Diagnosis

Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to controlling osteoarthritis. Your doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical exam to assess your disease activity. He or she may use X-rays to confirm or strengthen a diagnosis, although most people over 60 reflect OA on X-ray while only 1/3 have actual symptoms.

If you have osteoarthritis, you may be treated by many different health professionals, but more than likely, it will be your primary care physician who diagnoses you. Depending on the severity of the disease and how it reacts to initial treatment, you may be referred to an arthritis specialist called a rheumatologist. Other health professionals you may encounter along the way may include orthopaedic surgeons, physical therapists and occupational therapists. See A Glossary of Health Professionals for a full list of health care professionals you may have on your arthritis team.

Your doctor will use four main tools to determine your diagnosis: your medical history, a physical exam, X-rays, and joint aspiration. The medical history and physical exam will be what he or she bases the diagnosis on, using tests such as X-rays and joint aspirations to confirm the diagnosis.