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Home >> Arthritis   >> Further Information   >>  Glossary

Glossary

Acupuncture - the use of fine needles inserted at specific points on the skin. Primarily used for pain relief, acupuncture may be a helpful component of an osteoarthritis treatment plan for some people.

Analgesics - medications designed to relieve pain. Pure analgesics do not have an effect on inflammation.

Biomarkers - physical signs or biological substances that indicate changes in bone or cartilage. Doctors believe they may one day be able to use biomarkers for diagnosing osteoarthritis before it causes noticeable joint damage and for monitoring the progression of the disease and its responsiveness to treatment.

Bone spurs - small growths of bone that can occur on the edges of a joint affected by osteoarthritis. These growths are also known as osteophytes.

Bouchards nodes - small, bony knobs associated with osteoarthritis of the hand that can occur on the middle joints of the fingers.

Cartilage - a hard but slippery coating on the end of each bone. The breakdown of joint cartilage is the primary feature of osteoarthritis.

Chondrocytes - components of cartilage. Chondrocytes are cells that produce cartilage, are found throughout cartilage, and help it stay healthy as it grows. Sometimes, however, they release certain enzymes that destroy collagen and other proteins.

Chondroitin sulfate - a naturally existing substance in joint cartilage that is believed to draw fluid into the cartilage. Chondroitin is often taken in supplement form along with glucosamine as a treatment for osteoarthritis.

Collagen - a family of fibrous proteins that are components of cartilage. Collagens are the building blocks of skin, tendon, bone, and other connective tissues.

Corticosteroids - powerful anti-inflammatory hormones made naturally in the body or man made for use as medicine. Corticosteroids may be injected into the affected joints to temporarily reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

COX-2 inhibitors - a relatively new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are formulated to relieve pain and inflammation.

Estrogen - the major sex hormone in women. Estrogen is known to play a role in regulation of bone growth. Research suggests that estrogen may also have a protective effect on cartilage.

Glucosamine - a substance that occurs naturally in the body, providing the building blocks to make and repair cartilage.

Heberdens nodes - small, bony knobs associated with osteoarthritis of the hand that can occur on the joints of the fingers closest to the nail.

Hyaluronic acid - a substance that gives healthy joint fluid its viscous (slippery) property and that may be reduced in people with osteoarthritis. For some people with osteoarthritis of the knee, replacing hyaluronic acid with injections of agents referred to as viscosupplements is useful for increasing lubrication, reducing pain, and improving function.

Joint capsule - a tough membrane sac that holds the bones and other joint parts together.

Ligaments - tough bands of connective tissue that attach bones to each other, providing stability.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - provides highresolution computerized images of internal body tissues. This procedure uses a strong magnet that passes a force through the body to create these images.

Muscles - bundles of specialized cells that contract and relax to produce movement when stimulated by nerves.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - a class of medications available over the counter or with a prescription that ease pain and inflammation. Commonly used NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and ketoprofen.

Osteoarthritis - the most common form of arthritis. It is characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage, leading to pain, stiffness, and disability.

Osteophytes - small growths of bone that can appear on the edges of a joint affected by osteoarthritis. These growths are also known as bone spurs.

Prolotherapy - an unregulated, unproven therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain. Prolotherapy uses an irritant solution, which is injected into painful ligaments and adjacent joint spaces to promote inflammation and subsequent healing.

Proteoglycans - components of cartilage. Made up of proteins and sugars, strands of proteoglycans interweave with collagens and form a mesh-like tissue. This allows cartilage to flex and absorb physical shock.

Rheumatoid arthritis - a form of arthritis in which the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints, leading to pain, inflammation, and eventually joint damage and malformation. It typically begins at a younger age than osteoarthritis does, causes swelling and redness in joints, and may make people feel sick, tired, and uncommonly feverish. Rheumatoid arthritis may also affect skin tissue, the lungs, the eyes, or the blood vessels.

Stem cells - primitive cells, usually taken from the bone marrow, that can transform into other kinds of cells, such as muscle or bone cells. In the future, researchers hope to be able to insert stem cells into cartilage and stimulate them to replace cartilage damaged by arthritis or injury.

Synovium - a thin membrane inside the joint capsule that secretes synovial fluid.

Synovial fluid - a fluid secreted by the synovium that lubricates the joint and keeps the cartilage smooth and healthy.

Tendons - tough, fibrous cords that connect muscles to bones.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) - a technique that uses a small electronic device to direct mild electric pulses to nerve endings that lie beneath the skin in a painful area. TENS may relieve some arthritis pain. It seems to work by blocking pain messages to the brain and by modifying pain perception.

X ray - a procedure in which low-level radiation is passed through the body to produce a picture called a radiograph. X rays of joints affected by osteoarthritis can show such things as cartilage loss, bone damage, and bone spurs.


This quick guide is supported by Pfizer.