| How
Is Osteoarthritis Treated?
Most successful treatment programs involve
a combination of treatments tailored to the patient’s
needs, lifestyle, and health. Osteoarthritis treatment has
four general goals:
Control pain through drugs and other measures.
Improve joint care through rest and exercise.
Maintain an acceptable body weight.
Achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Osteoarthritis treatment plans often include ways to manage
pain and improve function. Such plans can involve exercise,
rest and joint care, pain relief, weight control, medications,
surgery, and nontraditional treatment approaches.
Exercise: Research shows that one of the best
treatments for osteoarthritis is exercise. This activity can
improve mood and outlook, decrease pain, increase flexibility,
improve the heart and blood flow, maintain weight, and promote
general physical fitness. It is also inexpensive and, if done
correctly, has few negative side effects. The amount and form
of exercise will depend on which joints are involved, how
stable the joints are, and whether a joint replacement has
already been done.
On the Move: Fighting Osteoarthritis With
Exercise
You can use exercises to keep strong and limber, extend your
range of movement, and reduce weight. Ask your doctor or physical
therapist what exercises are best for you.
Strength: Exercise bands are inexpensive devices
that add resistance.
Aerobics: Activities that keep your lungs
and circulation systems in shape.
Range of Motion: These activities keep the
joints limber.
Agility: Many of these exercises help you
to maintain daily living skills.
Neck and Back Strength: Don’t forget
to keep your spine strong and limber.
Ask your doctor or physical therapist what
exercises are best for you. Ask for guidelines on exercising
when a joint is sore or if swelling is present. Also, check
if you should 1) use drugs such as analgesics or anti-inflammatories
(NSAID’s) to make exercising easier, or 2) use ice afterwards.
Rest and Joint Care: Treatment plans include regularly scheduled
rest. Patients must learn to recognize the body’s signals,
and know when to stop or slow down. This prevents pain caused
by overexercising. Some patients find that relaxation techniques,
stress reduction, and biofeedback help. Some use canes and
splints to protect joints and take pressure off them. Splints
or braces provide extra support for weakened joints. They
also keep the joint in proper position during sleep or activity.
Splints must be used for limited periods because joints and
muscles need to be exercised to prevent stiffness and weakness.
An occupational therapist or a doctor can help the patient
get a properly fitting splint.
Pain Relief: People with osteoarthritis may
have nonmedical ways to relieve pain. Patients can use warm
towels, hot packs, or a warm bath or shower to apply moist
heat to the joint. This can relieve pain and stiffness. In
some cases, cold packs (a bag of ice or frozen vegetables
wrapped in a towel) can relieve pain or numb the sore area.
(Check with a doctor or physical therapist to find out if
heat or cold is the best treatment.) Water therapy in a heated
pool or whirlpool may also relieve pain and stiffness. For
osteoarthritis in the knee, patients may wear insoles or cushioned
shoes to redistribute weight and reduce joint stress.
Weight Control: Osteoarthritis
patients who are overweight or obese need to lose weight.
Weight loss can reduce stress on weight-bearing joints and
limit further injury. A dietician can help patients develop
healthy eating habits. A healthy diet and regular exercise
help reduce weight.
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