As we know, osteoarthritis (OA) affects around 33 million adults in the United States alone. Much like other chronic pain conditions, such as peripheral neuropathy, osteoarthritis is a chronic and ongoing pain condition that is exacerbated by poor health and metabolic disorders.
Pain prevents the motivation to exercise and creates a downward spiral of less physical activity and increasingly poor health outcomes. Osteoarthritis often manifests in large joints like the knee, where weight and pressure are persistent causes of the wear and tear effects of osteoarthritis, but it can also present initially in the fingers and toes of patients who have been diagnosed with it.
Over time, people with OA can expect to feel its symptoms in most of their joints all over their bodies. The symptoms of OA, when compared to peripheral neuropathy and other chronic pain conditions, are not entirely the same, and patients who are familiar with the nonsurgical treatments for peripheral neuropathy often look elsewhere to treat the conditions of OA.
Most Common Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis
To understand how osteoarthritis (OA) manifests itself, it is first important to clarify what OA is and how it affects the joint.
Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease) is the most common form of arthritis, an inflammatory condition that wears down the soft tissue in the joint. Over time, the excessive inflammation produced by the body breaks down the cartilage, which is the “cushion” responsible for keeping joint movements lubricated and friction-free. Osteoarthritis might also damage other tissues such as bones, tendons, ligaments, and the connective layer that lines the joint (synovium).
Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, but it’s more common in the hands, neck, lower back, and weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips. The symptoms a person diagnosed with OA experiences are unique and can vary in intensity depending on how advanced the disease is.
Just like in the case of neuropathy, the pain caused by osteoarthritis isn’t immediately visible.
Peripheral neuropathy causes tingling, burning, and numbness in the limbs. On the other hand, OA causes joints to hurt, be stiff, and throb constantly. Unfortunately, it is common to suffer multiple chronic pain conditions at the same time, such as peripheral neuropathy and osteoarthritis.
While there are varying treatment options for both of these conditions, both surgical and nonsurgical, the options differ two so much that patients suffering from both may wish to look for one solution that will treat the pain they experience daily.
Some of the most common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
Persistent Pain In The Joints
Joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of osteoarthritis, affecting over 70% of older adults. The pain mostly derives from the fact that the high levels of inflammation the body produces wear down the cartilage.
Although the joints are constantly exposed to low levels of damage, the body is able to self-heal to maintain the joints lubricated and protect from shock. However, osteoarthritis breaks down cartilage faster than the body can heal. Over time, this causes the loss of the protective layer between the joint components, causing bones, ligaments, and tendons to rub against each other during movement.
Additionally, if the cartilage breaks down in certain areas, osteoarthritis can alter joint mechanics. When this happens, bones and other components that should normally be unaffected during movement come into contact and begin to suffer the effects of shock and friction.
Less Flexibility Or Stiffness
As seen above, osteoarthritis can lead to abnormal joint mechanics. Misalignments in the bones can pull the ligaments and tendons during movements, or stretch them in the wrong direction. This effect, coupled with a loss of cartilage and synovial fluid (a thick liquid that lubricates the joints), can lead to stiffness and reduced range of motion.
Stiffness in the joints in people with OA tends to get worse in the morning or after long periods of rest. This is because during sleep or rest the muscles and tendons around the joints tighten up.
According to recent statistics, nearly 24 million people (43% of adults with OA) report experiencing activity limitations due to arthritis.
Popping Of Joints With Simultaneous Pain
Popping joints is something that occurs without pain in healthy individuals. Although the causes for popping joints are still under debate, two hypotheses show that the cracking noise might be caused by the release of air bubbles in the area between the joint (cavitation) or by the creation of a small space between the joint’s components.
While popping joints without pain should not be a reason for concern, if you are experiencing discomfort and pain, or you have a diagnosis of arthritis, you should not let this sign go untreated.
In people with OA, this sound is a symptom often referred to as crepitus, and it might indicate mechanical problems in the joint. The “popping” noise might derive from the bones rubbing against each other or from soft tissues (i.e.: ligaments and tendons) sliding off a bone structure and snapping onto another.
Although not everyone with OA has crepitus, a 2019 study showed that this symptom is associated with lower physical function, reduced quality of life, and higher pain.
Swelling In The Affected Area
Swelling is part of the body’s inflammatory response. When there is injury or infection, the body produces inflammation and increases the blood flow to the damaged area to provide healing blood components, such as platelets and white blood cells. The increased blood flow, coupled with a build-up of fluids in the surrounding tissue, leads to swelling.
However, in people with inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the body sustains excessively-high levels of inflammation for long periods. Beyond degrading the tissues in the joint area, such high levels of inflammation also lead to prolonged swelling.
Bone Spurs
Bone spurs – also known as osteophytes – are the overgrowth of bone material near the joint area, often caused by osteoarthritis.
Bone spurs occur when the body attempts to repair the damage caused by arthritis to the cartilage. These bony growths might be asymptomatic at first but, over time, they can compress nearby nerves, inhibit movement, create mechanical problems, and rub against other bones.
Some of the symptoms associated with bone spurs include stiffness, reduced range of movement, tendon and ligament damage, and pain. Bone spurs most commonly happen in the hip, knee, neck, shoulder, spine, foot, or hand.
Common Treatment Options For Osteoarthritis Pain
As we discuss in other articles, common treatments for osteoarthritis pain are over-the-counter supplements, hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation injections, corticosteroid injections, pain medications, and of course invasive procedures and surgeries like knee placements.
However, these therapies mostly focus on addressing joint pain, not its underlying cause. While they might be efficient in the short term, these therapies alone are not enough to support the body’s healing process and keep away the advancement of degenerative joint disease.
Below, we’ll look at the most common treatment options prescribed for OA and their implications.
Over-The-Counter Supplements
If you have been looking for a natural way to ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis, the chances are that you’ve come across over-the-counter supplements. However, it is important to understand that the majority of these supplements are ineffective, while some can unnecessarily expose you to severe side effects.
For example, nutraceuticals such as fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), Vitamin D, and curcumin can have valuable effects such as strengthening the bones and reducing inflammation, but they have been found inefficient in treating OA.
On the other hand, well-known supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine are not just ineffective; they can also cause side effects and interact with other drugs such as blood thinners. According to the Arthritis Foundation, the American College of Rheumatology recommends against using these supplements to treat OA.
Pain Medications
Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can help you deal with osteoarthritis flares up in the short term. These include:
- Capsaicin cream – This topical pain reliever contains capsaicin (the active compound in chili peppers) and can help relieve pain in an area affected by OA by stopping the local nerves from sending pain signals to the brain.
- Pain relievers – Drugs such as acetaminophen don’t ease inflammation but reduce the sensation of pain in the short term.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – These are pain-relieving medications that ease pain by reducing inflammation and swelling.
Although these might seem like suitable solutions to manage the pain deriving from osteoarthritis, it is important not to underestimate the side effects of these medications. NSAIDs can lead to drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches, and can increase the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and stomach ulcers. Additionally, if taken over long periods, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also lead to dependency.
Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can help you deal with osteoarthritis flares up in the short term. These include:
- Capsaicin cream – This topical pain reliever contains capsaicin (the active compound in chili peppers) and can help relieve pain in an area affected by OA by stopping the local nerves from sending pain signals to the brain.
- Pain relievers – Drugs such as acetaminophen don’t ease inflammation but reduce the sensation of pain in the short term.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – These are pain-relieving medications that ease pain by reducing inflammation and swelling.
Although these might seem like suitable solutions to manage the pain deriving from osteoarthritis, it is important not to underestimate the side effects of these medications. NSAIDs can lead to drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches, and can increase the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and stomach ulcers. Additionally, if taken over long periods, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also lead to dependency.
Hyaluronic Acid Viscosupplementation Injections
Viscosupplementation therapies involve injecting hyaluronic acid into the joints to replenish the synovial fluid (the thick substance that keeps the joints lubricated). This gel-like liquid not only decreases pains and inflammation, but it can also make joint movements more fluid and friction-free.
In the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, viscosupplementation therapies have been seen to be effective in delaying the need for knee replacement surgery by up to 3 years, according to a 2015 study.
Although hyaluronic acid injections can be an efficient solution to manage the symptoms of OA for several months at a time, it is important to keep in mind that the lubricating effect is only temporary. To be effective, viscosupplementation should be coupled with other pain management strategies such as lifestyle counseling.
Corticosteroid Injections
If you have a type of osteoarthritis that does not respond well to other treatments, you might consider taking advantage of corticosteroid injections. Steroids are the man-made version of natural chemicals that are already found in the body and are efficient in reducing inflammation and pain for up to six months.
Nonetheless, these medications come with a range of side effects, including causing high blood pressure, digestive issues, and, in the long term, mood swings and muscle weakness.
Invasive Procedures
Joint replacement surgeries might be prescribed for patients whose arthritis has reached an advanced stage and has caused significant damage to the joint’s components. Also called arthroplasty, joint replacement surgeries involve reshaping or replacing one or more of the joint’s components to reestablish proper mechanics.
These procedures are highly-invasive and require months of rehabilitation and downtime for a patient to fully recover.
An Effective Treatment For Osteoarthritis Pain: Neurofunctional Pain Management
Relatyv offers a non-medication, non-surgical, and non-invasive solution to osteoarthritis and other forms of chronic pain. Through the Relatyv treatment program, thousands of patients have experienced relief from chronic osteoarthritis pain and reduced quality of life.
Relatyv uses a proprietary treatment protocol to help people with a wide range of chronic pain conditions feel better and get their health back. Relatyv has created a new category of medicine called Neurofunctional Pain Management, which is a combination of high-pulse electrical stimulation and specialized hydration therapy to reduce chronic pain and restore health and quality of life.
Here is how these therapies work as part of our proprietary pain management program, Neuralgesia:
- Electrical stimulation – the high-frequency electrical pulses act by “flooding” the nervous system, thus preventing pain signals from reaching the brain. The electrical current also stimulates healing blood flow in the area affected by OA and triggers the release of endorphins.
- Hydrotherapy – Custom hydrotherapy sessions can relax the muscles, ease the stress on weight-bearing joints, and provide long-lasting hydration to the joint structures affected by osteoarthritis.
How Neurofunctional Pain Management Can Help
Relatyv is the fastest-growing pain management group specializing in Neurofunctional Pain Management and is pioneering the concept across the nation. Chronic pain management without medications, surgery, or invasive procedures is the preferred option for nearly all patients suffering from chronic pain.
Given the choice, most patients and their doctors would choose the least invasive and non-pharmaceutical route to manage chronic pain. We provide this option by combining a range of pain management strategies that leverage the body’s healing ability. These therapies include:
- Viscosupplementation
- Hyaluronic acid injections
- IV therapies
- Natural therapies such as high-dose Platelet-Rich Plasma and high-dose Bone Marrow Aspirate.
We also provide each of our patients with personalized lifestyle counseling services to help keep risk factors at bay that might cause or worsen arthritis. In particular, we focus on providing guidelines to live an active lifestyle, manage obesity, reduce exposure to toxins such as nicotine and alcohol, and follow a nutritious, well-balanced diet.
Relatyv Aims To Better Your Life
The mission of Relatyv is to relieve pain, restore health, and magnify the quality of life without drugs, surgery, or invasive procedures. This mission statement says it all. It’s what patients want, and it’s what doctors want for their patients. The vision of Relatyv is to be the first thought, the first choice, and the first step in the journey of chronic pain management.
This is what Relatyv is working to accomplish across the nation as the creator and pioneer of Neurofunctional Pain Management. We believe that every patient should have the option to try non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical, non-invasive, and non-chiropractic options first.
