Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease and the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage in a joint is damaged or deteriorates. In the early stages of OA, the surface of the cartilage becomes swollen, resulting in a loss of tissue density.

As the disease progresses, the cartilage loses elasticity and becomes prone to damage due to erosion. Eventually, large amounts of cartilage are destroyed, leaving the ends of the bone within the joint unprotected and subject to damage.

Unlike other types of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects joints differently depending on their location, function and the amount of stress. OA is common in the joints of the fingers, feet, knees, hips and spine, and rare in non-weight-bearing joints of the wrist, elbows, shoulders and jaw.

The treatment plan for osteoarthritis depends upon many factors, such as the severity of the disease, dysfunction and pain, the type and location of the pain, as well as patient’s age, ongoing medical conditions, and ability to tolerate other medical therapies. The doctor will take all of these factors into consideration when prescribing a treatment plan.

In general, the standard course of therapy will follow the chronic pain treatment continuum. Treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms of pain and maintaining joint mobility, primarily through analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and physical rehabilitation programs including water aerobics. Joint replacement surgery may also be considered when severe dysfunction and/or pain are present. Depending on the nature of the problem, periodic injections could be a very reasonable treatment to achieve our objectives which are decreasing pain, improving function, and decreasing reliance on everyday oral medications.

Knee Injection

Mild to moderate cases of osteoarthritis in the knee joint can be very effectively treated with a series of injections of Hyalgan. The result could potentially last many months or even a year. Ask your pain physician regarding this.