Knee Arthritis Treatment Options
Osteoarthritis is a wear and tear disease. As we age the cartilage wears away. This can cause pain and disability. Here are the options available to you to try.
The first option is to live with the problem the way that it is. Arthritis is not life threatening but is life limiting.
The second option is lifestyle modification including weight loss and activity changes. This includes diet change, exercise or physical and aqua therapy.
- Did you know working with a therapist on the way you walk or utilizing shoe inserts or a specialized shoe could help you?
- Did you know that even 5 lbs of additional weight adds around 20 lbs of pressure to an arthritic knee?
The third option includes using oral or topical medications. Such medications might include acetaminophen and anti-inflammatories. Patients with a history of stomach ulcers, kidney disease, gastric bypass or patients on a blood thinner should not use NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, Celebrex, meloxicam). Ice is also an anti-inflammatory option.
The fourth option includes intra-articular injections such as Cortisone, Toradol and Viscosupplementation.
- Cortisone is a steroid and may affect blood sugar. Some insurance companies will authorize a steroid injection that will not increase blood sugar. Please ask us about it. Cortisone injections might last up to 90 days but this outcome depends on how bad your arthritis is. Patients with severe bone on bone arthritis may only benefit a few weeks from this type of injection. You can have an injection once every 3 months for as long as it helps. Unfortunately 2% of patients who receive a cortisone injection can experience a flare up of pain related to the injection. This typically subsides within 72 hours and the injection can still help with the arthritis pain you were previously experiencing.
- Toradol is an anti-inflammatory which can provide up to 3 months of pain relief, similar to Cortisone. However, this injection will not increase blood sugar. Pain flare is not typically associated with Toradol. Patients with severe arthritis may not experience long term, significant relief.
- Viscosupplementation is also known as gel injections or Hyaluronic acid. These injections are not currently recommended by The American Academy of Orthopedics. There is not a lot of evidence proving how much these injections improve pain. However, we have many patients that feel these injections help them. The injections may not be covered by certain insurance companies. Many companies require preauthorization. The injections are usually a series of 3 and you can receive them every 6 months.
The fifth option is considering biologic treatments such as PRP or stem cells. Unfortunately these treatment options are not covered by insurance and can be costly. We do not specifically offer these treatment options but may be able to refer you to a physician who does. The success rate of these treatment options are somewhat unclear. Further research is still needed. Currently the Academy of Orthopedics encourages only those patients with mild to moderate arthritis to consider biologic treatments.
The sixth option is cryotherapy, known as Iovera. This is a nerve freezing procedure. Again, some insurance companies have resisted covering this treatment. Many people undergo this procedure prior to knee replacement as a way to control postoperative pain.
The last option to consider would be knee replacement either a total knee or partial knee replacement. Talk to your provider to see which surgery you are a candidate for. These surgeries require commitment from both you and your family or friends. It is a 6-8 week recovery. We have a lot of information for you about surgery. Let us know if you’re considering surgery or have questions.
Not sure if your knee is bad enough for surgery? You can take a quiz that may help you decide if you’re ready for knee replacement.
Once you finish the questionnaire, you can ask one of our providers to help you review the results. A lower score indicates worse pain/disability.
Hip Arthritis Treatment Options
Osteoarthritis is a wear and tear disease. As we age the cartilage wears away. This can cause pain and disability. Here are the options available to you to try.
The first option is to live with the problem the way that it is. Arthritis is not life threatening but is life limiting.
The second option is lifestyle modification including weight loss and activity changes. This includes diet change, exercise or physical and aqua therapy.
- Did you know working with a therapist on the way you walk or utilizing shoe inserts or a specialized shoe could help you?
- Did you know losing 10 lbs can take almost 30 lbs of force off of your hip?
The third option includes using oral or topical medications. Such medications might include acetaminophen and anti-inflammatories. Patients with a history of stomach ulcers, kidney disease, gastric bypass or patients on a blood thinner should not use NSAIDs (ibuprofen, advil, aleve, celebrex, meloxicam). Ice is also an anti-inflammatory option.
The last option is to consider total hip replacement. Unfortunately, injections into the hip joint do not typically provide worthwhile, long term pain relief. This surgery requires commitment from both you and your family or friends. It is a 6-8 week recovery. We have a lot of information for you about surgery. Let us know if you’re considering it or have questions.
Not sure if your hip is bad enough for surgery? You can take a quiz that may help you decide if you’re ready for hip replacement.
Once you finish the questionnaire, you can ask one of our providers to help you review the results. A lower score indicates worse pain/disability.
