Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Sadly, the treatment of osteoarthritis is composed primarily of pharmaceuticals or other activities that reduce pain and increase mobility or function of the joints.  The treatment of osteoarthritis is not to cure the disease but to address the symptoms.

The typical treatment of osteoarthritis includes strategies directed at lifestyle, diet, pain, or surgery if drastic measures are required.  Perhaps the most important component of treatment of osteoarthritis is that the patient takes control and remains engaged.

Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Lifestyle related treatment of osteoarthritis include controlling weight, choosing appropriate exercises, and possibly implementing use of mechanical devices such as braces or walking supports.  Regular exercise that does not put too much stress on the joints is important as well to maintain joint mobility.

Dietary treatment of osteoarthritis is a two-pronged approach.  The first aim is to control weight.  This reduces the stress on affected joints.  The second aim is to supplement the components within the body that are either being lost due to inflammation or that can help repair joint damage.  There is weak evidence that this is effective but even a little bit of benefit is worth inclusion as treatment of osteoarthritis.  Some common supplements include vitamins, chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine.

Pain treatment of osteoarthritis is important in improving quality of life of the patient.  In moderate pain small doses are often sufficient.  With worse cases, prescribed NSAIDs are used in high doses to both manage the pain and reduce inflammation.  Severe pain treatment of osteoarthritis includes the use of opiods such as morphine or oxycodone.  Historic pain treatment of osteoarthritis included steroids though the side effects are often not worth the marginal benefit.

Surgery is a last resort when all other treatment of osteoarthritis have proven ineffective.  Surgery treatment of osteoarthritis can range from fragment removal, bone repositioning, bone fusion, or entire joint replacement. 

There are a few other less traditional approaches to the treatment of osteoarthritis but it is unlikely that a physician will adopt them until they prove more effective than the traditional treatment discussed above.