Understanding Chronic
Osteoarthritis Pain
While osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, it occurs most often in the knees, hips, hands, and spine.
Cartilage and Osteoarthritis
Cartilage is a soft tissue that covers the ends of your bones. When your bones come together at a joint, this cartilage acts as a shock absorber and helps the bones move more smoothly and fluidly. When you have osteoarthritis, this cartilage breaks down and affects the underlying bone. This can result in pain and other symptoms.
To determine if you have osteoarthritis, your doctor may look to see if some of the following describes you:
- have pain in the joint
- are 50 years of age or older
- experience stiffness in the joint (lasting less than 30 minutes)
- the joint makes occasional cracking or popping sounds when you bend or move it
Your doctor may also order a diagnostic test, like an x-ray, to view your joints and determine if you have osteoarthritis.
Changes like those listed above can keep your joints from functioning normally. While osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, it occurs most often in the knees, hips, hands, and spine.
Learn more about the possible risk factors of osteoarthritis that may make someone more likely to develop the condition. You can also review a list of osteoarthritis treatment options that are available.
Cymbalta is indicated for the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain due to chronic osteoarthritis pain.
To learn more, please review managing chronic osteoarthritis pain with Cymbalta. You can also review some commonly asked questions about Cymbalta.