• Clinical History:  Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, when they started, when the joint hurts, and other questions pertaining to your health such as any other medical conditions you have and whether you are taking any medications.
• Physical Examination: Your doctor will check your general health and examine your joints.
• X rays: An X ray of the joint can determine if there is cartilage loss or joint damage.  However, an X ray may not show early arthritis, and joint damage shown on an X ray does not always correspond with the degree of pain a patient is feeling.
• Other Tests: Your doctor may order blood tests to rule out other conditions and he may order a joint aspiration, which involves drawing fluid from the joint for examination.

How is osteoarthritis treated?

Osteoarthritis treatment involves several goals including, improvement of joint health through rest and low-impact exercise, weight control when necessary, and control of the pain with medication and other methods.

Medical treatments for osteoarthritis:

It is very important that patients speak with their doctor before taking any medication.  Different medications have side effects for different patients, and all medications do not work equally well on all patients.  If your medication is not adequately relieving your pain, speak to your doctor because you don’t have to live with chronic pain if another treatment will work.

• Acetaminophen: Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) is a pain reliever, but it is not an anti-inflammatory so it does not reduce swelling. Research has shown, however, the in some patients Tylenol relieves pain as well as NSAIDS.
• NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Many NSAIDS are used to treat arthritis including over the counter medications such as Motrin, Aleve, and Advil. Many more are sold by prescription.  Every NSAID has a different composition, and every one will work differently on different patients.  If you try one or two that don’t work adequately, there may still be one that will work for you.
• Other Medications: Doctors may prescribe other medications for your arthritis including topical pain-relieving creams (such as capsaicin), corticosteroids which are injected into the joint, and hyaluronic acid which is also injected into the knee.  For many patients, joint injections are very effective, at least for a short time.
• Surgery: For many patients, surgery is a very effective treatment.  Surgery can be performed to remove loose pieces of bone and cartilage from the joint, resurface or reposition bones, and replace the joint.