Osteoarthritis: Understanding Cartilage Damage in Joints

The disease that damages cartilage inside joints is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease that affects the cartilage, the tissue that cushions the ends of bones where they meet to form a joint. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage wears down over time, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints.