Named after the 18th-century physician William Heberden, these nodes are a classic sign of osteoarthritis and occur due to the loss of cartilage in the joint.
As the cartilage wears away, the bones within the joint begin to rub against each other, leading to the formation of new bone as the body attempts to stabilize the joint. This results in the characteristic hard bumps that are Heberden’s nodes. These nodes are more commonly found in women and typically appear after the age of 45.
