There are more than 100 kinds of arthritis, with many different possible causes. 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.
- 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
Review Date:
October 29, 2004
Reviewed By:
Stanford Peng, M.D., Ph.D., Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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