Osteoarthritis in older adults: current treatments

Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, numerous treatments are available for symptom relief. Pharmacological treatments primarily focus on pain relief; however, in older adults there is continuing concern related to the risk of side effects and interactions with other medications. In contrast, non-pharmacological treatments, such as exercise, joint protection, and stress reduction, provide symptom relief with few side effects. In addition, alternative treatments such as nutritional supplements, herbal preparations, acupuncture, and tai chi are being investigated for their efficacy. Nurses should encourage patients to use a combination of treatments that provide optimum symptom relief with the fewest side effects.