How do you treat osteoarthritis

Steroid injections work quickly and can ease pain for several weeks or months. In addition to lifestyle changes and medicines, you may benefit from a number of supportive treatments that can help reduce your pain and make everyday tasks easier.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS uses a machine that sends electrical impulses through sticky patches, called electrodes, attached to the skin. This may help ease the pain caused by your osteoarthritis by numbing the nerve endings in your spinal cord which control pain. Treatment with TENS is usually arranged by a physiotherapist or doctor, who can advise you on the strength of the pulses and how long your treatment should last.

Applying hot or cold packs to the joints can relieve the pain and symptoms of osteoarthritis in some people. A hot-water bottle filled with either hot or cold water and applied to the affected area can be very effective in reducing pain.

Special hot and cold packs that can either be cooled in the freezer or heated in a microwave are also available, and work in a similar way. If osteoarthritis is causing mobility problems or making it difficult to do everyday tasks, several devices could help.

Your GP may refer you to a physiotherapist or an occupational therapist for specialist help and advice. If you have osteoarthritis in your lower limbs, such as your hips, knees or feet, your physiotherapist or occupational therapist may suggest special footwear or insoles for your shoes.

Footwear with shock-absorbing soles can help relieve some of the pressure on the joints in your legs as you walk. Special insoles may help spread your weight more evenly.

Leg braces and supports also work in the same way. If you have osteoarthritis in your hip or knee that affects your mobility, you may need to use a walking aid, such as a stick or cane.

Hold it on the opposite side of your body to your affected leg so that it takes some of your weight. A splint a piece of rigid material used to provide support to a joint or bone can also be useful if you need to rest a painful joint. Your physiotherapist can provide you with a splint and give you advice on how to use it correctly. If your hands are affected by osteoarthritis, you may also need assistance with hand-operated tasks, such as turning on a tap. Special devices, such as tap turners, can make performing these tasks more manageable.

Your occupational therapist can give you help and advice about using assistive devices in your home or workplace. Not using your joints can cause your muscles to waste and may increase stiffness caused by osteoarthritis. Manual therapy is a technique where a physiotherapist uses their hands to stretch, mobilise and massage the body tissues to keep your joints supple and flexible. Find out more about physiotherapy. Surgery for osteoarthritis is only needed in a small number of cases where other treatments haven't been effective or where one of your joints is severely damaged.

If you need surgery for osteoarthritis, your GP will refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon. Having surgery for osteoarthritis may greatly improve your symptoms, mobility and quality of life. However, surgery cannot be guaranteed to get rid of your symptoms altogether, and you may still experience pain and stiffness from your condition. Joint replacement, also known as an arthroplasty, is most commonly done to replace hip and knee joints. During an arthroplasty, your surgeon will remove your affected joint and replace it with an artificial joint prosthesis made of special plastics and metal.

An artificial joint can last for up to 20 years, although it may eventually need to be replaced. Compresses can reduce muscle pain or spasms surrounding a joint. Making a compress can be as simple as using a warm or cold towel. Read more: How to make a cold compress ».

Epsom salt baths can provide allover relief, especially for joint pain. The magnesium in Epsom salt may help with inflammation and pain. You can buy Epsom salt from a drugstore. You may want to try topical versions as an alternative to oral over-the-counter OTC medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

These gels and creams may contain aspirin or analgesics to numb the pain. You can apply them directly to the affected joints.

These products can work well for areas that are near the skin surface, such as your knees. Another topical home remedy is capsaicin.

Capsaicin is a compound made from hot chili peppers. It works best when you apply it to painful joints three to four times per day.

To avoid accidental eye exposure, wash hands after each use. You may also want to try other ointments like Tiger Balm or horse liniment. Talk to your doctor before experimenting with any of these products. Read more: Best pain creams for arthritis ». Various types of assistive devices can offer added support without the need for medications. The exact devices you choose depend on the affected joints.

Options include:. Natural remedies are increasing in popularity for conditions like OA. Some people believe they may be safer since they have fewer side effects compared with traditional medications. Talk to your doctor about the following natural remedies. Always be sure to buy supplements from a reputable source. Green tea contains polyphenols. OA and rheumatoid arthritis RA share the same symptoms but are very different conditions. OA is a degenerative condition, which means that it increases in severity over time.

RA, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disorder. People with RA have immune systems that mistake the soft lining around joints to be a threat to the body, causing it to attack that area. This soft lining, which includes the synovial fluid, is called the synovium.

As the immune system launches its assault, fluid buildup within the joint occurs, causing stiffness, pain, swelling, and inflammation. But you can also do your own research. Find out the differences between RA and OA. OA is often a slow-developing disease that can be hard to diagnose until it starts to cause painful or debilitating symptoms.

Early OA is often diagnosed after an accident or other incident that causes a fracture requiring an X-ray. This imaging test uses radio waves and a magnetic field to create images of bone and soft tissue. Other diagnostic tests include a blood test to rule out other conditions that cause joint pain, such as RA. A joint fluid analysis can also be used to determine whether gout or infection is the underlying cause of inflammation.

Check out the other tests used to help diagnose osteoarthritis. OA treatment is centered upon symptom management. The type of treatment that will help you the most will largely be determined by the severity of your symptoms and their location. Often, lifestyle changes, over-the-counter OTC medication, and home remedies will be enough to provide you with relief from pain, stiffness, and swelling.

Physical activity strengthens the muscles around your joints and may help relieve stiffness. Aim for at least 20 to 30 minutes of physical movement, at least every other day. Choose gentle, low-impact activities, such as walking or swimming. Tai chi and yoga can also improve joint flexibility and help with pain management. Shop for yoga mats. Being overweight can put strain on your joints and cause pain.

Shedding excess pounds helps relieve this pressure and reduces pain. A healthy weight can also lower your risk of other health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Resting your muscles can reduce swelling and inflammation. Getting enough sleep at night can also help you to manage pain more effectively.

You can experiment with heat or cold therapy to relieve muscle pain and stiffness. Apply a cold or hot compress to sore joints for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day. These practices can help take the edge off of your symptoms and improve your quality of life. For a full list of OA treatments, learn more here. Gentle stretching exercises can be very helpful for people with OA, especially if you have stiffness or pain in your knees, hips, or back. Stretching can help improve mobility and range of motion.

If stretching exercises get the green light, try these four osteoarthritis exercises. There are a number of different types of OA medications that can help provide relief from pain or swelling. They include:. Your doctor may recommend you try OTC solutions as a first line of defense. Learn more about the OTC and prescription options for osteoarthritis.

Alternative treatments and supplements may help to relieve symptoms such as inflammation and joint pain. Some supplements or herbs that may help include:. Shop for fish oil. But we know now that it is a disease of the entire joint, including bone, cartilage, ligaments, fat and the tissues lining the joint the synovium.

Osteoarthritis can degrade cartilage, change bone shape and cause inflammation, resulting in pain, stiffness and loss of mobility. OA can affect any joint, but typically affects hands, knees, hips, lower back and neck. Its signs and symptoms typically show up more often in individuals over age 50, but OA can affect much younger people, too, especially those who have had a prior joint injury, such as a torn ACL or meniscus.

It typically develops slowly over time, but after such an injury, it can develop much more rapidly, within just a few years. OA is not an inevitable aging disease; some people never develop it.

There is no cure for OA, but there are ways to manage OA to minimize pain, continue physical activities, maintain a good quality of life and remain mobile. Pain, reduced mobility, side effects from medications and other factors associated with osteoarthritis can lead to health complications that are not caused by the disease itself. Painful joints, especially in the feet, ankles, knees, hip or back, make it harder to exercise.

But physical activity is not only key to managing OA symptoms, it also can help prevent weight gain, which can lead to obesity. Being overweight or obese can lead to the development of high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Research indicates people with OA experience more falls and risk of fracture than those without OA. Having OA can decrease function, weaken muscles, affect overall balance, and make falls more likely, especially among those with OA in knees or hips.

Side effects from pain medications, such as dizziness, can also contribute to falls. Medical history, a physical examination and lab tests help to make up the OA diagnosis. A primary care doctor may be the first person you talk to about joint pain. The doctor will review your medical history, symptoms, how the pain affects activities, as well as your medical problems and medication use. He or she will also look at and move your joints, and may order imaging. These tests help to make the diagnosis:.

Pain and anti-inflammatory medicines for osteoarthritis are available as pills, syrups, patches, gels, creams or injectables. They include:. Movement is an essential part of an OA treatment plan. Getting minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week should be the goal, according to the U. Department of Health and Human Services. A good exercise program to fight OA pain and stiffness has four parts:.

Excess weight puts additional force and stress on weight-bearing joints, including the hips, knees, ankles, feet and back, and fat cells promote inflammation. Losing extra weight helps reduce pain and slow joint damage. Every pound of weight lost removes four pounds of pressure on lower-body joints.

Physical Therapies and Assistive Devices Physical therapists, occupational therapists and chiropractors can provide:. Joint surgery can improve pain and function.

Joint replacement surgery replaces damaged joints to restore mobility and relieve pain. Hips and knees are the joints most commonly replaced. An orthopedic surgeon can determine the best procedure based on how badly damaged the joint is. Practicing these habits can slow down OA, keep you healthier overall and delay surgery as long as possible. It is important to pursue a number of different self-care approaches simultaneously. They are listed below.

Excess weight worsens OA. Combine healthy eating with regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight. Many people have diabetes and OA. Having high glucose levels can make cartilage stiffer and more likely to break down.