Arthritis - What Does Treatment Involve?

By editor | July 9, 2007

For many lucky people, as we’ve noted earlier, osteoarthritis may not progress much beyond morning stiffness and mild pain in the knees and hands. And for many others, very simple therapies or lifestyle changes will take care of the problem. For some, however, osteoarthritis can sometimes become so painful that walking is almost impossible.

The good news is that much can be done to prevent such a dire outcome. Strategies as simple as exercise, improving your posture, or losing weight to ease the strain on your joints can help tremendously. Medication such as aspirin or injected corticosteroid can ease the pain or reduce swelling, and damaged cartilage can sometimes be trimmed or smoothed by a procedure called arthroscopy. And the pain may lessen as the roughened ends of your bones become “polished” through use over time.

In some cases, healthy cartilage can be grown in a test tube and then surgically “patched” into the joint. In an even more exciting development, researchers are currently testing substances that can help stimulate your body to grow new cartilage in your joint. And when all else fails, the damaged joint sometimes can be replaced with an artificial one, made of stainless steel and plastic.

Rheumatoid arthritis is trickier to treat. When you have flare-ups, you must rest the affected area so it won’t deteriorate and the swelling can go down. But if you don’t exercise at all or stretch or use your muscles and joints, gradually you’ll become unable to use them-much like a vehicle that’s been left rusting in the backyard. That’s why your treatment should include a careful combination of rest and exercise to keep your limbs working, without making the trouble worse. This can be a delicate balancing act, which is why you need an excellent relationship with a good doctor and possibly the services of a good physical therapist as well.

During a flare-up, your doctor may advise you not only to rest but also to keep the painful joint completely still either by lying flat or by using a splint to keep the joint from moving. Between flare-ups, it’s usually a good idea to exercise, but do it cautiously, being sure to stop before your pain grows severe. Although exercise does help by keeping you fit and feeling better, it won’t make the condition disappear. Various medications are also used to fight rheumatoid arthritis, including drugs that decrease inflammation, such as aspirin or steroids, gold salts, and antimalarial drugs.

And, if need be, surgery can replace or repair damaged joints. Other types of arthritis and related conditions respond to many of the same treatment methods, but some types, such as the arthritis of Lyme disease and arthritis caused by gonorrhea bacteria, require treatment with antibiotics.


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