Osteoarthritis Treatments | Causes, Symptoms & Diagnosis

Osteoarthritis treatment

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative bone condition that most commonly affects the knees, hips and small joints in the hands.

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10% discount for Benenden Health members

Benenden Health members are entitled to 10% off treatments over £1,000. Payment plans available.

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Mr Chipperfield's outpatient services, London

Mr Chipperfield's London outpatient services

Meet with our Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Alex Chipperfield in London’s Harley Street district as an outpatient.

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FAQs

What is osteoarthritis? +

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative bone condition that can affect any joint in the body, but the most common areas affected are the knees, hips, ankles and small joints in the hands. Often osteoarthritis symptoms appear in one joint or a few joints at any one time.

What causes osteoarthritis? +

You’re more likely to experience osteoarthritis as you get older; the cartilage that cushions your joints wears down and becomes thinner. The joint surfaces then become damaged and inflamed, and pain occurs when the joint moves and bone grates on bone.

People working in heavy manual occupations are also more likely to suffer from knee osteoarthritis.

What are common osteoarthritis symptoms? +

Often referred to as ‘wear and tear’ arthritis the most common osteoarthritis symptoms are pain during and after movement and stiffness in your joints, especially if you’ve not moved for a while. Other symptoms include:

Joint tenderness, particularly when light pressure is applied
Limited range of movement in your joints and loss of flexibility
A grating sensation in your joints when movement occurs
Joints may appear larger or more bone spurs (lumps) appear, on or around the joints

How is osteoarthritis diagnosed? +

Whilst osteoarthritis symptoms may come and go in episodes in the early stages, in severe cases the level of pain can greatly restrict normal life and everyday activities and has a significant impact on quality of life.

You should see your GP as soon as possible if you have continuous and persistent symptoms, such as knee pain. They can refer you to our Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons for a physical examination and an X-ray. They might recommend a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan which will show the soft tissues and identify changes in the bone that aren’t visible on a standard X-ray.

There’s no blood test for osteoarthritis but these tests can be used to rule out other conditions.

What options are available for osteoarthritis treatment? +

Whilst there’s no cure for osteoarthritis, it can be managed to reduce and alleviate the pain associated with the condition. You should:

Monitor your symptoms and their impact on your day to day activities

Exercise regularly, including muscle strengthening, general aerobic fitness and stretching and manipulation of joints and muscles

Keep your weight under control by committing to a healthy diet and exercise plan to relieve pressure on joints

Medication

Paracetamol and/or topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help reduce or manage inflammation and joint pain – but you should seek professional medical advice before taking any medications for osteoarthritis treatment.

Injections

Cortisone injection

The treatment involves injecting a cortisone steroid directly into the joint in order to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in a joint caused by injury or arthritis and allow you to move the affected joint much more comfortably and easily. The treatment can relieve pain symptoms for several months.

Durolane® injection

Durolane® is a single injection hyaluronic acid therapy for mild to moderate osteoarthritis.

Arthrosamid® injection

Arthrosamid® is an innovative, injectable gel used as a treatment for knee pain and other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis - without the need for surgery.

A single Arthrosamid® injection, performed in our Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) under local anaesthetic, cushions and lubricates your knee joint, reducing stiffness and pain for longer than other types of injection.

Joint surgery

When your osteoarthritis reaches a severe stage, you may need arthroscopy or joint replacement surgery where our experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons can remove the damaged joint and put in a new one. We offer the following joint replacement options:

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Our consultant orthopaedic surgeons

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Nik Bakti

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Bakti specialises in shoulder procedures.

Mr Nik Bakti

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE

Alex Chipperfield

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent, London

Mr Chipperfield's specialties include hip and knee replacement, including ROSA knee, revision hip and knee replacement, Arthrosamid® injections and more.

Mr Alex Chipperfield

Baljinder Singh Dhinsa

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English, Punjabi

Location(s): Kent

Mr Singh Dhinsa's specialties include hallux valgus surgery and management of foot and ankle conditions

Mr Baljinder Singh Dhinsa

Michael Dunning

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Dunning's specialities include hallux valgus surgery, sports injuries of the foot and ankle and arthrodesis surgery.

Mr Michael Dunning

Satish Ganesan

Consultant Spinal Specialist

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Ganesan is a specialist in the diagnosis and management of most aspects of lower spinal pathology including low back pain.

Mr Satish Ganesan

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE

Richard Goddard

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Goddard's specialties include total knee replacement and Signature total knee replacement.

Mr Richard Goddard

Christopher James

Orthopaedic and trauma consultant

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr James' specialties include open and arthroscopic hand, wrist and elbow procedures.

Mr Christopher James

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE

Mark Jones

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Mark Jones specialises in knee replacement and knee surgeries, including ROSA knee, as well as Arthrosamid® injections.

Mr Mark Jones

Omar Mohamed

Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Specialist

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Omar Mohamed offers treatments and procedures for spinal conditions including sciatica, back pain and radiofrequency ablation.

Mr Omar Mohamed

Daniel Neen

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Neen's specialities include clavicle surgery, shoulder surgery, elbow surgery and wrist and hand surgery.

Mr Daniel Neen

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE

Matthew Oliver

Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Oliver's specialties include total hip and knee procedures, including Arthrosamid injections and robotic-assisted total knee replacement.

Mr Matthew Oliver

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE

Kumar Reddy

Associate Specialist Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Reddy specialises in total hip and knee replacements, revision joint replacements, ACL reconstruction, and more.

Mr Kumar Reddy

Guy Selmon

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Language(s): English

Location(s): Kent

Mr Selmon is Regional Coordinator for the National Joint Registry. He has continued to expand his adult spinal practice as well as his General Orthopaedic commitment.

Mr Guy Selmon