How to Manage Osteoarthritis (OA) Pain After 50

Arthritis is the umbrella medical term for over 100 rheumatic conditions that cause joint inflammation, stiffness, and pain. More than 53 million adults in the United States — or about one in five Americans (21%) — have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis, and untold millions more experience chronic joint aches that haven’t yet been diagnosed. 

Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, is responsible for about three in five cases (61%) of doctor-diagnosed arthritis. OA joint pain and stiffness can range in severity from mildly irritating to unrelenting and disabling. 

While degenerative arthritis can’t be reversed or cured, you can take steps to slow its progression and keep it in check. As board-certified orthopedists who specialize in OA management, our team at Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County in Atlantis, Boynton Beach, and Wellington, Florida, is ready to help. 

How OA affects your joints

OA is a chronic wear-and-tear condition that causes joint pain and stiffness through the progressive deterioration of joint cartilage — the shock-absorbing, movement-facilitating tissue that cushions and protects the ends of your bones within a joint. 

Initially, OA may simply make the affected joint feel stiff and achy. You may experience a grinding or crunching sensation when you move or hear abnormal popping sounds as the bones within your joint rub against each other. 

As OA advances, it may cause increased joint pain and stiffness that lead to limited range of motion, restricted stability, and, if a weight-bearing joint is affected, impaired mobility. 

OA pain management strategies

OA is more common with age; experts estimate that over 80% of adults aged 55 and older have OA. About three in five people (60%) with OA have noticeable symptoms, and joint pain is a top complaint. Our team takes a three-tiered approach to OA symptoms: 

Immediate pain relief

Whether it’s triggered by too much activity, seasonal changes, or something else, you want fast relief during an OA joint pain flareup. In most cases, this means turning to an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen. 

If your pain is more bothersome than usual, you may also benefit from: 

• Moist heat, cold therapy (icing), or a combination of the two
• A topical pain relief cream containing capsaicin
• A brace or resting splint on your joint for a brief time  

An initial period of rest helps ease OA pain flares; once your pain is under control, however, it’s important to keep your joints fluid with gentle stretches and low-impact exercise. 

Dialing down joint pain

In between OA symptom flares, it’s vital to cultivate joint-friendly habits to help ensure your symptoms are less severe when they do appear. This means you should strive to keep your joints moving. 

Our physical medicine specialists can show you gentle, daily stretching exercises that take your joints through their full range of motion, foster flexibility, and ease stiffness. Learn and practice good posture to minimize joint stress and know your limits. Find the right balance of activity and rest for your body and don’t overdo it. 

Lasting joint pain relief

When severe or persistent OA joint pain doesn’t respond well to conservative measures, we may recommend a pain management procedure to help you attain effective, longer-lasting relief. You may benefit from:

• Anti-inflammatory steroid joint injections
• Viscosupplementation (gel injections for knee OA)
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) joint injections 

Because they provide a longer period of effective pain relief, these OA interventions give you more time to foster improved joint health, range of motion, and strength through daily exercise along with rehabilitation strategies like physical or occupational therapy. 

And when conservative OA treatments no longer offer effective relief — usually because of advanced cartilage degeneration and bone-on-bone contact — a total joint replacement can resolve your pain and restore full functionality.

Controlling OA progression

Joint pain relief is just half of a successful OA management equation. The other half? Controlled disease progression for better joint health and an improved long-term outlook. Luckily, a few lifestyle modifications are often all it takes to slow OA advancement. 

If OA affects one or more of your load-bearing joints (i.e., lower back, hips, knees, ankles), losing excess weight is the most important step you can take to ease joint stress and pain. Other lifestyle changes that support long-term OA control include:

• Adhering to a balanced, low-impact fitness plan that keeps you moving every day
• Following a wholesome, anti-inflammatory diet that limits processed foods
• Quitting smoking (cigarette chemicals stress your joints and increase OA pain)

Ready to gain the upper hand over OA pain? We can help. Give us a call today to schedule a visit at your nearest Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County office, or click online to book an appointment at your convenience.