What does idiopathic osteoarthritis mean?

Donna Hill Howes, RN

Family Medicine

Idiopathic osteoarthritis means that there is no specific cause for the joint breakdown. This occurs in the vast majority of osteoarthritis cases. Idiopathic osteoarthritis is also called primary osteoarthritis. Secondary osteoarthritis occurs more rarely and happens as a result of another condition, such as when arthritis is caused by too much iron in the blood (hemochromatosis), which can damage joints.

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What does idiopathic osteoarthritis mean?

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