There are many people throughout the world who suffer from osteoarthritis. It is the most common form of arthritis and affects millions of different people. Cartilage wears down naturally over time and eventually the joints aren’t properly lubricated. This results in a large amount of pain to the person whenever the joints are active. This is most common in a person’s hands and knees. It can also occur in the up and the spine for some people as well.
Since osteoarthritis can not be cured, the main option is to find the right treatment to help manage the problems. Treatment can be medical, but it will often include quite a few lifestyle changes. These lifestyle options are3 often the best case when it comes to management as it reduces the need for treatments or medications. To learn more about options when it comes to Osteoarthritis, read further.
Treatment
There are several treatment options that are available for people with osteoarthritis. Here are some of the main options that people turn to for treatment:
- Medication - There are many medications that can improve life for people with osteoarthritis. The first type is pain relievers. These work to mitigate the pain for people who have minor osteoarthritis. An added benefit is that many of these pain relievers also work to reduce inflammation. Most are available over the counter, but they can also come in stronger prescription forms. There is also specific antidepressant drugs which may be chosen. They also help with chronic pain from osteoarthritis.
- Physical Therapy - This is a great treatment for each person. Physical therapy is designed specifically for each individual, which allows them to get the treatment they specifically require. This allows people to increase the motion they are capable of.
- Occupational Therapy - This is a different type of therapy. Occupational therapy teaches people to perform their standard daily actions in different ways. This ensures that they can remove actions that will damage their body further.
- Surgery - Unfortunately, severe cases of osteoarthritis may require going beyond standard treatment options. When traditional options aren’t working, that’s when surgery comes into play. There’s various different types that may be involved. Injections are common, and some surgeries may require realigning actual bones to make up for the cartilage loss.
Lifestyle Changes
Rather than treatment, there’s also many things that can be done to change a person’s lifestyle. These lifestyle choices can prevent the degeneration of cartilage.
- Tai Chi - Taking up tai chi or yoga is a gentle way to practice stretching and breathing. People remove stress through these activities and often find the pain more manageable.
- Cold and Hot Packs - Heat and cold have proven to be effective pain reducers and to help inflammation in all kinds of painful situations. It’s not different with osteoarthritis.
- Knee Taping - This is a specific type of tape that provides additional support to people with osteoarthritis. It can be tricky to apply at first. A doctor or physical therapist should always show off the proper procedure so that the person can do it at home.
- Assisted Devices - Some people choose to use a cane or walker to take the ease off of their joints. In addition, there are many different grabber devices that can assist in avoiding overusing the knuckles and finger joints.
- Shoe Inserts - Many suffer from pain as they walk. However, there are shoe inserts which will allow for people to engage in proper posture. These help take the pressure off of joints.
