Causes and Diagnoses

Osteoarthritis Causes and Diagnoses

Causes

There are two types of osteoarthritis (OA): primary and secondary.

• Primary OA has no known cause and is the natural cause of wear and tear of the body from aging process and activities
• Secondary OA develops from another disease, infection, injury or deformity.

OA begins when the cartilage on the ends of your bones wears away. Without this cushion, bones rub directly against each other. This can lead to:

• Pain and stiffness
• Forming of bony growths called osteophytes (bone spurs), which may limit movement
• Bits of bone and cartilage floating in the joint space
• Cystic changes growing in the bone, which may also limit movement

Risk Factors

Risk factors are things that increase your chance of developing a condition. Key risk factors of OA include:

• Genetics. OA can come from genetic factors that lead to joint defects or joints that are too loose.
• Extra weight. Having extra weight or living with obesity can put stress on joints over time.
• Injury or overuse. Severe injury to a joint, such as the knee, can lead to OA. Injury may also result from using the joint too much (overuse) or not using it correctly (misuse).

Getting a Diagnosis

Start with a visit to your primary care team. You can share your health history and receive a physical exam. You may also have X-rays to get images of bone.

Then, your care team can either:

• Refer you to a specialist if needed
• Share information about how you can preserve or improve joint health