The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. This may be enough to suspect OA.

Images will be taken of the affected area. This can be done with an x-ray. This is enough to confirm the diagnosis.

REFERENCES:

Abramoff B, Caldera FE. Osteoarthritis. Med Clin North Am. 2020; 104(2):293-311.

Osteoarthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/osteoarthritis. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-hip. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-knee. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT