Osteoarthritis Treatment Options

Treatments for OA focus on ways to manage pain and improve function. Some examples include: exercise and weight control, physical therapy, medicines, surgery, and nontraditional approaches. Most successful treatments involve a combination of methods tailored to patient needs, lifestyle, and health. Before beginning any treatment program, OA sufferers should discuss the options with their doctor(s) to determine the best treatment for them.

Millions of OA sufferers are dissatisfied with their current treatments.

Variety of treatment options available to OA sufferers such as:

Exercise, Rest and Joint Care
Research shows that exercise is one of the best treatments for osteoarthritis.1 Exercise can improve mood and outlook, decrease pain, increase flexibility, improve the heart and blood flow, help maintain weight, and promote general physical fitness. Exercise is inexpensive and, if done correctly, has few negative side effects. At the same time, treatment must include regularly scheduled rest. OA sufferers must learn to recognize the body's signals, and know when to stop or slow down, to prevent pain caused by overexertion.

Weight Control
Osteoarthritis patients who are overweight or obese are advised to lose weight. A healthy diet can facilitate weight loss resulting in reduced stress on weight-bearing joints and limiting further injury.

Non-Drug Pain Relief
People with OA may find non-drug ways to help relieve pain. Warm towels, hot packs, or a warm bath or shower apply moist heat to the joint, which can help relieve pain and stiffness. In some cases, cold packs (a bag of ice or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel) can relieve pain or numb the affected area. Water therapy in a heated pool or whirlpool also may relieve pain and stiffness. For OA in the knee, patients may wear insoles or cushioned shoes to redistribute weight and reduce joint stress.

Medicines
Doctors consider a number of factors when recommending medicines - whether over-the-counter or prescription - for their patients with OA. Patients must use medicines carefully and tell their doctors about any changes that occur. Medicines commonly used in treating OA include acetaminophen, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), topical pain-relieving creams, rubs and sprays (for example, capsaicin cream), which are applied directly to the skin, mild narcotic painkillers, corticosteroids, and hyaluronic acid. Many medicines used to treat OA have side effects, so it is important for patients to learn about the medicines they take.

Surgery
When osteoarthritis occurs, small pieces of cartilage may wear away from the joint surfaces and float around the inside of the joint. This joint debris may cause inflammation and pain. In certain cases of arthritis, your doctor may suggest arthroscopy to remove the debris, clean up the joint, and provide pain relief.

Osteotomy is a procedure in which the bone is cut, either above or below the affected joint, and re-aligned to a better position. An osteotomy is often used for younger people where the limb is not straight and the cartilage wear is confined to one part of the joint. Unfortunately, the success of this operation decreases as the degree of arthritis and deformity increases.

Total Joint Replacement (TJR) can help relieve pain and increase patient mobility by resurfacing the damaged joint with metal and plastic implants. For those with severe OA who are no longer achieving pain relief from over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications or other non-surgical treatments, TJR is an alternative treatment for OA. TJR can help people suffering with severe OA to resume routine movements of everyday life, such as climbing stairs, tying shoes and getting up from a chair. It can also allow them to resume work and the activities they love. All surgeries have risks, so it is important for patients to talk to their doctors about available surgical treatments.