Changing The Therapeutic Landscape For Pain Associated With Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting an estimated 302 million people worldwide, and is a leading cause of disability among older adults. The knees, hips, and hands are the most commonly affected appendicular joints. Pathology of OA involves cartilage degradation, bone remodeling, osteophyte formation, and synovial inflammation of the whole joint leading to pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of normal joint function.¹

Patients facing excessive pain and stiffness associated with OA often experience consequent conditions including limitations for mobility, difficulty sleeping, exhaustion, and bone on bone grating.

Depending on the stage of the OA progression, various treatments may be recommended to alleviate discomfort associated with the pain and limited mobility. The strategy should include a balanced approach of appropriate educational, behavioral, physical, and as required, pharmacologic interventions with the goal focused on delaying a total knee arthroplasty for as-long-as possible, in order to minimize the need for revision surgery later in life.

In this article, explore the challenges in current pain management options associated with knee OA.