Frequently Asked Questions About Osteoarthritis
Getting Diagnosed
How is osteoarthritis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis begins with a medical history, or information about your health background. Because certain conditions can be inherited, your doctor will ask about which conditions run in your family. Your doctor will also want to find out about the symptoms that prompted you to seek medical attention. Points your doctor may want to know include:
• a description of your symptoms
• details about when and how the pain or other symptoms began
• where you are feeling pain, stiffness or other symptoms
• how the symptoms are affecting you
• whether you have other medical problems that could be causing these symptoms
The next important part of the diagnostic process is the physical exam. During the exam your doctor will look at your joist and touch those you’ve described as painful. He or she will be looking for areas that are tender, painful or swollen as well as indications that joints may be damaged.
To find out how arthritis is affecting your body, your doctor may ask you to stand up and move certain joints. This will show the range of motion in your joints or how well you can move each joint through its full capabilities. The doctor will examine the position and alignment of your neck and spine. He or she may ask you to walk around the office a bit to see how you are able to move your hips and knees.
The final part of making the diagnosis may involve laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis your doctor suspects based on your medical history and physical exam. Blood tests are usually not helpful in making a diagnosis; however, the following tests may help confirm a diagnosis:
Joint aspiration – For this laboratory test, your doctor will administer a local anesthetic, and then insert a needle into the joint in order to withdraw fluid. The fluid is then examined for evidence of crystals or joint deterioration. This test can help rule out other medical conditions or other forms of arthritis.
X-ray – Imaging techniques like X-rays can show the physical effects of osteoarthritis to confirm the diagnosis. X-rays use radiation to penetrate the body’s soft tissues and show internal structures like bones. The images can show damage and other changes in cartilage and bones that can occur with osteoarthritis.
MRI –Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields to produce an image of a specific area of the body. The test is more expensive than X-rays, but it does not involve the radiation risk of X-rays. And MRIs provide a two-dimensional view that offers better images of soft tissues, as cartilage, to detect early abnormalities typical of osteoarthritis.
When should I see a doctor?
Most people have some joint aches and pains as they age and oftentimes pain can be managed with over-the-counter medications and self-care techniques such as warm baths and cold packs, massaging the affected joint or resting it when pain is at its worst. But if self-care techniques don’t sufficiently relieve your pain, a doctor may be able to prescribe other medications or treatments that will help.
It’s also important to see your doctor if you experience symptoms that might indicate your joint pain is not from osteoarthritis, but problem that requires more immediate medical attention. These symptoms include:
• Sudden swelling, warmth, redness along with pain in any joint(s).
• Joint pain accompanied by a fever and/or rash
• Severe pain that prevents you from using the joint
Treating Osteoarthritis
What medications are used to treat osteoarthritis?
Non-Drug Treatments to Ease Osteoarthritis Pain
Are there any “natural” supplements that can treat osteoarthritis?
Do glucosamine and chondroitin work?
What other treatments can ease osteoarthritis pain?
Taking Control of Osteoarthritis
Should I exercise with osteoarthritis?
Does stress affect osteoarthritis?
If osteoarthritis runs in my family, is there anything I can do to keep from getting it, too?
About Osteoarthritis
What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?
Back to Focus on OA
