Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It affects more than 32.5 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people with the condition find relief from symptoms through basic treatments such as exercise, weight loss, injections, over-the-counter, and prescription medications. Because the condition gets worse over time, in some cases, these measures will become increasingly less effective.
Researchers are hoping to step into the future of osteoarthritis treatment with new medications and injections. Before you learn more, however, it’s helpful to know what causes osteoarthritis in the first place.
Understanding Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage within the joints wears down, causing inflammation within the joint and eventually causing bone to rub against bone. As the cartilage in the joint breaks down over time, you may experience increases in inflammation within the joint. This can lead to pain, stiffness after rest, swelling around the joint, changes in mobility and even changes in the alignment of the joint. While it can occur in people of all ages, it’s most common in older adults, as it can be caused by wear and tear on the joints over time.
Current Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis
If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, several treatment options are available that can relieve symptoms, improve joint function, and slow disease progression.
Depending on the severity of the condition, you may find relief from symptoms with some basic lifestyle changes.
When you exercise regularly, you develop flexibility and strengthen muscles that support your joints. Low-impact exercises like swimming, bike riding and water aerobics may be particularly helpful.
Taking steps to lose weight can also be helpful since excess weight puts additional strain on the joints. In fact, a recent study found that weight loss is associated with slower progression and development of osteoarthritis by up to 22 percent. For every pound of body weight, your hips and knees see about 5 pounds with normal walking, so losing even a few pounds can help, particularly if you experience hip or knee pain.
Other treatment options include:
- Prescription medications and creams to reduce pain and inflammation
- Corticosteroid joint injections, which can alleviate pain for several months
- Hyaluronic acid injections, which help replace lubricate the joint to ease movement
These treatment options provide relief for many people, at least temporarily. However, when joint pain becomes severe enough that it disrupts daily life, your health care provider might recommend joint replacement. Joint replacement surgery often provides quick, long-lasting relief of symptoms and restores mobility.
What’s Next for Osteoarthritis Treatments?
Hip or knee replacement surgery can solve many problems for patients with osteoarthritis. Newer surgical approaches and post-operative protocols have led to shorter recoveries and less pain.
However, not everyone is a good candidate for joint replacement surgery. These adults might find hope in new osteoarthritis treatments currently under development:
- Disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs are medications that train your body to repair or restore damaged cartilage.
- Researchers are investigating new joint injections that do more than relieve pain. One, for example, involves injecting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) into the joint; a lack of EGFR has been shown to speed up the progression of arthritis in animal studies.
- Regenerative therapies based on stem cells are still considered very experimental, but the theory is that certain stem cells can be isolated and transplanted into your body to form new, healthy tissue, bone and cartilage.
- Existing medications used to treat other conditions, such as bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis, are also being researched for their ability to protect against bone deterioration, while medications to treat autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are being investigated for their ability to treat pain and reduce inflammation.
Although these new treatments are not in widespread use, they hold promise for people whose osteoarthritis significantly limits their daily life. An experienced orthopedic surgeon can discuss these options with you and help you determine whether they’re the right next step.
More to Read
- Osteoarthritis: 5 Foods to Eat and 5 to Avoid to Help Control your Symptoms
- Osteoarthritis: Finding the Best Treatment Option for You
- Knee Osteoarthritis: Prevention and Treatment Options
- Arthroscopy and Arthroplasty: Providing Relief from Joint Pain
Medically reviewed by Kevin McCoy, MD.
