<p>Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the joints. It can involve any joint, but usually concerns hands and weight-bearing joints such as hips, knees, feet and spine.</p>
<p>Cartilage is the tough elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones. In healthy joints cartilage acts as a shock absorber when you put weight on the joint. The slippery surface of the cartilage allows the bones to move smoothly. When a joint develops osteoarthritis the cartilage gradually becomes rough and thin, and the bone underneath thickens.</p>
<p>Osteoarthritis is classified as non-inflammatory arthritis. This suggests that there is no inflammation (swelling); however, recent research shows that this is not true. Although there is usually no swelling in the early stage of the disease, as the arthritis progresses there can be inflammation. Bits of cartilage may break off and float around inside the joint. This disturbs other soft tissues inside the joint and can cause pain and swelling between bones. The result is you may have trouble moving the joint.</p>
<p>Over time as the cartilage wears down, the bones may form bumps on their ends. These bumps are called spurs. Or, the cartilage may wear away entirely, and your bones may rub together.</p>
<p>There are many kinds of arthritis. The most common kind is called osteoarthritis<br />
(or OA for short). It affects 3,000,000 (1 in 10). OA affects men and women in equal numbers. Most people develop osteoarthritis after the age of 45, but it can occur at any age.</p>
<p>The warning signs of OA are the following:</p>
<p>•	Pain, stiffness and swelling around a joint that lasts longer than two weeks.<br />
•	The joints that are usually affected are the hips, knees, feet and spine.  Finger and thumb joints might also be affected. </p>
<p>Damage due to OA progresses slowly over time and may result in several problems. You may have pain, especially when moving a joint. Sometimes, you may hear a grating sound when the roughened cartilage on the surface of the bones rubs together. Bumps or swelling may appear, especially on the fingers and feet. A joint may feel sore and stiff, and the joint won't move as easily or as far as it once did. All these changes can make it hard to move around and to do everyday tasks, such as opening a jar or walking up stairs.</p>
<p>No one knows for sure what causes OA, although scientists are well on their way to understanding the events that lead to the breakdown of cartilage. Researchers now think that there are several factors that may increase your risk for getting OA.  Key risk factors include: heredity; excess weight; injury; joint damage from another type of arthritis.</p>
<p>Establishing the correct diagnosis is very important, because something can be done to manage most forms of arthritis, and most therapies work best when started early in the disease.</p>
<p>Although there is no cure for OA, a lot can be done to help manage the condition.  A variety of treatments can help to lessen pain and stiffness and to make movement easier.  Your active involvement in developing your prescribed treatment plan is essential. </p>
<p>For mild to moderate osteoarthritis doctors often recommend acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is a pain reliever, but does not reduce inflammation. </p>
<p>Topical creams and gels that are available over-the-counter may provide temporary pain relief, but only in the areas where they are applied. These creams aren’t as effective as anti-inflammatories.</p>
<p>Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a type of medication that helps reduce the pain and swelling of the joints and decrease stiffness. However, they do not prevent further joint damage. These medications can be used to help reduce pain and swelling of the joints, and decrease stiffness. However, they do not prevent further joint damage. NSAIDs reduce pain when taken at a low dose, and relieve inflammation when taken at a higher dose. COX-2 inhibitors (e.g. Celebrex®) are a specific kind of NSAID that may be prescribed if traditional NSAIDs are hard on your stomach, or if you have experienced stomach ulcers. </p>
<p>When osteoarthritis progresses to the point where it’s hard to get around, corticosteroid injections may be an option to reduce pain and improve mobility. Cortisone is a steroid that reduces inflammation and swelling. It is a hormone naturally produced by the body. Corticosteroids are drugs that closely resemble cortisone. They are steroids that can be injected into the joints. An injection can provide almost immediate relief for a tender, swollen and inflamed joint. However, this treatment can only be used rarely, since corticosteroids can weaken the cartilage and remove the minerals from (and therefore weaken) the bone, resulting in further joint weakness. </p>
<p>Osteoarthritis may progress to the point where surgery is necessary. Minor surgery can be performed to clean out cartilage debris from the joints, particularly the knee. This is called arthroscopic surgery. It is performed as outpatient surgery and does not usually require an overnight stay in hospital. Severely damaged joints can be reconstructed or surgically replaced with artificial ones. Joint replacement is major surgery, and is most often performed to replace hip and knee joints. Hip and knee replacements relieve pain and can restore your ability to move your joints and function normally. Artificial joints can last 10-20 years before they require replacement, which is why this type of surgery is delayed until it is clearly necessary.</p>
