replacement (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Tibial osteotomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Time to Talk: 6 Things You Should Know about Dietary Supplements for Osteoarthritis  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)

Living With

• Living with Arthritis (American Occupational Therapy Association) - PDF
• Mediterranean Diet for Osteoarthritis (Arthritis Foundation)

Related Issues

• Bone Spurs (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Paget's Disease of Bone and Osteoarthritis: Different Yet Related  (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Specifics

• Arthritis of the Thumb (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Arthritis of the Wrist (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Degenerative Changes in the Spine: Is This Arthritis? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)Also in Spanish
• Osteoarthritis of the Hand (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)Also in Spanish
• Thumb Arthritis (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: osteoarthritis  (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• Osteoarthritis  (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Arthritis by the Numbers: Book of Trusted Facts & Figures (Arthritis Foundation) - PDF
• FastStats: Arthritis (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Long-term Benefit of Steroid Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis Challenged (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Osteoarthritis  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: The efficacy and safety of polydeoxyribonucleotide for the treatment of knee... 
• Article: Comparison of mortality and complications between bilateral simultaneous and staged total... 
• Article: Posterior cruciate ligament resection in total knee arthroplasty: the effect on... 
• Osteoarthritis -- see more articles 

Reference Desk

• Arthritis Glossary (Arthritis Foundation) - PDF

Find an Expert

• Arthritis Foundation: Local Office Directory (Arthritis Foundation)
• Find a Rheumatologist (American College of Rheumatology)
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Osteoarthritis (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish