Osteoarthritis Center - Santa Monica, CA
Santa Monica Rheumatologist Doctors for OsteoarthritisType of Physician: Rheumatologist What is a Rheumatologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners treat diseases of the joints, muscles, bones, and tendons. The rheumatologist diagnoses and treats arthritis, back pain, muscle strains, common athletic injuries, etc. The rheumatologist may work closely with other specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists. Specialty: Rheumatology Common Name: Rheumatologist Doctors in Santa Monica * Smita R. Gupta, MD  Pacific Arthritis Care Center  Pacific Arthritis Care Center  Santa Monica Bay Physicians  UCLA Santa Monica Specialists  Elyse Rubenstein MD  Swezey Institute  Sandra Ramer MD  May K Chatila MD  Orrin M Troum MD  Peter A Bardwick MD  Philip J Clements MD  UCLA Rheumatology  UCLA Rheumatology  UCLA Rheumatology  Solomon Forouzesh MD  Rodney Bluestone Medical Corporation  Bruce L Miller MD  Arash Horizon MD  Renee Z Rinaldi MD & Dahlia Carr MD  Seymour Levine MD  Renee Z Rinaldi MD & Dahlia Carr MD  Medical Group of Beverly Hills  Cedars-Sinai Medical Group Rheumatology  Cedars-Sinai Medical Group Rheumatology  Marilyn A Solsky MD  Joel Schneider MD  David S Silver MD Inc  Stuart L Silverman MD  Barry S Unger MD  Allan L Metzger MD FACP  Beverly Medical Associates  Beverly Medical Associates  Elayne K Garber MD  Katherine Neumann MD  International Center for Joint Disorders  Alan W Weinberger MD  Kevin Yousefi MD  Olympic Orthopedic Group  WKWS Group  WKWS Group  Joshua Levy MD  William H Hong MD  Purnell Kirkland MD  Albert R Katz MD  Lawrence A May MD Inc  Rheumatology Therapeutics  Rheumatology Therapeutics  Drs Fan Lee & Wollaston  Drs Fan Lee & Wollaston  Drs Fan Lee & Wollaston  Olga N Popel MD  Assa Weinberg MD  Charles Weidmann MD  Charles Weidmann MD  Steven R Weiner MD  Medical Institute of LCMH  Premiere Plastic Surgery  Xavier J Caro MD  Jimmy H Hwang MD  HealthCare Partners Medical Group Torrance Specialty  Great Health Medical Center  HealthCare Partners Medical Group Torrance Specialty  Lakeside Medical Associates  David D Oh MD  Waggdy W Kades MD  Sam Miguel Clinic  Medical Group Inc  Stephen L Bland MD  Arthritis Treatment Center  Arthritis Treatment Center  Arthritis Treatment Center  Paul Hyoun Kim MD  Arthritis & Osteoporosis Medical Center  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Facey Medical Foundation Mission Hills  Verdugo Rheumatology Medical Group  White Memorial Medical Group  USC Rheumatology Dept  USC Internal Medicine  USC Rheumatology Dept  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Affiliates In Medical Specialties Agoura Hills  Olive View UCLA Medical Center  Congress Medical Associates  Beach Orthopedic Associates  Valerius Medical Group & Research Ctr  Joseph I Sandler MD & Cynthia C Sandler PhD  O'Connor & Brown MDs  O'Connor & Brown MDs  Healthcare Partners Atlantic Avenue  Talbert Medical Group  Lakewood Primary Care  Diane C Narhi MD  Facey Medical Group San Gabriel  Shariar Cohen-Gadol MD  MD-Pro Health Partners Santa Monica, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
2012-06-10
2012-06-23
2012-06-23
2012-06-30
2012-07-04
2012-08-25
2012-09-22
2012-09-30
2012-10-06
OsteoarthritisRead the Osteoarthritis article » What is osteoarthritis?Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a "cushion" between the bones of the joints. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis. Among the over 100 different types of arthritis conditions, osteoarthritis is the most common, affecting over 20 million people in the United States. Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently as we age. Before age 45, osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males. After 55 years of age, it occurs more frequently in females. In the United States, all races appear equally affected. A higher incidence of osteoarthritis exists in the Japanese population, while South-African blacks, East Indians, and Southern Chinese have lower rates. Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. Most cases of osteoarthritis have no known cause and are referred to as primary osteoarthritis. When the cause of the osteoarthritis is known, the condition is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is sometimes abbreviated OA.
What causes osteoarthritis?Primary osteoarthritis is mostly related to aging. With aging, the water content of the cartilage increases, and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny crevasses. In advanced cases, there is a total loss of cartilage cushion between the bones of the joints. Repetitive use of the worn joints over the years can irritate and inflame the cartilage, causing joint pain and swelling. Loss of the cartilage cushion causes friction between the bones, leading to pain and limitation of joint mobility. Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate new bone outgrowths (spurs, also referred to as osteophyt... Recommended Reading Related to OsteoarthritisWhat is alkaptonuria?Alkaptonuria is an inherited condition that causes urine to turn black when exposed to air. Ochronosis, a buildup of dark pigment in connective tissues such as cartilage and skin, is also characteristic of the disorder. This blue-black pigmentation usually appears after age 30. People with alkaptonuria typically develop arthritis, particularly in the spine and large joints, beginning in early adulthood. Other features of this condition can include heart problems, kidney stones, and prostate stones. How common is alkaptonuria?This condition is rare, affecting 1 in 250,000 to 1 million people worldwide. Alkaptonuria is more common in certain areas of Slovakia (where it has an incidence of about 1 in 19,000 people) and in the Dominican Republic. What genes are related to alkaptonuria?Mutations in the HGD gene cause alkaptonuria. The HGD gene provides instructions for maki... Other Related Osteoarthritis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Santa Monica
Nearby Santa Monica Hospitals *Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center Saint John's Health Center Marina Del Rey Hospital Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital Brotman Medical Center Kindred Hospital Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Miracle Mile Medical Center Olympia Medical Center Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center Centinela Campus VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System Encino Hospital Medical Center Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Hawthorne Campus Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Sherman Oaks Hospital Hollywood Community Hospital Tarzana Regional Medical Center Hollywood Community Hospital of Van Nuys Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles Orthopaedic Medical Center Temple Community Hospital Valley Presbyterian Hospital Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Childrens Hospital Los Angeles St Vincent Medical Center California Hospital Medical Center Motion Picture & Television Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Vista Hospital of South Bay Memorial Hospital of Gardena Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center Barlow Respiratory Hospital Mission Community Hospital Northridge Hospital Medical Center Kaiser Mental Health Center Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center Pacific Alliance Medical Center Community Hospital of Huntington Park West Hills Hospital & Medical Center Glendale Memorial Hospital & Health Center Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center White Memorial Medical Center Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Torrance Memorial Medical Center Del Amo Hospital LAC + USC Medical Center LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital Pacifica Hospital of the Valley USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center LAC Harbor UCLA Medical Center USC University Hospital St Francis Medical Center Los Angeles Community Hospital East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital Glendale Adventist Medical Center Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Monterey Park Hospital Alhambra Hospital Medical Center Verdugo Hills Hospital Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus Huntington Hospital Downey Regional Medical Center Garfield Medical Center Olive View UCLA Medical Center Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center Pacific Hospital of Long Beach Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Osteoarthritis by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
16 articles-
Quackery of Arthritis
- Arthritis patients are sometimes vulnerable to quackery (the business of promoting unproven remedies). These "quick fix" treatments are promoted as cure-alls, but they really have no right to such claims. Consumers should be wary of products that have marketing claims like "will cure," "ancient remedy," "has no side effects," and "revolutionary new scientific breakthrough." Read about arthritis remedies and tests that have no scientific proof of benefits.
-
Lower Back Pain
- There are many causes of back pain. Pain in the low back can relate to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area.
-
Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis
- Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forestier's disease) is a form of degenerative arthritis. It is characterized by calcification along the sides of the vertebrae of the spine. Symptoms include stiffness and pain in the upper and lower back. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat DISH.
-
Ganglion
- A ganglion is a fluid-filled cyst that forms from the joint or tendon lining. Ganglia are most frequently found in the ankles and wrists and are usually painless. A ganglion often resolves on its own. Aspiration of the ganglion fluid or surgery may be necessary.
-
Knee Pain
- The knee joint is composed of three compartments and ligaments which stabilize the joint. Causes of knee pain may include injury, degeneration, infrequently infection and rarely bone tumors. Although routine x-rays do not revel meniscus tears, they can be used to exclude other problems of the bones and tissues. The knee joint is the most commonly involved joint in rheumatic disease, as well as immune diseases that affect various tissues of the body.
-
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Ulcers
- Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed medications for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Examples of NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and more. One common side effect of NSAIDs is peptic ulcer (ulcers of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum). Side effects, drug interactions, warnings and precautions, and patient safety information should be reviewed prior to taking NSAIDs.
-
Bunions
- The common bunion, an enlargement of the inner portion of the joint at the base of the big toe, primarily affects women. The signs and symptoms of bunions include inflammation, redness, tenderness, and pain of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. The little toe may also develop a bunion (tailor's bunion). Rest, walking shoes, stretching, cold packs, and antiinflammatory medications may alleviate pain. Surgery is also a treatment option.
-
Baker Cyst
- A Baker cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, is swelling caused by knee joint fluid protruding to the back of the knee (popliteal area of the knee). Not uncommon, baker cysts can be caused by virtually any type of joint swelling (arthritis). They are often resolved with removal of excess knee fluid in conjunction with cortisone injections.
-
Biorhythms
- Biologic rhythms, or biorhythms, are how our bodies respond to the regular phases of the sun, moon, and seasons. A medical chronobiologist studies how the "body clock" or biorhythms affect diseases and how the body clock responds to treatment of diseases and conditions at different times of the day.
-
Degenerative Disc Disease & Sciatica
- Degenerative disc disease makes the disc more susceptible to herniation (rupture) which can lead to localized or radiating pain. The pain from degenerative disc or joint disease of the spine is usually treated conservatively with intermittent heat, rest, rehabilitative exercises and medications to relieve pain, muscle spasm and inflammation.
-
Arthritis
- Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout, and pseudogout.
-
Alkaptonuria
- Alkaptonuria is a condition that causes urine to turn black when exposed to air. Alkaptonuria is inherited, and usually appears after 30 years of age. Kidney stones, heart problems, arthritis, and prostate stones are also conditions associated with alkaptonuria.
-
Chronic Pain
- Chronic pain is pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over a long period of time. In contrast to acute pain that arises suddenly in response to a specific injury and is usually treatable, chronic pain persists over time and is often resistant to medical treatments.
-
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)
- Sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction is a general term to reflect pain in the SI joints. Causes of SI joint pain include osteoarthritis, abnormal walking pattern, and disorders that can cause SI joint inflammation including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Treatment includes oral medications, cortisone injections, and surgery.
-
Torn Meniscus
- A torn meniscus (knee cartilage) may be caused by suddenly stopping, sharply twisting, or deep squatting or kneeling when lifting heavy weight. Symptoms of a meniscal tear include pain with running or walking long distances, popping when climbing stairs, a giving way sensation, locking, or swelling. Treatment depends upon the severity, location, and underlying disease of the knee joint.
-
Radiculopathy
- Radiculopathy, a condition in which a nerve or nerves along the spine are compressed causing pain, numbness, weakenss, and tingling along the nerve(s). Some causes of radiculopathy include bone spurs, disc hernation, osteoarthritis, tumors, infection, and neuropathy. Treatment depends on the are of nerve compression. Surgery is generally not required.
-
Quackery of Arthritis
-
Medications
22 articles -
Procedures & Tests
11 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
10 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
38 articles -
Health News
47 articles -
Health Features
20 articles
