Arthritis Management Strategies

A range of arthritis management strategies exist to help relieve the pain and reduce disability from arthritis. It often makes sense to use a combination of strategies to optimize an individual's results. Different strategies may be used at various stages of the disease to attempt to limit disease progression, to manage or minimize the symptoms, or to develop self-management skills. This section will describe a variety of arthritis management strategies used for people with arthritis. Public health focuses primarily on self-management strategies.

The American College of Rheumatology guidelines include these categories of management:

• Non-Pharmacologic
  • Rehabilitation
  • Self-Management Techniques
  • Physical Activity
  • Weight Control
• Pharmacologic Treatment
• Surgery
• Complementary and Alternative Treatments