Osteoarthritis in the Upper Extremity

Arthritis is defined broadly as pain and stiffness in a joint and can be the presenting symptom in broad range of pathologies. Autoimmune disease, infection, crystalline inflammation, and connective tissue disorders can also produce pain and inflammation of varying severities across the joints of the body.1 Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is the most common of these etiologies, and is the form of arthritis commonly attributed to age and “wear and tear” throughout one's life.2 Osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent cause of morbidity worldwide, with an estimated 250 million individuals currently affected and this number expected to rise given population trends, global improvements in longevity, and increasing risk factors such as obesity.
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research