What to do When Your Osteoarthritis Pain Worsens

You rely on your joints to help you navigate the world, so when they start to deteriorate, and pain sets in, your world can become increasingly smaller.

This scenario plays out over and over among the 33 million Americans who are struggling with osteoarthritis (OA), which is a degenerative disease that will only get worse if you don’t take action.

At Michigan Avenue Primary Care, our comprehensive team of medical providers includes experts in musculoskeletal health and arthritis management. In the following, we dive into some great techniques and treatments that can help with your OA-related joint pain and inflammation and open your world back up again.

Osteoarthritis basics

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but OA is, far and away, the most common. Labeled as a wear-and-tear disease, OA occurs when the protective cartilage inside your joints — a slippery substance that covers the bones to prevent friction — starts to break down over time.

As cartilage breaks down, bones rub together, and loose bodies form inside the joint. Both can lead to the pain and inflammation that are hallmarks of OA.

OA can affect any of your joints, but it tends to develop in those that work the hardest, such as your knees, hips, and hands.

Tackling OA from every angle

OA is progressive and degenerative, and there’s no cure for the condition, but there are ways to help you move more freely and without pain.

At our practice, we find that one or more of the following treatments and management techniques can work very well:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications

On days when your joint pain flares, a frontline treatment can be found in over-the-counter medications like NSAIDs. 

Interventional injections

If your joint pain isn’t responding to NSAIDs or you’d like a longer-term solution, we can administer joint injections, including corticosteroid injections that tackle both the pain and the inflammation. We also offer lubricating hyaluronic acid injections that work well for achy knees.

Physical therapy (PT)

Once you’re comfortable moving on the joint, it’s really important that you take steps to strengthen the muscles surrounding your joint. Through PT, you can help better support your joints and take steps to maintain your flexibility and range of motion, which can be tricky as joints affected by OA stiffen.

Ice and heat therapies

A great practice at home is to rotate through ice and heat therapies. Icing is a great way to reduce inflammation and pain, while heat can encourage more blood flow and ease stiffness. You can rotate through therapies as needed with ice packs and heating pads.

We should also mention that OA worsens when you’re carrying excess pounds, so if your arthritis pain is becoming steadily worse, losing some weight is a great way to address the discomfort.

As you can see, you’re not without options when it comes to worsening osteoarthritis pain. To figure out which combination is best for you, please contact us at our Chicago, Illinois, clinic, which is located in The Loop. You can also visit our urgent care center during operating hours, M-F, 8 am to 4 pm.