Osteoarthritis

Affects the Joints Connecting to Bones and is Referred to as "Wear-and-Tear" Arthritis

Osteoarthritis, also known as wear-and-tear arthritis, is a condition affecting the natural cushioning, or cartilage, between joints.

Osteoarthritis Facts & Information

Commonly found in older patients, osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease with no cure. This progressively painful disease can affect any joint in the body but is shows up mostly in your hands, neck, lower back, knees, and hips.

If you, a friend, or a loved one is seeking relief from pain caused by osteoarthritis, you’ve come to the right place. Review the information below and schedule an appointment today to meet with one of our pain doctors in your area. Osteoarthritis will only worsen over time – find a non-surgical treatment that’s right for you today.

How & Why Does Osteoarthritis Develop?

Osteoarthritis will occur from either inflammation or injury. This damages cartilage tissue within the joint and will cause swelling, deformity, and pain. Cartilage covers the bones and protects them when rubbing against each other. It is a firm, rubber-like material and is made up of primarily proteins and water. The cartilage acts as a shock-absorbing surface. Osteoarthritis generally progresses slowly over the years from constant use.

There are 2 types of osteoarthritis:

Primary or the “wear and tear” osteoarthritis which generally affects the thumbs, fingers, spine, hips and knees
Secondary osteoarthritis occurs after an injury or inflammation of the joint

Symptoms

For hip osteoarthritis specifically, the most common symptoms include:

Difficulty walking
Difficultly with going up and down stairs
Pain in the groin
Pain going into the thigh, buttocks, or knees
Sharp, aching pain often associated with stiffness

Patients who have difficulty getting out of bed, experience joint stiffness when sitting for long periods of time, have pain or swelling in the hip joint or feel “crunching” sensation of the bone or a sense of bone moving against bone may have osteoarthritis of the hip need to seek medical evaluation.

Diagnosis

Proper diagnosis starts with an experienced physician. The type of pain that you may have with osteoarthritis can be similar to the symptoms of several types of disorders. Accurately determining the correct source of your pain is critical to successful treatment.

Begins with a thorough clinical evaluation
Including a complete medical history, analysis of your symptoms, and physical examination
Testing may include x-rays, MRI and/or CT scans, etc.

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