osteoarthritis usually is treated by physical therapy with muscle-strengthening exercises oral medications hot and cold compresses to the painful joint removal of joint fluid injection of medications into the joint use of supportive devices such as crutches or canes and weight control. surgery may be helpful to relieve pain when other treatment options have not been effective. the type of treatment prescribed will depend on several factors including your age activities and occupation overall health medical history location of your osteoarthritis and severity of the condition. medications may be prescribed to reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis. pain-relieving medications include acetaminophen (for example tylenol) and anti-inflammatory drugs (often called nsaids) such as aspirin ibuprofen or celebrex. some medications in the form of creams rubs or sprays may be applied over the skin of affected areas to relieve pain. for some people with persistent pain despite these pills or creams steroids can be injected directly into the joint for pain relief. these injections are typically limited since prolonged use can lead to bone and cartilage deterioration and weakness. the antidepressant cymbalta (duloxetine) has been approved for osteoarthritis pain as well. it's a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor or snri that was first approved by the fda in 2004. synvisc supartz euflexxa orthovisc and hyalgan are medications given as a series of three to five weekly joint injections that can relieve pain in some people with osteoarthritis. currently these drugs are only approved for knee osteoarthritis. when osteoarthritis pain is severe and other treatments are not working some doctors will give stronger pain pills such as narcotics. unfortunately none of these will reverse or slow the progression of joint damage caused by osteoarthritis.
how is osteoarthritis treated? what medications can be used?