Knee Arthritis Treatment – Common Medical Treatments
Knee arthritis treatment usually begins with minor pain relievers like over the counter NSAIDs. For those with mild knee arthritis treatment for occasional discomfort with medications like naproxen, aspirin, or ibuprofen is often sufficient. However, as the disease progresses, more aggressive knee arthritis treatment plans are required. Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee arthritis, and as such, continued degeneration of the cartilage in the knee results in disease progression. Osteoarthritis patients often get to a point in the progression of their disease where knee arthritis treatment necessitates replacement of part of or the entire knee joint.
Between knee arthritis treatment with over the counter medications and full knee joint replacement surgery, there are several treatment options available to patients. Weight loss is one of the strongest knee arthritis treatment recommendations. Reducing the burden on the knee helps to alleviate some of the pain associated with daily activities like walking. Unfortunately, in terms of knee arthritis treatment, weight loss is often the least followed recommendation. In spite of the benefits to the arthritis patient, the exercise required to lose weight is often painful and therefore patients do not follow through. Dietary changes required for weight loss are also difficult for older adults.
Further knee arthritis treatment options include activity modification, walking aids, as well as physical and/or occupational therapy. For patients seeing physical and occupational therapists for knee arthritis treatment, those professionals can assist with selecting appropriate walking aids and with activity modification. As part of knee arthritis treatment, physical therapists work with patients to devise exercise routines and activity modifications that allow for continued flexibility while reducing the pain of everyday activities. Occupational therapists help patients to modify their home or work environments to also reduce the pain of daily activities by making the environment more arthritis friendly.
Medications are an important part of knee arthritis treatment, with their use and potency increasing with the progression of the disease. Anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers, both prescription and over the counter, are a primary component of knee arthritis treatment. Cortisone injections are also common in knee arthritis treatment, as these injections help to reduce inflammation and subsequent pain by introducing cortisone directly into the affected joint. Joint supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM are recommended by many medical professionals to assist in the treatment of arthritis pain and to help slow the progression of degenerative arthritis like rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
