They may look for osteophytes, also knowns as bone spurs, in your joints. If your doctor thinks you have a condition causing your joint space narrowing, they’ll look for abnormally low levels of joint cartilage, which is the most visible symptom of joint space narrowing. They’ll walk you through the process of examining your bones for abnormalities. Your doctor may show you your X-rays or other imaging results. Once your results are ready, your doctor will review the images. Your technologist can see your bones immediately as they move the transducer around on your skin. Ultrasound images are viewed in real time. You may only be a little uncomfortable as your technologist moves the transducer around the affected joint area. This test is quick and painless, usually less than 30 minutes. These sound waves bounce off the structures in your body, which helps generate images. Then they’ll use a device called a transducer to send sound waves into your body. Ultrasoundĭuring an ultrasound, your radiologic technologist will apply a special gel to the joint area that they want to examine. MRI results are usually ready within an hour. You’ll also need to remain still during the test. Your radiologic technologist will likely ask you to remove your clothing and any accessories for best imaging results. Your doctor may also prescribe a mild sedative to help manage symptoms of claustrophobia. The inside of the machine is very small, so you may opt for a different type of imaging test. Let your doctor know if you are claustrophobic. This test can produce highly detailed images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)ĭuring an MRI, your radiologic technologist will place you inside a large machine that uses radio waves to create images of the inside of your body. This makes it one of the most commonly used tests for examining your bones for joint space narrowing. X-ray images are usually ready in a few minutes. Your radiologic technologist will give you a covering of some sort to protect you from radiation, too. Taking X-rays only takes a few minutes and won’t require you to undress unless your healthcare provider needs to see an area under your clothes. The images can help them see signs of joint damage or narrowing in more detail. X-rayĭuring an X-ray, your radiologic technologist uses an X-ray machine to create black and white images of your bones. Your doctor may order one or more tests to see detailed images of where joint space narrowing or damage has happened. Then, based on your results, your doctor may suggest a treatment plan or lifestyle changes to address the cause and reduce the pain. These will help the doctor look for any narrowing in the painful joint. If you feel abnormal pain in your joints, your doctor may want to order X-rays or other imaging tests. Joint space narrowing can also be a result of conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This can be painful as the bones rub or put too much pressure on each other. When joint space narrowing occurs, the cartilage no longer keeps the bones a normal distance apart. The pain can also mean that the space between the bones of the joint has narrowed enough to change the joint’s range of motion. Moving your joints may be more difficult. Losing this cartilage makes it much harder for your joints to handle everyday movements and tasks.Īfter much of the cartilage has worn away, you may start to feel pain. As you get older, the cartilage in your joints can start to become worn, especially in your knees, hips, and hands. Joint cartilage allows your joints to move freely and absorb impact.
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