Jahnavi Sarma
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : July 17, 2020 1:24 PM IST
Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis yet, you can manage the symptoms and pain that comes with this condition by making a few lifestyle changes. @Shutterstock
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It affects millions of people across the world. You suffer from this condition when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. It is a progressive disease that leads to joint damage and severe pain in patients. This disease usually affects the joints of the hands, knees, hips and spine. There is no cure for this condition in the sense that the damage cannot be reversed. But the symptoms can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes.
Now, a novel pre-clinical study at the University of Southern California, published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, reveals that a potential new opioid medication may have the ability to slow the progression of osteoarthritis while being less addictive than commonly prescribed opioid drugs. The medication activates the kappa opioid receptor (KOR), which binds to opioid-like compounds in the central and peripheral nervous systems to alleviate pain. This results in targeted pain relief with a reduced risk of addiction.
Previous research shows that some opioids that selectively activate only KORs relieve pain locally at the site of injury without crossing the blood brain barrier and inducing substance dependency, whereas commonly prescribed opioids that target other receptors in the brain are more addictive. For the purpose of the study, researchers locally administered a kappa opioid into arthritic mice knees and measured the progression of the disease in their joints. They found that the medication effectively alleviated pain. However, the findings of the study also suggest that the medication prevented the loss of cartilage, the connective tissue between the joins that pads bones, and slowed the progression of osteoarthritis.
Arthritis affects nearly a quarter of adults in the United States, many of whom take addictive opioids to manage their pain. Researcher are hopeful that the findings of this study may someday alter how orthopaedic care is provided to significantly reduce the number of patients experiencing long-term pain and addiction. But they caution that further research is needed to advance toward human clinical trials, which are paramount as treatment and pain management options for osteoarthritis are limited. They hope that it will lay the foundations for clinical research to further current understandings of the relationship between kappa opioids and osteoarthritis in humans to improve clinical care and quality of life.
Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis yet, you can manage the symptoms and pain that comes with this condition by making a few lifestyle changes. If you are overweight, you need to lose weight to reduce pressure on your joints. This will bring down the pain associated with this disease. You also need to take up some form of exercise and follow a healthy diet. Physical therapy may help. Sometimes, your doctor may also prescribe medication to alleviate your pain.
(With inputs from Agencies)
