“What helps with knee arthritis pain?”

The first thing you need is a proper diagnosis of your knee pain. Visit a pain specialist who will examine your knee and get x-rays and MRI to make a diagnosiscartilage loss, meniscus tear, ligament damage, Bakers cyst etc. Treatment of the knee pain will be based on the diagnosis. Treatment generally can include physical therapy, medications like NSAID (Non steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) like Ibuprofen orally or Diclofenac cream/ointment, knee brace, knee injections with steroid or viscosipplementation gels, radio frequency denervation of the genicular nerves that innervate the knee, Peripheral Nerve Stimulation of the genicular nerves, Drainage of Bakers cyst, knee arthroscopic surgery to shave torn meniscus/remove loose bodies, finally partial or total knee replacement surgery.

Thank you for your question. There are actually many treatment options for OA knee pain. The treatment approach is conservative to more invasive. Once you have maximized the benefits weight loss and exercise, physical therapy to strengthen the quad muscles which can stabilize the knee and support bodyweight around the knee better. I like topical anti-inflammatory medication such as Pensaid because of reduced side effects compared to oral anti-inflammatory medications. Injection options include steroid medications. One I like to use with a very long duration and minimal absorption outside the knee is called Zilretta. After steroids I follow with viscosupplementation injections such as Synvisc One. If the OA is severe and injections and therapy provide minimal relief then a surgical consultation (knee replacement) is the next options. Often times while awaiting surgery, a procedure called geniculate nerve ablation can provide benefit for a few months as well.