What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that shows up as a degeneration of cartilage in your joints. It can expose and cause wear in the bone that is underneath joints. OA typically manifests as pain and stiff joints, usually in a patient's 40's.

OA has also been called Degenerative Joint Disease, and is the most common form of arthritis.
There are two forms of OA:
- Idiopathic (localized):
- Secondary: caused by trauma, congenital disorders, and problems in the metabolic, endocrine, or neuropathic systems.
Symptoms typically show up in:
- Knees
- Hips
- Joints in hands
- Joints in spine

Why Should You Care?

13.9% of Americans older than 25 have OA
- In patients older than 65, this percentage goes up to 33.6%
OA accounts for ~ 6% of all arthritis-related deaths, though this may be underestimated
- It also is an underlying factor for 55% of arthritis-related hospitalizations
Americans spend $7.9 billion on knee and hip replacements every year
Patients with OA typically spend $5700 per year (as of 2000)
Job-related OA costs range from $3.4-13.2 billion per year

Causes

The specific causes for OA are unknown
- It's thought that OA is caused by both mechanical and molecular events in each joint that's affected

Risk Factors

Age	Gender
Bone Deformities	Joint injuries
Obesity	Repetitive-Stress Jobs
Diabetes	Underactive thyroid
Gout	Paget's Disease

Symptoms

OA is characterized by a focal and progressive loss of the hyaline cartilage in joints and in changes in the underlying bone of joints.
When diagnosing, doctors typically have two methods through which they identify OA:
- Pathology: x-ray changes (joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and bony sclerosis)
- Symptoms: Pain, swelling, and stiffness

Treatments

There's no cure for osteoarthritis, but it can be managed

Weight loss	Medications to manage inflammation
Patient education	Support groups
Surgical joint replacement	Surgical bone realignment
Fusion of bones	Arthroscopy

Resources

While there are no support groups in the Kenosha or Gurnee areas, the Center for Disease Control has some really in-depth support material. In addition, the Arthritis Foundation has several online support groups as well as information regarding coping with arthritis

* CIS does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The content is for informational purposes only.