If you’ve been diagnosed with osteo-arthritis (OA), you’re familiar with the pain. It can ache deep in the joint or radiate down your leg. It’s a pain that feels better with rest and a pain that gets worse throughout the day.

Arthritis basically means inflammation of a joint. OA is characterized by a gradual loss of cartilage from the joints due to wear and tear over time. OA affects more than 30 million U.S. adults.

“Chronic arthritis can be hard, both physically and psychologically,” says Dr. Shahzad Anwar, a family practitioner with the Center for Primary Care in Vacaville. “Arthritis symptoms can cause frustration and even depression, which may reduce your motivation to stick with your arthritis treatment.”

By learning more about osteoarthritis, you can better participate in your own care and experience a productive encounter with your doctor.

What are the symptoms?

Arthritis can affect almost any joint, although it occurs most frequently in the hands, knees, hips, and spine. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving the joint easily.

“In the early to moderate stages of disease, OA follows the pattern of a non-inflammatory arthritis, which means that pain is aggravated by movement and weight bearing and is relieved by rest,” Dr. Anwar explains. Joints on one or both sides of the body may be affected. Patients often wake up with minimal symptoms and note that as the day progresses their symptoms increase.

These symptoms help distinguish OA from another class of arthritis known as Inflammatory Arthritis. This type of arthritis is usually more aggressive than OA and is often characterized by patients complaining of pronounced symptoms when waking up and then noticing that their symptoms dissipate as their body warms up and they move around through the course of the morning and early afternoon.

How is arthritis diagnosed?

A physical exam and a thorough medical history will help your physician make the diagnosis. Occasionally imaging modalities and lab tests will be used to aid in the diagnostic process. “Interestingly, patients can have OA with normal x-rays and vice-versa, while patients whose x-rays suggest advanced OA can be surprisingly symptom-free,” Dr. Anwar says.

“Therefore it’s always important to have a detailed discussion with your doctor so that your plan of care can be tailored to your needs.”

How is arthritis treated?

“It is important for patients to understand that there is often no cure for mild to moderate arthritis,” notes Dr. Anwar. There are however, many methods to help patients minimize their symptoms so that they can live life as pain-free as possible.

Some of these measures include:

Non Medical:

• Learn about arthritis
• Join an Arthritis Support Group
• Eat a healthy diet and lose weight if necessary
• Get regular exercise, as tolerated, including flexibility and condtioning work
• Wear supportive shoes and add orthotics if needed
• Use ice, heat, massage, spa treatments and acupuncture for pain relief
• Try gait assistance devices, such as a cane or walker to keep mobile

Medical:

• Dietary supplements: there is only anecdotal evidence that Glucosamine (not for patients allergic to shellfish) and Chondroitin help arthritis
• Analgesics: Acetaminophen/Tylenol (pill), Capsaicin (gel)
• Anti-Inflammatories: Ibuprofen (pill), Diclofenac (gel), Steroids
• Disease modifying drugs: (requires evaluation by a Rheumatologist)

Surgical:

• Partial or total joint replacements for advanced cases of OA

What to do next?

“I encourage all patients who think that they may have arthritis or who have debilitating pain from arthritis to discuss their symptoms with their doctor,” adds Dr. Anwar.