Nonsurgical treatments

• Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
• Sports Orthobiologics

• Oral Medications

  In the early stages of arthritis, over-the-counter pain medications may be used to help control the pain from osteoarthritis. Acetaminophen is the most common type of pain reliever used for arthritis. Over the counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories are also used. Any patient using these medications for a prolonged period of time should notify their physician so appropriate monitoring can be done. For more severe pain, your physician may give you a prescription medication to help.

• Injection Therapies

  Steroid injections
  Injections are used to reduce joint pain and swelling associated with osteoarthritis. They are often used when the pain and swelling from arthritis are significantly affecting a patient’s activities of daily living. It is not recommended to have more than three shots within a year.
  
  Your physician may use musculoskeletal ultrasound to help guide your injection into the joint. Musculoskeletal ultrasound improves accuracy when treating you with steroid injections in the office, and it is used for deeper joints, joints with poor anatomic landmarks and joints with little to no joint space. This technique uses sound waves to create images of the joint and to identify the needle used to inject the joint, helping the physician guide it to the affected area. This technique is done in the office and does not expose you to radiation.
  
  Natural joint fluid treatment
  This treatment, also known as hyaluronic acid injections, uses an injectable substance made from the building blocks of cartilage to create the type of cushioning cartilage provides. It is primarily used for arthritis of the knee. Those who respond to this treatment can experience relief for up to six months or longer, and this treatment can be repeated if pain returns.

• Exercise / Lifestyle Modification

  Joints need motion to stay healthy. Patients with osteoarthritis may need to participate in lower impact activities to reduce shock to their affected joints and reduce the risk of advancing the degeneration.
  
  Exercises that might help include:
  

  • Range-of-motion: stretching and flexibility exercises to improve range of motion
  • Strength-based: strengthening muscles to take the burden off weak joints
  • Low-impact: water-based, cycling or other lower-impact activity, allowing you to benefit from exercise while lessening the load on your joints