Osteoarthritis

What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease that most often affects middle-aged elderly people. It is commonly referred to as “wear and tear” arthritis, but OA is a disease of the entire joint, involving the cartilage, joint lining, ligaments, and bone. OA affects people of all races and both sexes. Most often, it occurs in patients aged 40 and above. OA is a top cause of disability in older people.

Common Symptoms:

• Joint pain and stiffness.
• Knobby swelling at the joint.
• Cracking or grinding noise with joint movement.

Treatment

The goal of osteoarthritis treatment is to reduce pain and improve function.

• Exercise and weight loss.
• Drug therapies such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Cymbalta is also sometimes prescribed to reduce pain.
• Joint injections with corticosteroids.
• Surgical treatment becomes an option for severe cases.

Living with Osteoarthritis

There is no cure for OA, but you can manage how it affects your quality of life. Some tips include:

• Properly position and support your neck and back while sitting or sleeping
• Adjust furniture, such as raising a chair or toilet seat
• Avoid repeated motions of the joint
• Lose weight if you are overweight or obese, which can reduce pain and slow progression of OA
• Exercise each day
• Use adaptive devices that will help you do daily activities