Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. If your fingers, hips, knees, or other joints feel painful when you use them, you might have this condition. Doctors sometimes call it degenerative bone disease. Experts estimate more than 80% of people over 55 have some degree of it. About 60% of those have noticeable symptoms.
With OA, your joints swell from wear and tear, and your cartilage (a rubbery tissue covering the ends of your bones) breaks down over time, leaving your bones without anything to cushion them. This causes them to rub against each other. Your joints get inflamed and cause chronic pain.
Your joint pain and stiffness may become so severe that you find daily tasks difficult or impossible. You have a higher risk of depression and sleep disturbances, due to ongoing pain and increasing mobility problems. There's no cure for OA, but there are combinations of treatments to help ease your symptoms.
Common symptoms
The most common symptoms of OA include:
- Pain in your joints
- Stiffness
- Swelling near a joint
- Limited range of motion
- Feeling like your joint isn't stable
- Your joint looks different than it used to
What Is the Best Treatment for Osteoarthritis?
The best treatment for OA depends on various factors. Your doctor will help find the best treatment or combination of treatments for you. There's no cure for it, and you can't regrow the cartilage in your joints. But your doctor can help you manage your symptoms.
Some helpful treatments for OA include:
Medication. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can help lessen your pain and inflammation. You might take them by mouth, or use topical creams, ointments, or patches.
Exercise. Moving your joints can relieve stiffness and strengthen your muscles around them. Your doctor might suggest you work with a physical or occupational therapist.
- Assistive devices. Shoe inserts or braces can help stabilize your joints. Using a cane or walker can take pressure off your joints and help you move more safely.
Heat and cold therapies. Using heat or cold on your joints may help ease your pain and stiffness. Ask your doctor how often and how long to use a heating pad, ice pack, or cool compress.
Complementary therapy. These may help when used alongside other treatment options. They may include acupuncture, massage, meditation, tai chi, and dietary supplements. Talk to your doctor before taking any herbal or dietary supplements.
Surgery. Your doctor might suggest joint replacement surgery if you have severe symptoms and other treatments haven't worked.
Here's a closer look at some treatment options.
Physical Activity
Even though you may not feel like it, exercise is the best thing to ease your arthritis pain and help prevent joint damage. It can also help you lose weight. That puts less stress on your joints. Try to get exercise in these categories:
Stretching. These actions increase your flexibility and range of motion, and they help lubricate your joints. Your doctor may prescribe specific stretching exercises. Yoga, Pilates, and tai chi classes are good ways to get your stretching in. Tell your instructor about your arthritis so they can make your experience safe and enjoyable.
Strength training. This builds muscle and helps protect your joints from injury. These exercises may involve lifting weights or simply using your own body weight (such as doing push-ups or sit-ups).
Aerobics. These exercises strengthen your heart and lungs, lower fatigue, and boost your stamina. They also help you burn calories. Typical aerobic exercises include walking, running, riding a bicycle, swimming, or using a treadmill.
Most recommended. The Arthritis Foundation says the best exercises for arthritis are walking and water aerobics. They're easy on your joints and good if you have excess weight or you're just starting to exercise. They improve your heart health and physical conditioning. You don't need to know how to swim to do water aerobics. They're done in a swimming pool in shoulder-height water.
Osteoarthritis and Obesity
Obesity can cause arthritis. It puts a lot of stress on your hips, back, and knees. Even if you're only moderately overweight, you'll benefit from shedding some pounds. Every pound of weight you lose removes 4 pounds of pressure on your lower-body joints.
To lose weight and help ease your OA symptoms, you might use a mix of diet modifications, increased physical activity, and behavior therapy. In some cases, your doctor may recommend weight loss medications or bariatric surgery.
Benefits of losing extra weight for OA may include:
- Reduced joint pain
- Improved ability to do daily activities and exercises
- Lower inflammation in your body
Some studies suggest weight loss may slow the progression of OA, but more research is needed to know for sure.
With excess body weight, losing it gradually over time is better than losing a lot quickly. Behavior therapy can help with lasting dietary and other healthy lifestyle changes. Including your family and friends for support can be a big help for your weight loss journey, as they can keep you motivated to achieve your goals.
For diet changes, cut back on dietary fat and choose foods that help reduce inflammation. Those include fatty fish, olive oil, and walnuts. A nutritionist can help you make a healthy eating plan you'll stick to.
For exercise, try low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, or yoga. It's important to slowly increase the intensity and duration of any exercise you choose. An exercise professional or a physical therapist can help you choose the best exercises and plan. Make sure they know you live with osteoarthritis.
Medicine for Osteoarthritis
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Several medications are good for arthritis pain. Talk with your doctor before starting any of them. Be sure they know if you're taking them regularly.
Common OTC medications are aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. These are called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They can cause stomach irritation and gastrointestinal bleeding in some people. Medications with acetaminophen relieve mild to moderate pain and cause few side effects in most people. But large doses can damage your liver. So, it's important to follow the instructions carefully.
Prescription NSAIDs. These include celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and sulindac (Clinoril). They're generally safe for most people. But in some people, they can cause stomach bleeding and raise their risk of a heart attack or stroke. Your doctor may want to keep an eye on you while you take prescription NSAIDs. These drugs should be avoided if you have kidney problems or conditions that increase your risk of kidney disease.
Corticosteroid injection. This is normally only given if your pain is very severe. Corticosteroids can ease your inflammation and swelling, and they offer quick, short-term pain relief. The benefits usually last several weeks to several months. You might get pain relief for six months or longer. These injections are usually given no more than three or four times a year in a single joint. The risk of side effects is small, but they include damage to your tendons, bleeding, color changes in your skin, and infection.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection.Hyaluronic acid is similar to a fluid that's found in the natural synovial fluid in your joints. It helps lubricate your joints and makes it easier for your bones to slide over each other. Natural amounts of HA are lower in people with osteoarthritis. When HA is injected into your knee, hip, or shoulder, it can help lubricate that joint and increase your mobility. Injected forms of HA include Euflexxa, Hyalgan, Orthovisc, Supartz, and Synvisc. Side effects can include swelling in your joints and a temporary increase in pain.
Antidepressants. Your doctor may recommend an antidepressant to help ease chronic pain. In some people, antidepressants can cause thoughts of suicide or agitation and restlessness. Typically, these medications are started at low doses and slowly increased. It's important to work with your doctor to slowly lower the dose of these drugs over time if you want to stop taking them.
If you have thoughts of suicide, let your doctor know immediately, and call or text the 988 Suicide Crisis & Lifeline anytime.
Topical pain relievers. Some creams, ointments, or gels can relieve mild pain in your joints. Use them on the skin over your painful joint while taking pain relievers for general aching and stiffness.
- Capsaicin (Capzasin, Zostrix) is found in cayenne peppers. It interferes with the release of a substance in your body that helps you feel pain.
- Salicylates (Aspercreme, Bengay) have a substance similar to that found in aspirin. They may stimulate or irritate your nerve endings, distracting your brain away from pain.
- Menthol (Icy Hot, Biofreeze) is a counterirritant. It creates a hot or cold sensation that draws your attention away from your pain.
Are There Natural Remedies for Osteoarthritis?
Some herbs and supplements (capsaicin, flaxseed, ginger, ginkgo, and turmeric) are thought to be helpful for arthritis. The most popular ones for pain relief are chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine. Both are made of compounds found in cartilage. That's the tough, flexible tissue that covers the ends of your bones at the joints. When osteoarthritis wears your cartilage down, taking glucosamine is thought to protect what's left. They may help your body regenerate the cartilage on your joints, but evidence remains sketchy.
Some studies suggest they may provide modest pain relief. They could be tried if you're unable to tolerate other pain medications, if your doctor thinks they're a good option for you. But it's important to note the American College of Rheumatology doesn't recommend the use of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine.
Other natural remedies used by some people include acupuncture, massage, heating pads, and ice packs. Reducing stress by maintaining a positive outlook may also help.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is sometimes used to treat OA. It uses electrodes to send electrical impulses to nerve pathways. This lessens some types of pain.
There's also neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Instead of just stimulating the nerves, NMES includes the muscle tissue that supports the joint, as well. Studies show it's an effective treatment, especially for those with OA of the knee.
Visualization
Can you think your way to less stiffness? Some believe that the strong connection between your mind and body can change the way you feel. In creative visualization, or guided imagery, you imagine a pain-free body. Some think that when you feel the emotions that come with those images, they have a better chance of happening in real life. Professional athletes, astronauts, and hospitals across the country use creative visualization. It can also reduce the stress and depression that come with chronic pain.
Magnets and Copper Bracelets
Healing magnets may seem like an attractive option. They're inexpensive, easy to use, and have no side effects. Believers in this therapy think the magnets help iron circulate in your blood and get your joints the nutrition they need. But the iron in your body isn't magnetic. Wearing magnets has no physical effect on your blood or joints.
The same goes for copper bracelets. In your body, copper helps make red blood cells and aids in forming the collagen in bones and connective tissue. But copper bracelets don't transfer copper to your body. And adding more of the mineral won't ease your joint inflammation.
Fish Oil
If you've heard good things about fish oil, check with your doctor before trying it. It's rich in omega-3 fatty acids that may help with your joint pain or tenderness. But it can be hard on your stomach. Some versions of this supplement may contain toxic amounts of mercury or vitamin A.
Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU)
Some studies suggest a supplement called avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) may help reduce your pain, stiffness, and joint function from OA. It's made from avocado oil and soybean oil. Some studies also suggest it may keep your condition from worsening as quickly. But there's not much evidence, and more research is needed to know if ASU is helpful at all.
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Physical therapists (PT) can work with you on exercises to make muscles around your joints stronger, reduce your pain, and improve your range of motion. They can help fit you with braces to support your joints or suggest shoe inserts to take some pressure off.
An occupational therapist (OT) gives you new ways to do everyday tasks, like how to hold your toothbrush or how to shower, without stressing your joints. They can recommend products, such as a shower bench, to lessen flare-ups at home.
If you need further help, scooters, walkers, and canes may be recommended to help you get around. Tools such as jar openers and steering wheel grips can help you manage day-to-day life more easily when you have trouble gripping things. Your therapist can give you advice on how to use them.
Surgery Osteoarthritis
If you've tried many remedies but got little or no relief, your doctor may suggest surgery. They'll talk with you about what makes sense for your situation. These procedures can help relieve your pain and improve your mobility.
Arthroscopic surgery. This common outpatient procedure is for your knees and shoulders. Doctors repair the surfaces of your damaged joints. They remove loose cartilage, repair cartilage tears, and smooth bone surfaces.
Joint replacement surgery. When nothing else has worked, your damaged joints can be replaced with artificial joints. Hips and knees are the most common, but artificial joints are also available for shoulders, fingers, elbows, and back joints.
Osteotomy. When you're too young for joint replacement, this procedure can increase stability in your knees or hip joints. It involves cutting your bone to redistribute weight on a joint and make it more stable.
Joint fusion. Also called arthrodesis, this surgery fuses two bones on each end of a joint, getting rid of the joint itself. It's used when your joints are severely damaged and cause severe pain. It's also done when joint replacement isn't effective, as with an ankle. Though a fused joint isn't flexible, it's more stable, bears weight better, and no longer causes pain due to osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis Treatment FAQs
Can walking cure osteoarthritis?
Walking won't cure OA, but it helps. It can ease your joint pain, fight off fatigue, and increase your overall sense of well-being.
What's end-stage osteoarthritis?
This is when your joint damage becomes severe. It includes severe loss of cartilage and bone-on-bone contact. In this stage, your mobility is limited, and you have chronic pain.
Is osteoarthritis serious?
Yes, it's a serious disease that worsens over time. It doesn't directly shorten your lifespan. But some studies link it to reduced life expectancy due to ongoing pain and lower quality of life.
What's the best thing to do for osteoarthritis?
It's usually best to use a combination of treatments. That may include lifestyle changes, exercise, medications, and complementary therapies.
Can I live normally with osteoarthritis?
Yes. But you may need lifestyle changes and treatments to help manage your symptoms.
Does osteoarthritis ever improve?
This condition doesn't have a cure, and the joint damage it causes can't be reversed. But you may find relief from some of your symptoms with treatments and lifestyle changes.
