Final answer:
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that causes breakdown of joint cartilage and bone, resulting in symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness. It commonly affects joints in the fingers, thumbs, neck, back, hips, and knees. Rest is usually more effective than exercise in relieving the pain of osteoarthritis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degeneration of joint bone and cartilage leads to the joint condition known as osteoarthritis (OA). Joint stiffness and discomfort are the most prevalent symptoms. Reduced range of motion and joint edema could be additional symptoms. The elderly are more prone to this kind of arthritis. Joints in the neck, lower back, hips, knees, and vicinity of the fingers' tips, as well as the bases of the thumbs, are frequently affected by osteoarthritis. The pain from osteoarthritis is generally relieved by rest rather than exercise. Hard nodes that develop on the joints of the fingers are called Heberden's nodes. The primary medication given for pain relief in osteoarthritis is nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In some cases, corticosteroid injections can be administered directly into the affected joints to provide relief.