This article offers a comprehensive overview of osteoarthritis, including diagnosis methods like imaging and blood tests, along with both traditional and emerging treatment options. It highlights how modern therapies aim to manage symptoms and target disease progression, providing valuable insights for patients and healthcare providers.

Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Treating Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is frequently detected during routine health evaluations. Physicians check for joint swelling, tenderness, and mobility issues. When OA is suspected, additional diagnostic procedures are performed.

Imaging tools such as X-rays and MRIs are essential for visualizing joint changes. X-rays detect narrowing of joint spaces and bone spurs, while MRIs can directly image cartilage damage. MRIs are typically reserved for complicated cases.

Blood tests help differentiate OA from other arthritis forms like rheumatoid arthritis.

Analyzing joint fluid helps assess inflammation levels and rules out infections or other causes of pain.

Strategies for Managing Osteoarthritis

Most treatments aim to reduce symptoms rather than cure OA. Pain relief medications such as acetaminophen are commonly used. Mild to moderate cases may benefit from NSAIDs which decrease pain and inflammation, though long-term use can lead to liver, kidney, gastrointestinal, or heart issues. Severe cases might require opioids, but these carry risks of dependency and side effects like constipation and nausea.

Innovative therapies are being developed to target the disease process itself. Calcitonin, a hormone that prevents bone breakdown and promotes bone growth, is used for conditions like osteoporosis and bone metastases. Researchers are investigating antibodies that inhibit pro-inflammatory proteins—since inflammation accelerates OA—such as cytokines involved in NF-kB pathways. Medications like infliximab and etanercept, targeting TNFα, are approved for rheumatoid arthritis and may have potential applications in OA. Other therapies focus on modulating growth factors and vascular growth within subchondral bone, which play roles in advanced OA development.