Overview

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Arthritis is a condition that causes pain and inflammation in joints. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type.

OA is a long-term (chronic), degenerative joint disease, meaning that it gets worse over time. It causes the breakdown of joint cartilage and most often affects the hands, knees, hips or spine.

Common symptoms include pain, swelling and limited movement of the joints. Treatment may include activity modifications, medications, injections or surgery. You may need arthroscopic surgery to debride cartilage (chondroplasty) or surgery to replace a joint with severe damage.