WHAT ARE THE BASIC MEDICAL OPTIONS THAT MY DOCTOR CAN RECOMMEND?
Your doctor may prescribe any of several medical treatment options, depending on your short term needs and long term goals. These include:
- Home treatments are simple recommendations by your doctor that you can try on your own. This includes ice, heat, and over the counter medicines. For more, click here.
- Oral medications such as anti-inflammatories, narcotic tablets, and chronic pain modulators are available by prescription to help control pain in various ways. For more, click here.
- Topical relievers like capsaicin, salicylates, menthol and lidocaine can soothe achy knees. For more, click here.
- Knee injections can reduce pain and improve function.
- Physical therapy has been proven to improve function and decrease arthritis pain over time. For more, click here.
- Assistive devices like knee braces, canes and walkers can provide knee support and pain relief. For more, click here.
- Regenerative treatments claim to preserve or rebuild cartilage but are unproven. For more, click here.
- Surgery is a big step but may offer relief for severe osteoarthritis when conservative measures have failed. For more, click here.
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