Stages of Osteoarthritis
Learn more about the stages of osteoarthritis, including diagnosis, treatments, medication and self-care suggestions.
If you’ve noticed it’s harder to spring out of bed in the morning, you’re one of millions. The aches, pains and joint stiffness are symptoms of osteoarthritis, and everybody eventually experiences them, says Stephen Paget, M.D., physician-in-chief emeritus, Division of Rheumatology at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Welcome to older age.
“The traumas of walking around accumulate,” Paget explains.
Not surprisingly, nearly everyone has some symptoms of osteoarthritis by age 70, and most women over 55 have them. About 27 million Americans have osteoarthritis, making it the most common form of arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that surrounds joints is damaged over time through wear, genetic predisposition or obesity.
If you’re having pain, your doctor may first take X-rays to establish a diagnosis, says Harry Fischer, M.D., chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.
While X-rays are a logical place to start, they don’t always match what you may be feeling. Only a third of people whose X-rays show osteoarthritis, or cartilage erosion, experience symptoms, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
“You can have late-stage knee osteoarthritis and be perfectly functional,” says Nathan Wei, M.D., director of the Arthritis Treatment Center in Frederick, Md.
Though the cause is unknown and there’s no cure, you can manage symptoms of osteoarthritis in many ways.
“People with mild osteoarthritis can [carry on] with regular exercise, weight control and occasional anti-inflammatory medications,” says Wei. “Some people can get by on just acetaminophen,” which relieves only pain, not deterioration.
Stretching daily and staggering days of aerobic exercise and strength training gives muscles time to repair, Wei says.
Losing weight will lessen pain and prevent osteoarthritis from progressing quickly, adds Fischer. Start by eating more fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meat, such as poultry or fish. Cut high-fat sugary processed foods altogether.
Keep track of what you eat. Participants who kept daily food and exercise records lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t, according to a 2008 study of 1,685 overweight or obese people at the Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore.
Newly Diagnosed
If you’ve noticed it’s harder to spring out of bed in the morning, you’re one of millions. The aches, pains and joint stiffness are symptoms of osteoarthritis, and everybody eventually experiences them, says Stephen Paget, M.D., physician-in-chief emeritus, Division of Rheumatology at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Welcome to older age.
“The traumas of walking around accumulate,” Paget explains.
Not surprisingly, nearly everyone has some symptoms of osteoarthritis by age 70, and most women over 55 have them. About 27 million Americans have osteoarthritis, making it the most common form of arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that surrounds joints is damaged over time through wear, genetic predisposition or obesity.
If you’re having pain, your doctor may first take X-rays to establish a diagnosis, says Harry Fischer, M.D., chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.
While X-rays are a logical place to start, they don’t always match what you may be feeling. Only a third of people whose X-rays show osteoarthritis, or cartilage erosion, experience symptoms, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
“You can have late-stage knee osteoarthritis and be perfectly functional,” says Nathan Wei, M.D., director of the Arthritis Treatment Center in Frederick, Md.
Though the cause is unknown and there’s no cure, you can manage symptoms of osteoarthritis in many ways.
“People with mild osteoarthritis can [carry on] with regular exercise, weight control and occasional anti-inflammatory medications,” says Wei. “Some people can get by on just acetaminophen,” which relieves only pain, not deterioration.
Stretching daily and staggering days of aerobic exercise and strength training gives muscles time to repair, Wei says.
Losing weight will lessen pain and prevent osteoarthritis from progressing quickly, adds Fischer. Start by eating more fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meat, such as poultry or fish. Cut high-fat sugary processed foods altogether.
Keep track of what you eat. Participants who kept daily food and exercise records lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t, according to a 2008 study of 1,685 overweight or obese people at the Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore.
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