Osteoarthritis and Worn Joint Cartilage
Osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, and OA are three labels for one term. Cleveland Clinic says osteoarthritis happens when cartilage in one of your joints wears away over time and your bones rub together. It adds that osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, and that providers sometimes call it degenerative joint disease or OA.
Joints with their own articles
Two joints get their own plain-language article. Read the one that matches the joint named on your paperwork.
- Hip Arthritis Stiffness and Groin Ache decodes the hip wording on a report.
- Knee Osteoarthritis in Older Adults decodes the knee wording on a report.
Public references to keep open
A glossary entry is a starting point, so check it against a second page. The CDC overview of osteoarthritis is one. The OrthoInfo page on osteoarthritis is another. For the knee, Cleveland Clinic's page on knee osteoarthritis is a third.
The term to say out loud
Ask a clinician to explain "degenerative joint disease" in person. If it appears on your report, find out whether it means osteoarthritis in your case. Cleveland Clinic's page on osteoarthritis can be read the night before.