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Although osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive disease for which the only remedy is to treat its symptoms, some effective treatment methods do exist.
Heat treatment. Warm baths, infrared lamps and warm clothing may reduce pain and joint stiffness and help ease movement. In cases of inflammation, cold compresses can be useful.
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- Physical exercise. While overuse of the joints can be harmful (as professional athletes can attest), it is also true that remaining inactive and limiting joint use is not beneficial, either. Swimming, walking, low impact aerobics and simply moving the joints can help to control pain and stiffness.
- Weight reduction. Overloading the weight bearing joints will contribute to cartilage degeneration. It has been shown that being overweight can increase the risk of knee damage tenfold. If weight loss is achieved through increased physical activity, the benefits to the joints are doubled.
- Corticosteroids. Their use is limited due to their side effects. These should be taken with a physician's supervision.
- Use of topical products such as creams and oils.
- Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDS), in particular aspirin, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, painkilling drug.
- Surgery: only in the most severe cases. The procedures range from cleaning out cartilage to replacement of a damaged joint.
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