HOW IS OSTEOARTHRITIS DIAGNOSED?
When a patient shows up with joint pain, a provider might start by feeling for swelling, testing a joint’s range of motion and ordering tests to rule out other problems or types of arthritis.
The current gold standard for diagnosing osteoarthritis is an X-ray, which can show changes in joint structure associated with the disease. The more worn the joint, the narrower the gap appears between bones.
However, by the time these changes show up on an X-ray, the damage to the joint is already done, Dr Husni said. X-ray images also don’t always correspond to the severity of symptoms or pain that patients experience. “You could have two patients with the same amount of joint space narrowing – something like two or three millimetres on an X-ray – but one patient could have a ton of pain and the other may not,” Dr Husni said.
While Dr Kraus’s team and other researchers are studying biomarkers that might make osteoarthritis easier to diagnose, it may take years to prove a blood test is reliable enough to use in clinical settings. Researchers are also looking at whether these and other molecular markers can be used alongside drugs in trials, to measure whether experimental treatments for osteoarthritis are working or not, she said.
For now, patients have to rely on supportive treatments to manage pain, such as heating pads, physical therapy and over-the-counter medicines, Dr Kraus said.
And people can use the knowledge that osteoarthritis is a slowly progressing disease to take steps to reduce the risk of disease or slow the inevitable wear and tear of joints, Dr Kraus said: Keeping off excess weight, staying active and following a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help support your joint health and overall well-being.
By Knvul Sheikh © The New York Times Company
The article originally appeared in The New York Times.
