Osteoarthritis of the Knee:
What are my treatment options?
If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, your physician may recommend one or more of the following therapies to reduce your symptoms:
- Lifestyle changes include: moderate exercise, weight control and reducing stress on your joints
- Oral Pain Medications: such as acetaminophen (Tylenol),non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Medications: these medications reduce pain and inflammation (i.e. ibuprofen (advil), naproxen)
- Topical Pain-relieving creams: these are specially compounded prescription creams such as Ketoprofen 20% cream, Ibuprofen 20% cream, and a combination of others that relieve pain and inflammation.
- Physical & Occupational Therapy: help to strengthen muscles and improve mobility
- Steroid Injections: temporarily relieve pain and reduce swelling
- Synvisc Knee Injections: an injection that replaces damaged fluid with a substance similar to healthy joint fluid in order to reduce pain and improve function
- Surgery: recommended only when knee pain is severe and other treatments have not provided relief.
