Le médecin généraliste face aux… douleurs de l'arthrose

Osteoarthritis is the most frequent rheumatoid disease in western countries. In France, 10 million persons are affected by this very invalidating condition, the third leading cause of total and partial invalidity compensation. Osteoarthritis is a disease of the cartilage, a resistant elastic tissue covering bone ends. Cartilage acts like a rubber tire covering the bone surfaces making up the body's joints. With age, stress, pressure, solicitations, and aggression, the “shock absorber” becomes thinner, fissures and finally can disappear. The consequence is stiff painful and finally totally ankylosed joints.