[Osteoarthritis: Degenerative changes or adaptive changes? Brief pain advice in primary care]

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and is the most common joint problem worldwide. It is considered a serious disease due to the presence of pain and reduced functional capacity. Moreover, there are no disease-modifying drugs or curative treatment at present; the basic or first-line treatment is non-pharmacological, based on education and physical exercise. The presence of degenerative changes in imaging tests is present in a high percentage of the general asymptomatic population, i.e. in those who have no pain or functional limitation, and this percentage increases progressively with age. In short, osteoarthritis is part of the normal aging process of the population. As with low back pain, it is proposed to apply a salutogenic model of health, paying special attention to the terms used when informing and advising patients. It is proposed a review of the main causes, effectiveness and prognosis of osteoarthritis treatment, in order to provide brief educational advice to patients.