Treating osteoarthritis pain: recent approaches using pharmacological therapies

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitative, painful condition with significant global burden. Pharmacological options have limited analgesic efficacy and their side-effects often restrict their use. Novel pharmacological options are needed to relieve patient symptoms and their consequent disease impact. A variety of pharmacological options have been investigated in treating OA, including existing therapies previously used for treating other arthritides (such as colchicine and hydroxychloroquine) and new therapies targeting pain (including monoclonal antibodies to nerve growth factor and intra-articular trans-capsaicin). Extended-release triamcinolone may offer more persisting analgesic effects compared to immediate-release preparations. While most studies have been unsuccessful, pharmacological therapies targeting peripheral nociceptive pathways appear promising.