What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a form of arthritis, a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of joint cartilage. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a cushion between the bones of a joint. With OA, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away, allowing bones under the cartilage to rub together.
What causes OA of the knee?
Although the root cause of OA is unknown, multiple factors influence the risk of developing symptomatic OA, including age, gender and inherited traits which can affect the shape and stability of your joints. Other factors can include:
- A previous knee injury
- Repetitive strain on the knee
- Improper joint alignment
- Being overweight
- Exercise or sports-generated stress placed on the knee joints
- Pain while standing or walking short distances, climbing up or down stairs or getting in and out of chairs
- Knee pain with activity
- Activities initiated from a sitting position that cause start up pain or stiffness
- Stiffness in your knee joint after getting out of bed
- Swelling in one or more areas of the knee
- A grating sensation or crunching feeling when you use your knee
Your health care provider will begin by reviewing your medical history and symptoms and evaluating your joints. He or she may order x-rays in addition medical imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the extent of the damage exactly. Your physician may also order blood tests to rule out other causes of symptoms, or order a joint aspiration which involves drawing fluid from the joint through a needle and examining the fluid under a microscope.
How is OA treated?
Whether your OA is mild or severe, your primary health care provider will most likely recommend certain lifestyle changes to reduce stress on your knee joints. Additional disease and pain management strategies may include physical therapy, steroid injections, topical pain relieving creams or over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Referral and Insurance Information
Talk to your physician to decide if Minimally Invasive Tensor Technique or MAKOPlasty® are viable surgical options for you, then ask for a referral to Mission Hospital's Orthopedic Services.
We also recommend that you check with your insurance provider before proceeding with any surgery. As a knee arthroplasty procedure, both techniques are typically covered by most Medicare-approved and private health insurers. However, some programs may require a doctor's referral for your insurance to provide coverage.
