Treating osteoarthritis pain to avoid knee surgery

Discover the best methods of treating the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis in your knees in order to avoid surgery.

If you already have osteoarthritis, you may just be living with your pain. Unfortunately, gritting your teeth is not a proactive method of treating your condition. Knee surgery is a real possibility for people who are suffering from osteoarthritis; alternative treatment options can delay or even eliminate the need for surgery.

Being overweight puts a strain on your knees that exacerbates the pain of osteoarthritis, which is especially true if you work in a job that requires you to be on your feet all or most of the day. Losing weight allows you to ease the burden on your knees and you may be able to avoid the need for knee surgery by getting to a healthy weight.

It is understandable that you may not want to exercise because of the pain that you are feeling, but it is important for you to remain active. Like your muscles, your joints need to be exercised in order for you to retain strength and mobility.

It's important for you to choose a low-impact exercise in order to avoid putting added stress on your knees. Walking or swimming are two ideal exercises for people who suffer from osteoarthritis.

Physical therapists are a great way to increase your chance of avoiding knee surgery. Physical therapists are able to put together an exercise routine that takes your personal limitations and abilities into consideration. These professionals are also able to focus on a specific goal in order to help you achieve it. A physical therapist can design therapy sessions and assign "homework" with your goal of avoiding knee surgery in mind.

Some injections that are primarily intended for other uses are able to ease your osteoarthritis pain. These include hyaluronic acid, which is used in plastic surgery, platelet-rich plasma, which is used to boost platelet production, and bone marrow concentration, which is intended to boost the body's ability to regenerate cells. These options may seem more intense than natural remedies, but they may be the key to eliminating the need for knee surgery.

Some people will need surgery despite their efforts to manage the pain of osteoarthritis, but the worst thing that you can do is nothing. Start by using the tips outlined above when you are making an effort to avoid knee surgery.