September 14, 2018 When you’re dealing with pain in your spine or any other joint in your body, medical terminology doesn’t mean a whole lot to you. As far as you’re concerned, pain is pain no matter what it’s called. So when your doctor mentions degenerative joint disease as the cause of your discomfort, you might find yourself asking, how is that different from arthritis? It isn’t. Degenerative joint disease is just another name for osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis – and it occurs when the components of a joint wear down. So whether we call it degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, or arthritis, we’re really talking about the same condition. What Can Cause Arthritis to Get Worse?“Degenerative” simply refers to what happens to our joints as we get older – they start to deteriorate after years of wear and tear. This natural aging process cannot be entirely avoided, but there are a certain lifestyle and work-related activities that put excessive strain on your joints and can hasten their deterioration, such as:
What Can Help Treat My Arthritis?Following a healthy lifestyle with regular low-impact exercises can help slow down the development of degenerative joint disease and its symptoms. However, if you are already experiencing neck or back pain as the result of osteoarthritis, there are any number of combined treatment options that can help minimize your symptoms. These include:
Who Can Help Me With My Arthritis Pain?If your joints continue to cause pain despite conservative treatment methods, you may be a candidate for minimally invasive surgery at Advanced Bone & Joint. We specialize in both non-surgical and minimally invasive surgery to treat degenerative joint disease, arthritis, and other orthopedic conditions. Our simple outpatient procedures require less than a 1-inch incision and often have shorter recovery times compared with traditional open surgery. Degenerative joint disease can cause pain for many months or longer, but you don’t need to suffer through it. Seek medical attention early, and an orthopedic specialist will help you get your joints back in working order in no time. Contact Advanced Bone & Joint today to schedule an appointment with our orthopedic specialists. Call (636) 229-4222 today, or schedule an appointment online. We look forward to helping you enjoy an active lifestyle again.  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful condition involving the deterioration of the cartilage inside your joints. Affecting 32 million people in the United States, it is the most common arthritic condition.* Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in the treatment and research of orthopedic and rheumatic conditions, embracing a philosophy of integrative nonsurgical and surgical care. HSS is ranked #1 in the United States for orthopedics and #4 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report.
What is osteoarthritis?Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It is a painful condition that occurs when cartilage inside a joint wears down over time. Most often, this wear results from a lifetime of use, and people get it when they reach age 50 or older. However, younger people may get the condition early as a result of an injury to the joint. Also known as post-traumatic arthritis, this form of osteoarthritis develops after an injury such as a fracture, dislocated shoulder or torn rotator cuff. What causes osteoarthritis?The use of a joint leads to wear and eventual degeneration of the cartilage that cover the bones where they meet in the joint. This loss of protective cartilage causes the joint inflammation known as osteoarthritis, as bone starts to rub directly against bone. Cartilage is a smooth, spongy tissue that coats the ends of bones where they meet to form joints. In joints such as elbows, knees, shoulders, ankles and knuckles, cartilage acts as a shock absorber, cushioning the bones and preventing their ends from touching during body movement. This allows a person to twist, bend, turn and have a broad range of motion. The older we get, the more our cartilage deteriorates – especially in joints that we use most frequently. It is similar to the way brake pads in a car wear down over time. When cartilage degrades, the bones are not properly cushioned and the joint becomes damaged. This results in pain, stiffness and reduced range of motion. What is the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?Osteoarthritis is a mechanical degeneration of a joint caused by use over time. Rheumatoid arthritis a form of inflammatory arthritis, which is a chronic disease of the immune system. Rheumatoid arthritis is less common than osteoarthritis but can often more serious and cause inflammation in many joints at the same time. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is usually isolated to individual joints such as the shoulder, or one or both hips. Which joints are most commonly affected by arthritis?Osteoarthritis is most common in large weightbearing joints such as the hips or knees. The joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis are:
What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?Pain is the most common symptom of OA, followed by stiffness. Pain usually increases during activity and decreases with rest. However, in the morning or after other long periods of inactivity, some people with OA may experience a feeling of stiffness. This symptom (known as "gel phenomenon" or "gelling phenomenon") is caused by a temporary thickening (or "gelling") of natural fluids inside the joint. It usually lasts for less than 20 minutes in the affected joint once a person begins moving again. Pain felt during movement of the joint is often accompanied by a crackling or grinding sound called "crepitus." Some people with OA may feel little or no pain for unknown reasons. The level of pain each person with OA experiences can depend on many factors including: the stage of the disease, the way a person's brain processes pain messages, cultural, gender and psychological differences. Osteoarthritis is not associated with the following symptoms. If you have these are symptoms, you have some form of inflammatory arthritis:
How is osteoarthritis diagnosed?There are three key elements to getting an accurate diagnosis for osteoarthritis:
The physical examinationYour physician will talk with you to learn your medical history and symptoms, and then do a physical exam to assess:
Radiological examinationsWhen the physical exam suggests a person may have osteoarthritis, different forms of imaging may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of the joint degeneration. Imaging for diagnosing advanced osteoarthritisX-rays are very helpful in diagnosing advanced osteoarthritis because the affected joint will have specific characteristics:
X-ray view of the hip joint showing osteoarthritis and joint space narrowing between the femur (thighbone) and pelvis. X-ray view of the hip joint showing severe joint space narrowing and large osteophytes Imaging for diagnosing early-stage osteoarthritisConfirming early onset osteoarthritis is more complicated, because the signs are far more subtle. Hospital for Special Surgery has developed special X-ray views that increase the sensitivity of conventional X-rays, allowing detection of early changes in the joint before they are evident on routine X-rays. In some cases, X-rays alone are not sufficient to show the smaller differences associated with early onset arthritis. When this is the case, other specialized diagnostic imaging technologies are used. These include:
MRI of the knee showing normal cartilage on one side and cartilage loss and on osteophyte on the other MRI of the hip demonstrating osteoarthritis with large osteophytes around the femoral head. In some cases, when osteoarthritis is suspected, but X-rays appear normal, a special MRI process called quantitative T2 mapping can detect the subtle cartilage differences to confirm the diagnosis, as shown below. Normal knee cartilage Knee with osteoarthritis What tests are done for osteoarthritis?Laboratory tests are helpful for diagnosing OA, because they are used to rule out forms of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. In other words, if you have joint pain and your lab results are normal, it would confirm a diagnosis of OA. These tests include:
When these tests return normal or negative results, this usually indicates that your arthritis is osteoarthritis. It should be noted, however, that as people age, they sometimes develop a low-level positive rheumatoid factor, ANA titer and/or elevated sedimentation rate without experiencing any obvious illness. This is why doctors do not rely on laboratory tests alone, but rather to confirm a suspected diagnosis for osteoarthritis. Another lab test that may help confirm the diagnosis is the extraction and analysis of synovial fluid from the joint. Synovial fluid is a liquid normally found within the joints. It helps nourish and lubricate them and is usually present in only very small amounts. However, when certain forms of arthritis are present, synovial fluid will change. In osteoarthritis, white blood cell count (“pus cells”) is usually normal and the fluid is clear (like water). Higher white cell counts should suggest inflammatory arthritis or infection, rather than osteoarthritis. In this way, extracting synovial fluid can help to confirm the diagnosis. It can also reduce pain and swelling if the fluid is contributing to inflammation. The fluid may also be examined for the presence of uric acid crystals (seen in gout) or calcium pyrophosphate crystals (seen in pseudogout or chondrocalcinosis). The measurement of other biological markers is still experimental. How is osteoarthritis treated?Your doctor will develop an individualized treatment program especially for you based on several factors, including:
What are the nonsurgical options for treating osteoarthritis pain?Whenever possible, early-stage osteoarthritis may be treated without surgery using physical and occupational therapy. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can often help, and corticosteroid injections may delay the need for surgery in some people. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have been shown to benefit certain patients. Oral medicationsNSAIDs that may be used to treat osteoarthritis include ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve) and celecoxib (Celebrex). Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is a medication used to treat anxiety and depression, but which has been shown to alleviate pain for a number of conditions, including OA. It is usually tried as a second medication option in osteoarthritis patients for whom NSAIDs have not provided relief. Staying active is essentialFor people with osteoarthritis, it is important to maintain an active lifestyle and avoid becoming sedentary. Movement can help reduce pain and prevent it from getting worse. But the appropriate and safe types of activity vary from patient to patient. As with any treatment, getting a proper “movement prescription” requires getting an accurate, pinpointed diagnosis and ensuring that all members of the healthcare team (orthopedists, physical therapists, etc.) understand each patient's unique condition. To reduce the effects of early-stage knee arthritis, it is especially important to strengthen the thigh muscles to provide better support for the joint. It is also helpful to maintain good nutrition and a healthy weight. These measures will reduce the pressure on the knee joints to reduce knee pain and improve function. (Learn about the weight management program at HSS.) When should I consider surgery?When the conservative measures above are not enough and pain in a specific joint makes it difficult for you to move, then joint replacement surgery can restore your comfort and help you to return to normal activity. Hip replacement surgery and knee replacement surgery have become trusted treatments for restoring mobility and easing pain. For cases of hip and knee arthritis, some patients may be able to have less invasive hip arthroscopy or knee arthroscopy procedures. Joint replacement surgery may also be an option for people with arthritis of the shoulder, elbow, wrist or ankle. You are generally a good candidate for surgery if conservative treatment hasn't worked and you experience a significant interruption in some activity of daily life – for example, if you can't walk more than a city block or if you awaken from sleep with pain in the affected joint. In such cases, surgery should provide outstanding results, because you will become pain-free in the affected joint. The exact type of surgery you have will depend on your age, activity level, and the specific joint that is affected. HSS research enhances arthritis treatment optionsHospital for Special Surgery’s pace-setting medical research contributes essential knowledge to researching the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. HSS musculoskeletal medicine research is organized into five main programs:
References Is osteoarthritis considered degenerative?Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, in which the tissues in the joint break down over time. It is the most common type of arthritis and is more common in older people.
How serious is degenerative arthritis?Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that worsens over time, often resulting in chronic pain. Joint pain and stiffness can become severe enough to make daily tasks difficult. Depression and sleep disturbances can result from the pain and disability of osteoarthritis.
How do you fix degenerative arthritis?How is osteoarthritis treated?. Medications (topical pain medicines and oral analgesics including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, NSAIDs).. Exercise (land- and water-based).. Intermittent hot and cold packs (local modalities).. Physical, occupational, and exercise therapy.. Weight loss (if overweight).. Does degenerative arthritis go away?Degenerative arthritis cannot be cured. However, patients can implement conservative methods of treatment to manage symptoms and alleviate pain. An orthopaedic specialist may recommend any of the following options for degenerative joint disease patients.
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