What Are the Treatments for Osteoarthritis?
Nonsurgical treatments- Weight loss. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can help to reduce the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis.
- Exercise. Exercise can help to strengthen the muscles around your joints and improve your range of motion.
- Physical therapy. Physical therapists can teach you exercises to help improve your flexibility and strength, and they can also provide you with support and encouragement.
- Occupational therapy. Occupational therapists can help you to find ways to modify your activities to reduce pain and stiffness.
- Assistive devices. Assistive devices, such as canes, walkers, and wheelchairs, can help you to get around more easily and reduce pain.
- Medication. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve), can help to relieve pain and inflammation. Prescription pain relievers, such as opioids, may be needed for more severe pain.
- Corticosteroid injections. Corticosteroids are medications that can help to reduce inflammation. They can be injected directly into the affected joint.
- Hyaluronic acid injections. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that helps to lubricate the joints. It can be injected into the affected joint to help reduce pain and stiffness.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. PRP is a treatment that uses your own blood to help promote healing. PRP can be injected into the affected joint to help reduce pain and stiffness.
Surgical treatments
- Arthroscopy. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows the doctor to see inside the joint and remove any damaged tissue.
- Osteotomy. Osteotomy is a surgical procedure that involves cutting the bone around the affected joint to change the alignment of the joint.
- Joint replacement. Joint replacement is a surgical procedure that involves removing the damaged joint and replacing it with an artificial joint.
Experimental treatments
- Stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy is a treatment that uses stem cells to help regenerate damaged tissue. Stem cells can be injected into the affected joint to help reduce pain and stiffness.
- Gene therapy. Gene therapy is a treatment that uses genes to change the way that cells in the body function. Gene therapy can be used to treat osteoarthritis by targeting the genes that are involved in the production of inflammatory proteins.
Emerging therapies to watch for
- Nerve stimulation. Studies have shown that electrical nerve stimulation may help reduce pain associated with knee osteoarthritis, both during rest and movement.
- Bone marrow aspirate concentrate. Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) is a promising new treatment for knee osteoarthritis. BMAC is a concentrated suspension of bone marrow cells containing stem cells, platelets, and growth factors. It is injected into the affected knee, where it helps to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
- Cellular therapies. Cellular therapies, which involve injecting healthy cells into the affected joint to help repair damaged tissue, are another area of active research. Stem cells, cartilage cells, and other cell types are being studied for their potential to treat knee osteoarthritis.