Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentOA PreventionOther Types of ArthritisFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

OA Prevention

Other Types of Arthritis

Frequently Asked Questions

The terms “osteoarthritis” (OA) and “arthritis” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same things. Arthritis refers to over 100 joint conditions that causeinflammation(swelling) of one or more joints, while osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis. Arthritis will affect tissues around the joints and other connective tissues throughout the body.

Osteoarthritis is sometimes calleddegenerative arthritis, or wear-and-tear arthritis, because it occurs with use over time, as people age. It causes the breakdown ofcartilage—the firm, whitish, flexible connective tissue that covers the ends of bones where they meet to form a joint.

This article will cover osteoarthritis symptoms, causes, treatment, and more.

seksan Mongkhonkhamsao / Getty Images

Man seated on couch feels pain from knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis Symptoms

The main symptoms of OA are pain and stiffness in affected joints. Pain will be worse after an activity or after a long day. Joints can become stiff after rest or inactivity, but stiffness improves with movement. Symptoms of OA will vary depending on the activities you are doing.

OA can affect any joint. The most commonly affected joints are:

Other commonly affected joints from OA are the shoulders, hands, fingers, and feet.

Additional symptoms of OA include:

AsOA advances, pain can become more intense. You might also experience severe swelling in the tissues surrounding the affected joints.

Complications of OsteoarthritisLeft untreated, OA can lead to physical and emotional complications. Complications might include:Osteonecrosis(bone death)Ligament and tendon damageStress fractures(cracks in a bone due to overuse or repeated trauma)Hemarthrosis(blood near the joints)Anxiety and depressionJoint damageMobility troublesWork disabilityTalk to a healthcare provider if you think you might be experiencing a complication of OA or if you have concerns about the severity of OA symptoms.

Complications of Osteoarthritis

Left untreated, OA can lead to physical and emotional complications. Complications might include:Osteonecrosis(bone death)Ligament and tendon damageStress fractures(cracks in a bone due to overuse or repeated trauma)Hemarthrosis(blood near the joints)Anxiety and depressionJoint damageMobility troublesWork disabilityTalk to a healthcare provider if you think you might be experiencing a complication of OA or if you have concerns about the severity of OA symptoms.

Left untreated, OA can lead to physical and emotional complications. Complications might include:

Talk to a healthcare provider if you think you might be experiencing a complication of OA or if you have concerns about the severity of OA symptoms.

Primary OA is more common in older adults. Putting stress on the joints damages cartilage, leading to pain and swelling. Severe cartilage damage causes bones to rub against other bones in the joints, leading to more pain. Cartilage damage can also trigger the growth of bone spurs around the joints.

Osteoarthritis can run in families. In some cases, you can inherit an increased risk for the condition. According to a 2015 review, 40% to 70% of OA causes have a genetic component.This report shows heredity might account for 40% of knee OA cases, 60% of hip OA, 65% of hand OA, and around 70% of spine OA cases.

Genetic mutations (changes) associated with OA are seen in genes responsible for bone and cartilage formation.When there is a genetic component, it is possible to experience OA at a young age and for OA to progress rapidly.

Additional risk factors for OA include:

Treatment goals for OA are to alleviate pain and improve function.There is no cure for OA, but treatment can reduce the potential for joint damage and the need for surgical intervention.

Your treatment options for OA will depend on how severe your symptoms are and what joints are affected. For most people, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, home remedies, and lifestyle changes are enough to provide pain and symptom relief. Others will require more potent medicines or surgery to treat the effects of OA.

Medications

Different medications can provide relief from OA pain and other symptoms. They include:

Home Remedies

Home remedies, including hot and cold therapy and assistive devices, can help you manage OA pain, swelling, and stiffness and protect your joints.

Hot and Cold Therapy

Options for heat therapy include heating pads, heated washcloths or towels, or warm baths and showers. Cold therapy options include ice packs, a bag of frozen vegetables, or a frozen water bottle.

When to Use Heat or Ice for Knee Pain

Assistive Devices

Assistive devices to make home life easier include:

A physical or occupational therapist can help you decide which tools might help you best manage OA pain and keep pressure off affected joints.

Lifestyle Changes

Some lifestyle changes can help you manage the effects of OA and prevent damage to joints. These include:

Surgery

Your healthcare provider might recommend surgery if OA pain is unmanageable and interferes with your normal, daily activities. This recommendation is often made to people whose OA is severe.

Different surgical options are available, including minimally invasive ones and joint replacement surgery. While surgical intervention can come with risks, joint surgery can be an effective option for restoring joint function and reducing pain.

A healthy lifestyle that can reduce OA risk includes:

Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis type, but it is not the only type. Other common types of arthritis are RA,psoriatic arthritis(PsA), andgout:

Summary

OA causes the loss of cartilage, the slippery material at the ends of bones. The damaged cartilage makes movement painful and can lead to bone spurs and bone-on-bone pain. The symptoms you experience will depend on which joints are affected and might include deep, aching pain, morning stiffness, joint stiffness with rest, and pain with walking.

A Word From Verywell

Osteoarthritis gradually develops over many years or decades. For most people, having mild or infrequent joint pain does not warrant the need for treatment.

Some types of arthritis, however, require prompt medical attention. For example, inflammatory arthritis conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis can cause permanent damage. Quick treatment can help preserve your joint function and prevent serious health problems.

You should reach out to a healthcare provider if you experience pain or swelling in multiple joints that lasts more than three days or if you have several episodes of joint pain that last days at a time.

If you experience fever or severe fatigue with joint pain, let a healthcare provider know immediately. They can examine you and determine the source of joint pain before any serious problems arise.

The most common triggers of OA pain are overdoing activities or joint trauma. Other triggers might include cold weather, severe weather changes (barometric pressure changes), repetitive joint motions, and stress.Learn MoreWhat Causes Arthritis Flare-Ups and How to Treat Them

The most common triggers of OA pain are overdoing activities or joint trauma. Other triggers might include cold weather, severe weather changes (barometric pressure changes), repetitive joint motions, and stress.

Learn MoreWhat Causes Arthritis Flare-Ups and How to Treat Them

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most painful types of arthritis. It causes painful swelling in the joints, especially the small joints of the hands and feet. It can affect other tissues in the body, including the organs.Learn MoreRheumatoid Arthritis Pain Medications

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most painful types of arthritis. It causes painful swelling in the joints, especially the small joints of the hands and feet. It can affect other tissues in the body, including the organs.

Learn MoreRheumatoid Arthritis Pain Medications

Learn MoreCan Osteoarthritis Be Reversed?

10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).Neogi T.The epidemiology and impact of pain in osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013;21(9):1145-1153. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2013.03.018National Institute of Aging.Osteoarthritis.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739Ramos YF, den Hollander W, Bovée JV, et al.Genes involved in the osteoarthritis process identified through genome wide expression analysis in articular cartilage; the RAAK study.PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e103056. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103056American College of Rheumatology.Osteoarthritis.Osani MC, Bannuru RR.Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Korean J Intern Med. 2019;34(5):966-973. doi:10.3904/kjim.2018.460National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Suzuki Y, Iijima H, Tashiro Y, et al.Home exercise therapy to improve muscle strength and joint flexibility effectively treats pre-radiographic knee OA in community-dwelling elderly: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rheumatol. 2019;38(1):133-141. doi:10.1007/s10067-018-4263-3University of Rochester Medical Center.How to prevent osteoarthritis.

10 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).Neogi T.The epidemiology and impact of pain in osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013;21(9):1145-1153. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2013.03.018National Institute of Aging.Osteoarthritis.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739Ramos YF, den Hollander W, Bovée JV, et al.Genes involved in the osteoarthritis process identified through genome wide expression analysis in articular cartilage; the RAAK study.PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e103056. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103056American College of Rheumatology.Osteoarthritis.Osani MC, Bannuru RR.Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Korean J Intern Med. 2019;34(5):966-973. doi:10.3904/kjim.2018.460National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Suzuki Y, Iijima H, Tashiro Y, et al.Home exercise therapy to improve muscle strength and joint flexibility effectively treats pre-radiographic knee OA in community-dwelling elderly: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rheumatol. 2019;38(1):133-141. doi:10.1007/s10067-018-4263-3University of Rochester Medical Center.How to prevent osteoarthritis.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).Neogi T.The epidemiology and impact of pain in osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013;21(9):1145-1153. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2013.03.018National Institute of Aging.Osteoarthritis.Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739Ramos YF, den Hollander W, Bovée JV, et al.Genes involved in the osteoarthritis process identified through genome wide expression analysis in articular cartilage; the RAAK study.PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e103056. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103056American College of Rheumatology.Osteoarthritis.Osani MC, Bannuru RR.Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Korean J Intern Med. 2019;34(5):966-973. doi:10.3904/kjim.2018.460National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Suzuki Y, Iijima H, Tashiro Y, et al.Home exercise therapy to improve muscle strength and joint flexibility effectively treats pre-radiographic knee OA in community-dwelling elderly: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rheumatol. 2019;38(1):133-141. doi:10.1007/s10067-018-4263-3University of Rochester Medical Center.How to prevent osteoarthritis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).

Neogi T.The epidemiology and impact of pain in osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013;21(9):1145-1153. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2013.03.018

National Institute of Aging.Osteoarthritis.

Yucesoy B, Charles LE, Baker B, Burchfiel CM.Occupational and genetic risk factors for osteoarthritis: a review.Work. 2015;50(2):261-273. doi:10.3233/WOR-131739

Ramos YF, den Hollander W, Bovée JV, et al.Genes involved in the osteoarthritis process identified through genome wide expression analysis in articular cartilage; the RAAK study.PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e103056. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103056

American College of Rheumatology.Osteoarthritis.

Osani MC, Bannuru RR.Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Korean J Intern Med. 2019;34(5):966-973. doi:10.3904/kjim.2018.460

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.

Suzuki Y, Iijima H, Tashiro Y, et al.Home exercise therapy to improve muscle strength and joint flexibility effectively treats pre-radiographic knee OA in community-dwelling elderly: a randomized controlled trial.Clin Rheumatol. 2019;38(1):133-141. doi:10.1007/s10067-018-4263-3

University of Rochester Medical Center.How to prevent osteoarthritis.

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