How does arthritis look on x ray?

My grandmother has been advised to get a knee joint scan because she has so much pain while sitting. Is a normal X-ray enough to show this bone rubbing, or do we have to go for an MRI scan as well to be sure? I am just a bit confused and worried about which test is better for her.

On an X-ray, they basically look for how much the bones are crowding each other due to the loss of natural cushioning. While you must follow the doctor's prescription for this, keeping the joints warm with a gentle warm sesame oil massage can give great comfort in the cold weather. Just don't apply too much pressure on the painful areas.

It basically shows the gap between your joints getting very thin because the cartilage has worn out. You might also see small rough bone growths around the edges.

Think of the X-ray like a map of your joint alignment. The radiologist looks for narrowing of the joint spaces, bone spurs, and sometimes subchondral sclerosis, which is just a fancy term for bones looking extra white and dense where they are rubbing together. Take your reports to a good orthopedist who can correlate the film with your actual physical pain.

Please don't delay getting that X-ray done if your doctor advised it. I ignored my finger joint stiffness for two years thinking it was just generic weakness, but the X-ray later showed significant joint space narrowing and bone erosion that could have been managed much better if I had acted early. Go get it checked properly.

I have seen enough of my own knee X-rays over the last seven years to know what to look for. You will clearly see bone-on-bone contact in advanced stages where the protective cartilage is completely gone. If your X-ray shows this narrowing, don't lose heart; regular low-impact cycling and quadriceps strengthening can still help you stay mobile.

When my teenager was suffering from joint pains, the doctor ordered an X-ray to rule out early inflammatory arthritis. To us parents, it just looked like a regular black and white bone image, but the doctor pointed out the slight lack of joint space. Thankfully, catching it early helped us start the right physiotherapy and medication immediately.