Surgery
If medications and OTC treatments do not work, surgery may be needed to deal with arthritis. Some possible options include:
– Joint fusion: This option can be used for small joints within the fingers, ankle, or wrist. In this procedure, the ends of two bones are removed and then locked to let them become a single unit.
– Joint replacement: A doctor may remove damaged joints and then replace them with artificial joints. This option is more common in the knees and hips.
– Joint repair: This surgery is often done through small incisions to realign or smoothen joint surfaces, thus improving function and alleviating pain. [7]
