OsteoArthritis Resarch Studies: Managing Osteoarthritis

Early diagnosis and immediate treatment are the best tools for successfully managing OA, but there are other important factors, which include:

Making healthy lifestyle choices
Managing stress and depression
Avoiding joint damage
Balancing periods of rest and activity.

Treatment Options

The main goals for the treatment of OA are:

Controlling pain
Improving ability to take part in daily activities
Slowing down the progression of the disease

Treatment plans will usually contain a combination of the following therapies:

Exercise
Weight control
Joint protection
Physical and/or occupational therapy
Medication
Surgery in severe cases

General Pain Management with Medications

The majority of people with OA will take medications at some point for pain relief. The following are types of drugs that can be used in the management of OA pain:

Analgesics – pain relief drugs that are usually used for people with mild-to-moderate pain. An example of an analgesic is acetaminophen or paracetamol (e.g. Tylenol™).
Topical Analgesics – creams or ointments that are rubbed over the effected area for pain relief. These are available over-the-counter and can be used in combination with oral drug therapies.
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) – drugs that aid in reducing inflammation and swelling as well as help with pain relief. They are recommended for people who have moderate-to-severe pain and signs of inflammation.
Cox-2-Drugs – class of drugs which are targeted NSAIDs that don’t cause the stomach irritation sometimes associated with traditional NSAIDs.
Injectable Glucocorticoids – steroids that are injected into the joint for fast pain relief. Recommended as an alternative first therapy for people with moderate-to-severe knee pain with signs of inflammation who do not receive relief from acetaminophen. These injections may only be given in the same joint three or four times a year.
Viscosupplements – therapy used specifically for knee osteoarthritis that must be administered by an orthopaedic surgeon. It involves a series of injections over a period of weeks into the joint of hyaluronic acid, a substance found in the body that gives joint fluid its viscosity.

Information cited from the Arthritis Society and the Arthritis Foundation



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		MANAGING WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS Early diagnosis and immediate treatment are the best tools for successfully managing OA, but there are other important factors, which include: Making healthy lifestyle choices Managing stress and depression Avoiding joint damage Balancing periods of rest and activity. Treatment Options The main goals for the treatment of OA are: Controlling pain Improving ability to take part in daily activities Slowing down the progression of the disease Treatment plans will usually contain a combination of the following therapies: Exercise Weight control Joint protection Physical and/or occupational therapy Medication Surgery in severe cases General Pain Management with Medications The majority of people with OA will take medications at some point for pain relief. The following are types of drugs that can be used in the management of OA pain: *Analgesics* – pain relief drugs that are usually used for people with mild-to-moderate pain. An example of an analgesic is acetaminophen or paracetamol (e.g. Tylenol™). *Topical Analgesics* – creams or ointments that are rubbed over the effected area for pain relief. These are available over-the-counter and can be used in combination with oral drug therapies. *Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)* – drugs that aid in reducing inflammation and swelling as well as help with pain relief. They are recommended for people who have moderate-to-severe pain and signs of inflammation. *Cox-2-Drugs* – class of drugs which are targeted NSAIDs that don’t cause the stomach irritation sometimes associated with traditional NSAIDs. *Injectable Glucocorticoids* – steroids that are injected into the joint for fast pain relief. Recommended as an alternative first therapy for people with moderate-to-severe knee pain with signs of inflammation who do not receive relief from acetaminophen. These injections may only be given in the same joint three or four times a year. *Viscosupplements* – therapy used specifically for knee osteoarthritis that must be administered by an orthopaedic surgeon. It involves a series of injections over a period of weeks into the joint of hyaluronic acid, a substance found in the body that gives joint fluid its viscosity. Information cited from the Arthritis Society and the Arthritis Foundation
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MANAGING WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS