Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the United States, affecting more than 40 million Americans. A new report released by the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) discusses the various manifestations of this slowly progressive disease and notes that newer treatments, both medical and surgical, have changed the outlook for alleviation of pain and restoration of function for most of those affected.
The report, Osteoarthritis: Diagnosis and Treatment, was written for ACSH by the head of the rheumatology department at the Scripps Clinic in LaJolla, Dr. Gary Williams. An easily readable, "consumerized" booklet version, Osteoarthritis and Its Treatment: What You Need to Know, was written using the academic report as a basis, by science writer Kathleen Meister, M.S.
"Physicians who have to treat the chronic pain and disability of osteoarthritis, as well as those coping with these problems themselves, will find much to learn in these publications," said Dr. Gilbert L. Ross, M.D., ACSH's medical director and a former practicing rheumatologist. "Fortunately, medicine has come quite a ways from the days when we relegated OA patients into the 'chronic wear-and-tear' category, as though there was nothing that could be done for them," he added.
New medications, especially those in the so-called "COX-2 inhibitor" class, give renewed hope of pain relief with much less of the major risk of internal bleeding seen with the older anti-arthritis drugs. Additionally, the physical therapy techniques involving range-of-motion and muscle strengthening have helped to some degree. The real miracle of modern therapy may be the new surgical techniques of joint replacement, giving new hope to those suffering unremitting pain and disability who are not responsive to medicine, or those for whom anti-arthritis drugs proved to be too dangerous for various reasons.
"Doctors and other healthcare providers, as well as patients with osteoarthritis, should all read one or both of these new ACSH publications," said ACSH's president, Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. "There is no longer any reason why those previously disabled by OA should not look forward to the future with renewed hope."