Arthritis Treatment

The specific treatment for your arthritis will depend on the underlying cause.  In most cases, however, arthritis is a condition that you will have to learn to live with and manage throughout your life.  There are three basic treatment approaches to arthritis.  The first is to treat the underlying disorder.  For example, many causes of arthritis are believed to be an autoimmune response – that is, the body creates antibodies that don’t recognize the synovium in the joints as being part of the body and so attack it.  In these instances (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), the autoimmune response to the joints can be treated.  The second treatment option is to manage the symptoms of arthritis.  For example, a cane is sometimes used to help people with knee osteoarthritis and knee pain walk independently.  Finally, when a joint becomes too affected by arthritis, the third treatment option is to surgically correct it.  All of these treatment options will be discussed in much more detail for each individual cause of arthritis.