Osteoarthritis is a degenerative bone condition that can affect any joint in the body, but the most common areas affected are the knees, hips, ankles and small joints in the hands. Often osteoarthritis symptoms appear in one joint or a few joints at any one time.

You’re more likely to experience osteoarthritis as you get older; the cartilage that cushions your joints wears down and becomes thinner. The joint surfaces then become damaged and inflamed, and pain occurs when the joint moves and bone grates on bone.

People working in heavy manual occupations are also more likely to suffer from knee osteoarthritis.

Often referred to as ‘wear and tear’ arthritis the most common osteoarthritis symptoms are pain during and after movement and stiffness in your joints, especially if you’ve not moved for a while. Other symptoms include:

• Joint tenderness, particularly when light pressure is applied
• Limited range of movement in your joints and loss of flexibility
• A grating sensation in your joints when movement occurs
• Joints may appear larger or more bone spurs (lumps) appear, on or around the joints

Whilst osteoarthritis symptoms may come and go in episodes in the early stages, in severe cases the level of pain can greatly restrict normal life and everyday activities and has a significant impact on quality of life.

You should see your GP as soon as possible if you have continuous and persistent symptoms. They can refer you to our Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons for a physical examination and an x-ray. They might recommend a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan which will show the soft tissues and identify changes in the bone that aren’t visible on a standard x-ray.

There’s no blood test for osteoarthritis but these tests can be used to rule out other conditions.

Whilst there’s no cure for osteoarthritis, it can be managed to reduce and alleviate the pain associated with the condition. You should:

• Monitor your symptoms and their impact on your day to day activities
• Exercise regularly, including muscle strengthening, general aerobic fitness and stretching and manipulation of joints and muscles
• Keep your weight under control by committing to a healthy diet and exercise plan to relieve pressure on joints

Medication

Paracetamol and/or topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or corticosteroid injections can help reduce or manage inflammation and joint pain – but you should seek professional medical advice before taking any medications for osteoarthritis treatment.

Joint surgery

When your osteoarthritis reaches a severe stage, you may need joint replacement surgery. Our experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons can remove the damaged joint and put in a new one.

Find out more about our best in class joint replacement procedures and Rapid Recovery programme for treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip and osteoarthritis of the knee.