A Review of Non-Surgical Pain Management in Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a prominent cause of disability in older adults, especially with an increasingly obese and aging population. Clinical management of pain secondary to osteoarthritis should focus on education and self-management with exercise and weight management as a priority. Surgical intervention should only be considered once conservative measures have failed. This review provides a clinical update on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of osteoarthritis.

Keywords: degenerative joint disease; exercise; non-surgical; orthopedics; osteoarthritis; pain management; preventative medicine; radiofrequency ablation; sports medicine.