25 Effective Osteoarthritis Treatments

Various osteoarthritis treatments are recommended to patients with joint pain, joint stiffness, swelling, and other osteoarthritis symptoms. Patients are often confused by so many treatment options though -- and quite honestly, they would like to skip what doesn't work and focus on what does. Which osteoarthritis treatments are best?

Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) formed a committee who performed a systematic review of treatment guidelines that existed from 1945 to January 2006 for knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis. Through an arduous process that included critical appraisal of existing guidelines, systematic review of more recent evidence, and exercises to generate consensus recommendations -- ultimately 25 treatments were proclaimed "a single set of up-to-date recommendations."

OARSI emphasized that optimal treatment for osteoarthritis involves both pharmacologic (drug) and non-pharmacologic (non-drug) treatments. That was the first general recommendation. The other 24 recommendations were divided into three categories -- nonpharmacologic, pharmacologic, and surgical treatments. Read more in 25 Effective Osteoarthritis Treatments.

Related Resources:

• How Is Osteoarthritis Treated?
• Osteoarthritis Treatment Options
• Don't Delay Osteoarthritis Treatment
• 10 Ways to Manage Osteoarthritis Pain
• Any Joint Can Be Affected By Osteoarthritis

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