Treatment modalities for those individuals suffering from osteoarthritis are based on the severity of the symptoms and the progression of the disease. Usually these treatment options fall into a continuum of care ranging from non-surgical approaches to surgical intervention. Patient's lifestyle, severity of symptoms, and clinician training all come into play when deciding a successful treatment protocol. Treatment goals should focus on decreasing pain and increasing the patient's quality of life.
Only your treating health care provider can decide what treatment option is best for you.
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENTS
- Heat/ Cold Therapies: Decrease swelling and pain
- Physical Therapy: Joint and muscle exercises to improve strength and flexibility
- Weight Management: Weight loss can relieve stress on the articulating surfaces
- Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: These include over-the-counter and prescription medications
- Intra-Articular Injections:
Corticosteroids- Reduce inflammation, but should not be given long term
Viscosupplementation- Series of weekly injections of hyaluronic acid which are designed to lubricate the joint surfaces
- Herbal and Alternative Medicine: Acupuncture, magnetic pulse therapy, and herbal remedies
- Corrective Supports: Canes, walkers, shoe inserts, and knee braces help relieve the stress on the affected joint surfaces
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
- Arthroscopy: Minimally invasive procedure to remove diseased tissue including bone spurs, cysts, inflamed soft tissue, loose cartilage or meniscus debris
- Osteotomy: Surgically restructuring the alignment of the joint anatomy to shift stress off the diseased tissue
- Partial Knee Replacement: Surgical method that knee replaces only the diseased portion of the joint rather than entire joint surfaces
- Total Knee Replacement: Surgical removal of the diseased joint and inserting artificial components to mimic normal anatomical function
- Knee Fusion: Surgically uniting the tibia and femur to remove the diseased joint resulting in complete loss of motion
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