Condition Lookup

Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease)

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Sub-category: Arthritis

Symptoms:
joint pain; stiffness; swelling; reduced range of motion; crepitus (grating sensation)

Root Cause:
Degeneration of joint cartilage and underlying bone, leading to pain and stiffness.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, X-rays, MRI scans, and sometimes joint aspiration.

Treatment:
Lifestyle modifications, physical therapy, weight management, medications, and in severe cases, surgical interventions like joint replacement.

Medications:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain and inflammation; acetaminophen for pain relief; corticosteroid injections for inflammation; hyaluronic acid injections to lubricate joints.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 19% to 30% of adults above the age of 45.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age, joint injuries, obesity, genetics, gender (more common in women), and repetitive joint stress.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic condition with symptoms manageable through treatment; progression varies among individuals.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Joint deformities, decreased mobility, and in severe cases, disability.

Septic arthritis (infectious arthritis)

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Category: Joint Disorders

Sub-category: Arthritis

Symptoms:
severe joint pain; swelling; redness; fever; chills; limited range of motion

Root Cause:
Bacterial infection in the joint, leading to inflammation and potential joint destruction.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Joint aspiration to analyze synovial fluid, blood cultures, and imaging studies.

Treatment:
Intravenous antibiotics, joint drainage, and supportive care.

Medications:
Intravenous antibiotics (e.g., ceftriaxone , vancomycin ) tailored to the causative organism; analgesics for pain management.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 2 to 10 per 100,000 people annually; more common in infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Immunocompromised state, joint prosthesis, recent joint surgery, intravenous drug use, and chronic medical conditions like diabetes.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Requires prompt treatment; delays can lead to joint destruction and systemic complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Joint destruction, sepsis, and systemic spread of infection.

Joint dislocations

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Category: Joint Disorders

Sub-category: Other Joint Conditions

Symptoms:
severe pain at the joint; deformity of the joint; inability to move the joint; swelling; bruising

Root Cause:
The bones of the joint are forced out of their normal position, disrupting the joint's structure and function.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation based on symptoms and physical examination; confirmed through X-rays or other imaging techniques (e.g., MRI).

Treatment:
Closed reduction (manual repositioning of the bones), sometimes surgery, followed by immobilization with a splint or cast, physical therapy for rehabilitation.

Medications:
Pain relievers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain management, and muscle relaxants if necessary to alleviate muscle spasms. In severe cases, opioids may be prescribed for short-term pain relief. Analgesics and NSAIDs are classified as analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications, respectively.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Occurs commonly, especially in young adults and athletes; shoulder dislocations are the most frequent.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
High-impact activities, contact sports, previous dislocations, congenital joint instability, trauma or accidents.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most individuals recover with appropriate treatment, although repeated dislocations may occur, and long-term joint instability can develop.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Nerve damage, blood vessel injury, joint instability, arthritis, chronic pain, and recurrent dislocations.

Labral tears (hip or shoulder)

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Category: Joint Disorders

Sub-category: Other Joint Conditions

Symptoms:
pain in the shoulder or hip; clicking or popping sound; limited range of motion; weakness; instability or feeling of "giving way" of the joint

Root Cause:
A tear in the labrum, the cartilage that forms a cup-like structure around the ball of the joint, leading to pain and dysfunction.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination, MRI or MR arthrogram to visualize the tear.

Treatment:
Conservative treatment includes physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications. Severe cases may require arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the damaged labrum.

Medications:
NSAIDs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen are used to manage pain and inflammation. In cases of severe pain, corticosteroid injections or, in rare cases, opioids may be considered. These are classified as anti-inflammatory medications and analgesics.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in athletes or individuals involved in repetitive motions, particularly in overhead activities (e.g., swimming, throwing).

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Repetitive stress on the joint, trauma, congenital hip abnormalities, age-related degeneration.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With early treatment, many people recover fully, but some may experience chronic pain or limited function. Surgery may be required in severe cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic pain, decreased range of motion, joint instability, and development of osteoarthritis over time.

Ligament injuries (e.g., ACL tear, MCL tear)

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Category: Joint Disorders

Sub-category: Other Joint Conditions

Symptoms:
acute pain; swelling; instability of the joint; limited range of motion; difficulty bearing weight

Root Cause:
A tear or sprain in a ligament that connects bone to bone, most commonly in the knee (e.g., anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial collateral ligament (MCL)).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical examination, MRI for confirmation, X-rays to rule out fractures.

Treatment:
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) for mild cases. Severe tears may require surgical intervention, particularly for ACL tears, followed by rehabilitation.

Medications:
NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief and inflammation reduction, and in some cases, corticosteroid injections for inflammation. These medications are anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
ACL tears are common in sports involving sudden stops and pivots, while MCL tears occur in contact sports.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
High-impact sports, previous ligament injuries, poor conditioning, improper technique, and trauma.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Full recovery is possible with rehabilitation, but for severe injuries (like ACL tears), surgery may be needed, followed by a long recovery period.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic instability, arthritis, limited range of motion, or further ligament tears if not properly rehabilitated.

Meniscus tears (knee)

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Category: Joint Disorders

Sub-category: Other Joint Conditions

Symptoms:
pain in the knee; swelling; popping or clicking sounds; difficulty bending or straightening the knee; instability

Root Cause:
A tear in the meniscus, the cartilage in the knee that cushions and stabilizes the joint, usually due to trauma or degeneration.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical examination, MRI for confirmation.

Treatment:
Non-surgical treatments include rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE), and physical therapy. Severe tears may require arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the torn meniscus.

Medications:
NSAIDs like ibuprofen for pain and inflammation. Corticosteroid injections may be used for persistent inflammation, while opioids are occasionally prescribed in acute cases of severe pain. These medications are classified as analgesic and anti-inflammatory.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Meniscus tears are common in athletes and active individuals, particularly in those who engage in sports that involve twisting motions.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age (degenerative tears), sports-related activities, sudden twisting motions, poor conditioning.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most individuals recover with conservative treatment, but surgery may be needed in more severe cases. Recovery time can vary depending on the severity of the tear.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic knee pain, instability, early osteoarthritis, or further tears.

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)

Specialty: Orthopedics and Rheumatology

Category: Joint Disorders

Sub-category: Other Joint Conditions

Symptoms:
pain and stiffness in the shoulder; limited range of motion; difficulty performing overhead activities; pain at night or while resting

Root Cause:
Inflammation and scarring of the shoulder capsule, causing thickening and tightening that limits motion and causes pain.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination, sometimes confirmed with X-rays or MRI to rule out other conditions.

Treatment:
Physical therapy to improve range of motion, pain management through NSAIDs or corticosteroid injections, and in some cases, surgery (e.g., shoulder manipulation under anesthesia).

Medications:
NSAIDs (ibuprofen , acetaminophen ) for pain management, corticosteroid injections for inflammation, and in rare cases, opioid medications for severe pain. These medications are anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
More common in people between 40-60 years old, particularly women. Associated with diabetes and other health conditions.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Diabetes, prolonged immobility, shoulder injuries, certain systemic conditions (e.g., thyroid disease).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases resolve with treatment, although recovery can take several months to years. Full recovery of motion and function is possible.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic pain, permanent stiffness, limited shoulder mobility, difficulty performing daily activities.