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There are more than 100 kinds of arthritis, with many different possible causes. In a 2009 CDC survey of 30,000 U.S. adults, 22% reported having been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. The survey also showed that arthritis was more common in overweight people. Eight percent reported some sort of limitation in movement because of arthritis.
In general, arthritis usually involves pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. The following guide is about the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis. People with this type lose cartilage, the tissue that protects the joints.
The steps below will supplement the information from your doctor and help you manage this challenging condition.
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- I. The Basics
- Step 1: What is osteoarthritis?
- Step 2: Symptoms
- Step 3: Causes
- Step 4: How osteoarthritis is diagnosed
- II. Treating Osteoarthritis
- Step 5: Overview of arthritis treatment
- Step 6: Heat and cold therapy
- Step 7: Pain medication
- Step 8: Other options
- Step 9: Unproven remedies
- III. Managing Osteoarthritis
- Step 10: Weight control and exercise
- Step 11: Living with osteoarthritis
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Reviewed By: Ariel D. Teitel, MD, MBA, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, NYU Langone Medical Center. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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