What Are My Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis?

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis (OA) claims the top spot — by a lot. Of the 58.5 million Americans with arthritis, about 33 million have OA.

All types of arthritis are challenging, largely because there’s no cure for any of them, but OA is especially so since it’s progressive and degenerative. But this doesn’t mean that you’re without options.

Since May is Arthritis Awareness Month in the United States, our team of musculoskeletal experts at Revive Spine and Pain Center wants to share some OA strategies and treatment options with you here. Let’s take a look.

Osteoarthritis — a wear-and-tear disease

When you have OA, it means the protective cartilage inside your joint is breaking down, which allows the bones in the joint to rub together. 

This friction alone can cause pain and inflammation, but it can also lead to loose bodies in your joint. These loose bodies are made up of pieces of cartilage and bone, which serve to exacerbate the pain and inflammation.

The cartilage breakdown is typically due to wear-and-tear in your joints, which is why your risks for osteoarthritis increase in lockstep with your age. And once your cartilage breaks down, it doesn’t regenerate, making OA irreversible.

Unfortunately, OA numbers are expected to rise considerably in the near future due to an aging population. Fortunately, we have an arsenal of treatment options and management strategies.

Best practices for managing OA

Since osteoarthritis is irreversible and progressive, managing the condition comes down to slowing the progression of the disease and reestablishing pain-free movement. And this is best done during the early stages with these steps:

Getting you ready for movement

One of the keys to managing OA is to remain active, which encourages optimal function in your joints and promotes better circulation of resources in your body. Yet movement is the very thing that’s difficult for you given the pain, stiffness, and inflammation in your joints. 

To make you more comfortable when you move, we offer:

• Corticosteroid injections that reduce inflammation
• Hyaluronic acid injections for knee OA
• Nerve blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation to quiet overactive nerve fibers
• Facet joint injections and epidural injections for arthritis in your spine
• Platelet-rich plasma injections to reduce inflammation and pain
• Neuromodulation to quiet pain signaling

Each of these treatments offers temporary pain relief that allows you to exercise and strengthen, so use this time well. In fact, if you want to truly slow the progression of the disease, you must strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints to keep the pressure off.

Lifestyle changes and adjunct options for managing OA

While there’s a lot that we do in terms of making you more comfortable when you have OA, it’s important that you tackle some key lifestyle factors, such as:

Losing weight

If you’re carrying excess pounds, you’re placing more pressure on your joints, which can lead to premature and rapid OA. So we recommend that you lighten the load on your joints, if this applies.

Using assistive devices

Another effective way to protect your joints with OA is to provide a little extra support in the form of braces, wraps, and custom orthotics.

In advanced cases of OA, there are devices that can help with mobility, such as canes and walkers.

Acupuncture and massage therapy

There are some good adjunct treatments for managing OA, such as medical acupuncture, which we offer here, and massage therapy. These practices encourage better flow in your body that helps to circulate healing resources.

As you can see, you’re not without resources for helping you move more freely when you have osteoarthritis. 

For a more personalized management plan for your OA and your lifestyle, please contact us at one of our conveniently located offices in Marlton, Hamilton Township, Northfield, or East Brunswick, New Jersey, to schedule an appointment.