Osteoarthritis Treatments That Ease Symptoms, Plus a Promising Remedy That May Repair Joint Damage
Exciting research suggests a breakthrough injection could start working within weeks
Key Takeaways
- Osteoarthritis treatments today mainly focus on easing pain and stiffness.
- Researchers say a new injection may help repair damaged cartilage in early studies.
- Daily habits like hydration, diet and topical arnica can support joint health.
One of the best parts of warm weather is swapping your boots for sneakers and getting your steps in. But if you’ve noticed each step is now marked by pain and stiffness in your knees, hips or spine, it’s not just you. More than 32.5 million American adults live with osteoarthritis (OA), according to the CDC. But here’s the hopeful news: Groundbreaking new research points to an osteoarthritis treatment that could actually help reverse joint damage in just weeks. We asked experts to explain this exciting breakthrough and what it could mean for you, plus the treatment options that can help right now.
What is osteoarthritis?
“Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, often referred to as ‘wear-and-tear’ or degenerative arthritis that is highly associated with aging,” explains Adam Kreitenberg, MD, rheumatologist and 1MD Nutrition® physician formulator. “It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. This leads to friction, pain, swelling and decreased mobility.”
Unlike inflammatory forms of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which are autoimmune diseases where the body mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissue, osteoarthritis is driven by structural changes in the joint over time, adds Anthony J. Boniello, MD, a fellowship-trained and board certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in the treatment of hip and knee arthritis at Princeton Orthopaedic Associates.
Woman's World Answers
According to the Mayo Clinic, common osteoarthritis symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of flexibility.
Current osteoarthritis treatments available
If osteoarthritis becomes severe enough, it can be treated through surgical methods such as joint replacement surgery. That said, many treatments focus on managing osteoarthritis symptoms before they reach that stage, says Jonathan Bruner, DO, a board-certified physician specializing in neuromusculoskeletal medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine. Dr. Bruner says these include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, which target pain and inflammation directly
- Supplements like chondroitin and glucosamine, which are naturally found in cartilage and are thought to support joint health, though Dr. Bruner says their effectiveness is mixed
- Steroid injections into the affected joint, which can reduce pain and inflammation, though frequent use may accelerate cartilage breakdown and is not recommended for treating osteoarthritis long term
- Hyaluronic acid injections, which help improve joint lubrication, along with newer options like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), prolotherapy and stem cell injections
- Physical therapy and osteopathic manipulative treatment, a hands-on approach performed by osteopathic physicians to improve joint function and mobility
New osteoarthritis treatment shows promise
If existing osteoarthritis treatments haven’t improved your quality of life like you’d hope, or if they’ve triggered unwanted side effects, a new option is showing impressive results in recent studies. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, along with colleagues at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Anschutz, are developing osteoarthritis treatments designed to help damaged joints repair in a matter of weeks. One approach involves a single injection into the joint that has shown promise in animal studies by encouraging the body’s own cells to rebuild damaged cartilage. The work is now advancing to the next phase of a project backed by up to $33.5 million in federal funding through the ARPA-H NITRO initiative.
“Current injection treatments, like steroids, platelet-rich plasma and stem cells focus solely on pain reduction by reducing inflammation like a biological Band-Aid,” says Lynette Santos Malik, MD, a board-certified physician specializing in physical medicine, rehabilitation and physiatry and founder of Golden Love Collective. “The NITRO therapeutics program is [a] brand-new, paradigm-shifting breakthrough.”
Why is this new research so groundbreaking? “This experimental injection is regenerative,” explains Dr. Kreitenberg. “Instead of just cushioning the joint, it uses a particle delivery system to recruit the body’s own progenitor cells to actually patch holes in damaged cartilage and bone.”
Per University of Colorado Anschutz, researchers are aiming to begin human trials around 2028, meaning it could still be several years before the treatment becomes widely available.
“The animal studies showing full regeneration within four to eight weeks are incredibly promising,” says Dr. Kreitenberg. “It points toward a future where disease modification is possible, where a single-dose therapy could potentially end the disease rather than just slowing it down.”
3 osteoarthritis treatments you can try at home
While we wait for this exciting new advancement to become available, Dr. Bruner shares simple tips to help relieve the pain of osteoarthritis at home:
Stay hydrated
Dr. Bruner recommends drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day, or about eight cups. Another way to estimate your needs is to take your body weight and divide it by two to determine how many ounces of water you should aim for daily, he adds.
Staying hydrated helps provide fluid to your joint cartilage so it can function properly, explains Dr. Bruner.
Maintain a healthy diet
Prioritize a diet rich in lean meats, fruits and vegetables while limiting processed and fried foods. “This will provide the nutrients your body needs to be as healthy as possible and should also help keep you at a healthy weight that will limit the increased stress on your joints,” says Dr. Bruner.
Try topical arnica
This homeopathic approach may help ease pain and inflammation when applied to affected joints. Dr. Buner recommends choosing arnica cream rather than a gel, since gel versions can sometimes transfer onto clothing. One to try: Boiron Arnicare Arthritis Cream.
The bottom line on osteoarthritis treatments
Living with joint pain doesn’t mean giving up the life you love. Between the simple steps you can take at home today, the treatment options available now and the groundbreaking research on the horizon, there’s real reason for hope. Talk to your doctor about which approaches might work best for you.
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