Discharge Instructions - Osteoarthritis

As discussed in the Emergency Department prior to discharge, based on our evaluation your pain is most likely due to osteoarthritis.  Arthritis is a general term that means inflammation of the joints.  There are dozens of types of arthritis.  Osteoarthritis is the most common type.  It often comes with age, and it often affects the hands, knees, and hips.

The place where 2 bones meet is normally covered with a rubbery material called cartilage.  This material allows the bones to slide over each without causing pain.  When osteoarthritis sets in, the cartilage begins to break down.  As it wears away, the bones in the joint start to rub against each other.  This can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling.

To ease your symptoms:

-Rest for several minutes when your pain is at its worst – But don't rest too long.  That can make your muscles weak and your pain worse.

-Lose weight (if you are overweight) – Being heavy puts extra strain on your joints.

-Get some physical therapy and exercise – Having strong muscles takes some of the strain off of your joints.  It can reduce your pain in the long run, even though it hurts to do at first.

-Use shoe inserts, splints, canes, walkers, or any other devices that help you – These devices can help keep your joints stable or take weight off them.

-Use hot or cold packs

-Learn about arthritis – That way you can work with your doctor or nurse to find the things that will help you.

There is no strong evidence that supplements of any sort work on arthritis symptoms.  That's true even for Glucosamine and Chondroitin.  Those are 2 supplements people seem to think help with arthritis.  If you decide to try any supplements or herbs, check with your doctor or nurse before taking them.

There are lots of medicines that can help you manage your osteoarthritis symptoms.  Some simply reduce pain; others reduce swelling and pain.  There are also creams and gels you can put on your skin to reduce pain.  Plus, there are shots that go into the joint that can help with pain.

When other treatments do not help enough, some people with osteoarthritis get surgery.  For instance, some people have surgery to replace a knee or a hip.  Surgeons are working on other types of surgery for arthritis, too.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis can be hard to handle.  But don't lose hope.  You might need to try different combinations of medicines, exercises, and devices to find the approach that works for you.  But most people do find ways to go back to doing many of things they like to do.