Today's Health Topic Getting a grip on hand osteoarthritis Everyone experiences the occasional painful hands and sore fingers, but when osteoarthritis strikes, it can put a hold on many aspects of your life. "As osteoarthritis progresses, you may lose some hand mobility, like the ability to grasp and hold objects," says Dr. Robert Shmerling, clinical chief of rheumatology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and senior faculty editor at Harvard Health Publishing. "Over time, osteoarthritis can make the joints deformed, so it's harder to open and close your hands."  A physical exam and x-ray often is enough to confirm hand osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, you cannot reverse osteoarthritis or even slow its progression in most cases. But that doesn't mean you're defenseless. The following strategies may help manage flare-ups.  Read more »

Living Well with Osteoarthritis Featured content: • When joints cause pain • What is osteoarthritis? • Diagnosing osteoarthritis • Treating osteoarthritis without surgery • Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis •  ... and more! Click here to read more »