Callers seek options to ease pain of osteoarthritis

Medication to treat arthritis pain and questions about joint replacement or pain following joint surgery were popular topics with callers during Saturday's Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline.

Callers kept Dr. Lynn Rasmussen, an orthopedic surgeon, and Dale Aguirre, a physical therapist, both with Intermountain Healthcare, busy as they swamped the phone lines seeking answers about osteoarthritis.

Rasmussen and Aguirre work with patients at the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray as part of its new TOSH Moves program, a multifaceted approach to exercise, nutrition, stress relief, counseling and physical therapy focused on improving quality of life for those with osteoarthritis.

Many callers had questions about which medications work best to control pain, Aguirre said, since those who suffer with osteoarthritis are dealing with pain that isn't controlled by many over-the-counter drugs.

"They're looking to see what else they can do," he said.

Many asked about the effectiveness of glucosamine/chondroitin, which is advertised as beneficial for joint health.

"It's worth a try," Aguirre said. "It helps some people and doesn't do anything for others," based on physiological differences in patients.

Many callers had questions about injectable treatments, including "visco supplementation," which replaces the lubricating fluid within the joint. That treatment also works very well for some and not as well for others.

Steroid injections are also a possibility, Aguirre said, and most people "usually get some kind of relief from those. But that can last anywhere from six hours to six months" based on individual body chemistry. Such injections can only be done three times per year, to avoid damaging any tendons.

"If that lasts four to six months, patients can really help stave off the need for joint replacement," he said.

Other treatments include specialized exercise regimens that deal specifically with osteoarthritis, many of them in the pool or on stationary bikes.

"Education is the key. If patients know what to do and what to expect as they try to control their pain, they do much better," Aguirre said.

The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital offers free classes for people with osteoarthritis the first and third Tuesday of each month. To see a schedule of classes, visit at www.intermountainhealthcare.org/TOSH and click on the Moves program, or call 801-314-MOVE.

Rasmussen said he was surprised at the number of callers who were having problems getting their questions answered about potential joint replacement, or who have had the surgery and needed additional information.