Knee osteoarthritis can affect you every movement like walking, climbing stairs, sitting and sometimes even lying down. Surgery can be of great relief in all this condition but doctors always advise treatment options first. This option includes:
- Medication
Over the counter options as well as non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as brufen be given as prescribed medicines by the doctors. These medicines are easily available and can be easily being taken from any pharmacy.
- Creams and ointments
There are different forms of creams and ointments sold over the counter. You can easily obtain one prescribed by the doctor a strong version with a prescription.
- Medication injected into joint
Corticosteroid injections also called cortisone shots which fights inflammation and can offer fast pain relief that may last for several months. Injection of hyaluronic acid boosts the natural joint fluid that keeps knees moving smoothly. They may take up to a couple of months to have their full effect but can last up to 6 months or more.
- Exercise and physical therapy
Exercise strengthens the muscles that support your knee. Physical therapy by the knowledgeable physical therapist can also help to a greater extent. A physical therapist can design the program for you and see if you need supportive braces, splints or canes. They will examine whether you need to lose weight, diet and exercise can help you shed some weight and also can helps to take some pressure off your knees.
- Weight loss
Every pound you gain puts an extra of 3 pounds of pressure on your knees. Even when eventually you go for knee replacement surgery your chances of success rate are much greater if you first loose extra weight.
- Nutritional supplements
Some people prefer taking glucosamine and chondroitin for Knee Osteoarthritis. Studies on how they work had mixed results. Another supplement known as SAMe has also shown to work well as well as nonprescription pain relievers and may have a fewer side effect. It takes longer to work though. However before starting with any type of supplement even if they are natural, ask your doctor so that he can tell you about its side effects.
These treatment alternatives may provide enough relief to keep you moving comfortably. If they do not they become less effective over the time or you cannot tolerate the pain your doctor can consider surgery. The two most types of surgery which is most often recommended for knee osteoarthritis are arthroscopic surgery and knee replacement surgery.
