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Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. The aches and pains of this type of arthritis can be easy to dismiss as normal aging, but the chronic pain and disability can often prevent people from living a full life.
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The exact cause of OA is still unknown. The "wear and tear" on bones and joints associated with leading an active life was once thought to be the most important cause of OA.
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Many factors influence your chances of getting OA. There are some things you can't change, such as your family history and your age. We also can't change how our bodies build up and break down bone. But if you have injured a joint, or have strained it repeatedly over a long period of time, your risk for OA is higher.
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Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, where joints on either side of the body are affected equally, OA doesn't follow a pattern; the symptoms depend on which individual joints are affected.
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Pain is the most common complication of OA. The degree of pain can vary, from annoying to excruciating. In general, the pain of early OA diminishes over time after a period of activity. As OA progresses, your ability to move the joint may be limited because of changes in the joint, bony growths around the joints called osteophytes, and muscle spasm. This can affect your ability to do day-to-day activities.
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To determine whether or not you have OA, your doctor will examine the range of motion in your joint, areas of pain and tenderness, muscle strength, and the stability of the ligaments that hold your joint together.
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