Is osteoarthritis easy to treat?

Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Osteoarthritis is a difficult-to-treat disease because currently, there is no complete cure for joint disorders in medicine. Therefore, the treatment principles are early diagnosis, early treatment, and early rehabilitation. Mainly, methods are used to delay the progression of the disease, maximally preserve joint function, and enable patients to live normal lives. The first approach is non-pharmacological treatment, which is the foundation for drug therapy and surgical treatment, primarily involving physical therapy methods such as heat therapy, hydrotherapy, traction, microwave therapy, acupuncture, and massage to alleviate joint pain and swelling during acute flare-ups. The second approach is pharmacological treatment, mainly including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and traditional Chinese medicine. The third approach involves considering surgical treatment if conservative treatments prove ineffective. Surgical treatments can involve procedures such as joint debridement to remove inflamed, loose cartilage and bone tissues, and smoothing rough joint surfaces. If these methods are still ineffective, the last treatment option may be needed for severe cases, which is artificial joint replacement. Thus, the treatment of osteoarthritis is a stepwise approach. However, regardless of the treatment method used, there is currently no cure, making osteoarthritis a challenging disease to treat.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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Osteoarthritis contraindications

Patients with osteoarthritis should reduce joint load and excessive movements, and obese patients should pay attention to weight loss to avoid aggravating cartilage damage. When symptoms are severe, a cane can be used to alleviate the burden on the joints. In terms of diet, one can eat more foods rich in vitamins, mainly various vegetables and fruits, and also consume foods high in calcium appropriately. Patients with arthritis should also pay attention to protecting the joint areas, and guard against cold and dampness to avoid exacerbating symptoms. When symptoms are severe, medication can also be used for treatment, such as anti-inflammatory analgesics and drugs that nourish cartilage, which can play a role in improving symptoms and delaying the progression of the disease. When mobility is impaired, surgical treatment might be necessary.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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Osteoarthritis physical therapy methods

In clinical practice, there are various physical therapy methods for osteoarthritis patients, such as actively engaging in acupuncture, massage, moxibustion, cupping, and other therapies, which can effectively promote local blood circulation, facilitate the absorption of inflammatory exudates, and effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis in patients, with very good results. In addition, for osteoarthritis patients, besides physical therapy, it is necessary to reduce physical activity, strictly observe rest and protection, avoid cold exposure and apply heat locally, or wash with hot water. Intra-articular injections of sodium hyaluronate, oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, and nutritional cartilage medications can be completely adequate. (Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
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Is physiotherapy good for osteoarthritis?

The answer is affirmative. For osteoarthritis, especially that caused by chronic diseases, local physiotherapy helps promote the dissipation of inflammation, the reduction of joint effusion, and the improvement of local tissue inflammation. Moreover, for some patients with osteophyte formation, consistent daily physiotherapy also aids in improving local pain and swelling, joint effusion, and other symptoms. It helps in promoting regional recovery and alleviating the further aggravation of local effusion and swelling.

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Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
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How to maintain osteoarthritis?

Arthritis primarily requires avoiding cold exposure. For middle-aged and older individuals, it is advised to reduce or avoid mountain climbing and excessive weight-bearing activities, as well as excessive walking and running. These can exacerbate the symptoms and severity of osteoarthritis, and may even cause local pain and swelling in later stages, further aggravating osteoarthritis, leading to bone proliferation, worsening degeneration of bone joints, and even resulting in an inability to move around. Therefore, in addition to the precautions mentioned above, it is also recommended for the middle-aged and older population to appropriately supplement with bone peptides and some drugs that nourish joint cartilage annually, such as amino acids and glucosamine, all of which help in the maintenance and relief of osteoarthritis symptoms.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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What should I do about osteoarthritis?

For the treatment of osteoarthritis, the main approach is still based on the severity of the patient's osteoarthritis to determine the corresponding treatment plan. If the osteoarthritis is very severe, severely affecting the patient's normal function, causing joint deformity, and affecting the patient's normal work or life, it is necessary to actively pursue joint replacement surgery. For cases where the symptoms of osteoarthritis are not very severe, choosing active conservative treatment is completely adequate. The most important thing is still to reduce the amount of exercise, pay attention to protecting the local joints, never let them get cold, often apply heat, and combine some medical treatments, such as using pain relief and cartilage-nourishing drugs. Common drugs like Nimodipine capsules and Glucosamine Hydrochloride have very good effects.