Some people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) live their lives without even realizing they have it, and they don’t feel any knee pain. But if you start having symptoms of knee arthritis, you can choose treatments that help with the pain or address both the pain and the problem in your knee.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options:

1. Change Activities: Avoid doing things that make your knee hurt. This might mean taking breaks from activities that cause pain. This never means to become inactive, but just find activities you can tolerate and decrease the frequency or duration of the activities you cannot tolerate.
2. Medications: You can use over-the-counter medicines known as NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen or naproxen, to help reduce pain and swelling.
3. Physical Therapy: Working with a physical therapist can help strengthen the muscles around your knee and improve how it moves.

Usually, if you follow these treatments, your symptoms should get better within a few weeks. If your knee pain improves and you can get back to doing the things you enjoy, you might not need any surgery.