The purpose of osteoarthritis treatment is to relieve pain and inflammation of joints, improve and maintain joint mobility and minimize joint damage. The treatment given depends upon which body part is involved. Various treatment options are medications, surgical options, exercises, dietary factors as well as alternative and complementary therapies like hydrotherapy, massage therapy, yoga and acupuncture, herbal remedies and home remedies.

Although this disease is irreversible, osteoarthritis treatment can help to improve the flexibility and maintain the joint function. Selection of treatment option depends upon severity of symptoms and medical history of the patient. Medications such as topical pain relievers, acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants and COX-2 inhibitors can effectively reduce the pain and inflammation. However, they can cause some serious side-effects. Hence, alternative and complementary medications are recommended which can be used long-term without any side-effect.

The exercise such as aerobic exercise, range-of-motion exercise, joint specific exercise, general stretching exercise and strength exercise very important for joints and muscles to prevent weakness and stiffness. Exercise also helps to maintain healthy body weight as excess body weight can be one of the causes of osteoarthritis.

Besides exercise, other therapies like yoga, tai chi and massage are also effective for osteoarthritis treatment. Yoga’s gentle movements may help to improve flexibility and strength of the joints which can reduce the joint pain and stiffness. The meditative nature of yoga may offer the mental benefits such as a feeling of well-being and peace of mind, which gives positive effects in pain control.

Tai chi is the eastern exercise approach which is helpful to build flexibility, strength and balance. Tai chi is specially recommended for seniors as it offers balance of mind and body. In addition to this, massage therapy is beneficial for relaxation of muscles and reduce the stiffness of joints. In addition to that, alternating ice packs and heating pads can offer significant pain relief for osteoarthritis and can also help to soothe pain and stiffness of joints. Acupuncture is another significant way to reduce osteoarthritis pain.

Besides this, you can manage the osteoarthritis pain by adopting few changes in lifestyle such as avoiding the activities that can put stress on the joints of hips, knees, fingers and back. Some dietary supplements play an important role in osteoarthritis cure. Your diet should be rich in flavonoids, minerals, anti-oxidant vitamin C and E, and the essential fatty acids, especially omega-3. Besides this, some natural remedies such as chondroitin, glucosamine and MSM are found to be beneficial for osteoarthritis treatment. In addition to this, some herbal and home remedies are also found to be beneficial.