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Osteoarthritis is a joint disease. It makes cartilage wear down. Cartilage is a hard, slippery coating on bone ends. Healthy cartilage lets the ends of bones slide past each other. It’s also a shock absorber. It cushions joints from stress caused as the body moves.
When cartilage breaks down, bone ends rub together. When stress is severe, it may deform affected joints. This is most common in the fingers.
Common symptoms
Osteoarthritis has a few common symptoms. These include pain, aching, and soreness, mainly when you move the affected joint. Symptoms can range from mild to crippling and from seldom to every day.
Osteoarthritis can lead to pain. You may notice it especially if you overuse the affected joint or if you haven’t been active for some time. That’s why exercise is important for keeping your joints healthy and feeling good.
Osteoarthritis doesn’t cause:
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Feeling sick and tired
If you have osteoarthritis and get these symptoms, they are caused by something else. Talk with your doctor right away.
How and where it occurs
Osteoarthritis usually happens slowly. The symptoms tend to appear in middle age and later. But they happen in younger people, too.
Osteoarthritis is very common in the hands and fingers. It can also affect weight-bearing joints. These include the knees, hips, feet, and back. It may cause disability, like making it hard to:
- Hold things in your hands.
- Walk up and down stairs.
But the disease can appear in any of your joints, from neck to toe. Read more on the joints commonly affected by osteoarthritis.
There’s no cure for osteoarthritis. But there are medicines, lifestyle changes, and devices that can help you manage your symptoms.
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