Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Görkem Kıyak
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Sports Medicine & Arthroscopy
Arthrosis treatment
What arthrosis (osteoarthritis) is, how treatment moves from exercise, weight loss and medication to injections and surgery, what the evidence says about hyaluronic acid, steroid and PRP injections, osteotomy and joint replacement, approximate costs in Turkey against the UK, US and Germany, recovery, risks and how to choose a clinic.
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Arthrosis treatment in Turkey: what arthrosis is and what treatment can do
Arthrosis, known in the UK and US as osteoarthritis, is wear of the joint cartilage, the smooth layer that lets bones glide. As the cartilage thins, the bone beneath thickens, small spurs form, the joint lining becomes inflamed and movement becomes stiff and painful. It most often affects the knees, hips, hands, spine and the base of the thumb. Arthrosis treatment aims to reduce pain, keep you moving and delay or replace the worn joint; it does not regrow cartilage. Orthopaedic and rehabilitation departments in Turkey offer the whole range, from exercise programmes and injections to joint replacement.
This guide sets out the options in the order they are normally tried, what the evidence says about each, what they cost against the UK, US and Germany, and how to choose a clinic. For the wider field see our orthopedics treatments in Turkey.
How do you know it is arthrosis, and how severe is it?
Typical signs are pain that builds with activity and eases with rest, morning stiffness that lasts under about half an hour, creaking, swelling and loss of movement. The diagnosis rests on an examination and a weight-bearing X-ray, which shows narrowed joint space, spurs and bone changes. MRI is not routinely needed but may be used to look for other causes such as a meniscus tear. Doctors often grade severity from mild to end-stage, and that grade, together with your pain, daily limits and age, decides which treatments make sense. X-rays and symptoms do not always match: some people with severe changes have little pain, and the reverse.
Which arthrosis treatments work first: exercise, weight and medication?
Guidelines from NICE (the UK health guidance body) and the American College of Rheumatology put the same measures first: regular exercise, including strengthening and walking or cycling, education about the condition, and weight loss if you are overweight, since every kilogram lost takes several kilograms of load off the knee. Pain relief starts with topical anti-inflammatory gels and paracetamol or oral anti-inflammatory tablets used with care, and physiotherapy, supports, insoles and a walking stick help. These measures do not remove the arthrosis, but they reduce pain in many people and are the base for every other option, including surgery.
Do injections for arthrosis work: steroid, hyaluronic acid and PRP?
- Steroid injection. Relieves pain from a flare for weeks to a few months; repeated use is limited because of possible joint and tendon effects.
- Hyaluronic acid. Meant to improve joint lubrication. Studies show modest or inconsistent benefit and some guidelines do not recommend it; a few patients find it helpful.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Made from your own blood. Some trials show benefit in mild to moderate knee arthrosis, but results and preparation methods vary and guidelines call the evidence limited.
- Stem-cell and similar injections. Mostly experimental; they should not be sold as a cure that regrows cartilage.
Honest advice is that injections can give temporary relief and may help some people, but none of them reverses the wear. Be careful with any clinic that promises cartilage regeneration.
When is surgery needed: osteotomy, arthroscopy or joint replacement?
Surgery is considered when pain and loss of function stay severe despite the measures above. Realignment surgery (osteotomy) cuts and re-sets the bone near the knee or hip to move load off the worn side, and suits younger, active people with wear on one side. Arthroscopy has a limited role: washing out an arthritic knee is not advised, although it can help when a torn meniscus or a loose fragment locks the joint (see arthroscopic meniscus repair). Joint replacement removes the worn surfaces and fits a metal and plastic implant; it is the standard for end-stage hip and knee arthrosis and usually relieves pain reliably.
| Option | Best suited to | Typical limits |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise, weight loss, medication | Mild to moderate arthrosis; everyone as the base | Needs ongoing effort; does not reverse wear |
| Steroid, hyaluronic acid or PRP injection | Flares or moderate knee arthrosis not settled by exercise | Temporary, evidence varies by type |
| Osteotomy | Younger, active patients with one-sided knee wear | Long recovery; arthrosis can still progress |
| Joint replacement | End-stage hip or knee arthrosis with severe pain | Major operation; implants can wear or loosen after many years |
Arthrosis treatment cost in Turkey and what changes the price
Prices span a wide range because "arthrosis treatment" can mean a single injection or a joint replacement. The figures below are approximate ranges, not hospital quotes, and the hospital confirms its own price in writing.
| Treatment | Turkey | United Kingdom | United States | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injection course (steroid, hyaluronic acid or PRP) | €100 – €900 | €250 – €1,500 | €400 – €2,500 | €200 – €1,200 |
| Knee or hip replacement | €5,000 – €12,000 | €9,000 – €16,000 | €18,000 – €45,000 | €8,000 – €16,000 |
The price depends on the joint, the product or implant, the number of sessions, the anaesthesia, the nights in hospital and the rehabilitation provided. A replacement package normally covers tests, surgery, the anaesthetist, the implant, the hospital stay, early physiotherapy and airport transfers; ask for the inclusions in writing.
Who is a good candidate for each option, and who should wait?
Everyone with arthrosis is a candidate for exercise and weight management. Injections suit people with a clearly arthritic joint who want to postpone surgery or reduce pain during a flare. Joint replacement suits people with severe pain at night and at rest, a clear X-ray picture and a limited daily life, after non-surgical care has not helped. Surgery should wait or be reconsidered with an active infection, uncontrolled diabetes, very high body weight that raises the risk, serious heart or lung disease, or if you cannot take part in rehabilitation. A responsible surgeon will not operate on an X-ray alone.
Arthrosis treatment recovery: what to expect by option
- Injections: walk out the same day; a few days of soreness, then exercise as advised. Stay 2 to 3 days if combined with a consultation and tests.
- Osteotomy: 2 to 4 nights in hospital, crutches for 6 to 8 weeks and about 3 to 6 months before normal activity.
- Joint replacement: 2 to 4 nights in hospital, walking the day after surgery with a frame or crutches, a stay in Turkey of about 7 to 12 days, and 6 to 12 weeks until daily life feels normal. Swelling continues for months.
Physiotherapy is the other half of the treatment, so arrange it before you travel. Flying home is usually allowed after the surgeon's check, with clot-prevention advice such as moving, wearing compression stockings and, in some cases, blood thinners.
What results can you realistically expect?
Exercise and weight loss commonly give a meaningful reduction in pain over weeks to months. Injections give relief that is measured in weeks to months. Joint replacement gives the largest and longest-lasting improvement in pain and function for end-stage hip and knee arthrosis, with most implants lasting 15 to 20 years or more, though a minority of people still have some pain or stiffness. Photographs of treated joints show scars and X-rays, but they do not show how it feels to climb stairs, so ask the surgeon about outcomes in patients with a profile like yours.
Risks and complications of arthrosis treatment
Injections can cause pain, swelling, bruising and, rarely, joint infection; repeated steroid injections have their own limits. Surgery adds anaesthetic risks, infection, blood clots (deep vein thrombosis), stiffness, nerve or vessel injury, implant problems and, for osteotomy, a bone that heals slowly. The NHS, NICE and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) describe these and advise that non-surgical measures come first. Ask the hospital what happens if a complication appears after you return home.
How to choose a clinic or surgeon, and questions to ask
Look for an orthopaedic surgeon or a rheumatology-led team in an accredited hospital with an anaesthetist and a rehabilitation team, with a written plan that follows your X-ray or MRI. Red flags: a quoted "cure", a treatment recommended without scans, pressure to buy a package of injections, no rehabilitation plan. See how our process works and share your X-rays through our free quote page. Questions to ask:
- How severe is my arthrosis, and what do you recommend first?
- What is the evidence for the injection or product you propose?
- If surgery, which implant and why?
- How long should I stay in Turkey, and what rehabilitation do I need at home?
- What is included in the price?
Conditions treated with Arthrosis Treatment
Hospitals with Orthopedics in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
Arthrosis is another name for osteoarthritis: wear of the joint cartilage with bone changes and inflammation, causing pain, stiffness and reduced movement. It mainly affects knees, hips, hands and the spine.
Treatment reduces pain and improves movement in many people, but nothing regrows cartilage. Exercise and weight loss help most patients, injections give temporary relief and joint replacement gives lasting relief in end-stage hip and knee arthrosis.
It depends on the option. An injection course is roughly €100 to €900, while a knee or hip replacement is roughly €5,000 to €12,000, against about €9,000 to €16,000 in the UK. The hospital confirms its price in writing.
No. They may ease pain for some people for a few months, but evidence is mixed and none reverses cartilage wear. Be cautious of any claim of cartilage regrowth.
After a knee or hip replacement most people walk the next day and need about 6 to 12 weeks before daily life feels normal, with improvement continuing for months. Injections need only a few days.
Injections cause brief discomfort and some soreness for a few days. Surgery is done under anaesthesia and early recovery is sore, but pain control and early walking are part of the plan.
Not currently. The aim is to reduce pain, keep the joint working and delay or replace it. Exercise, a healthy weight and, when needed, surgery achieve this.
When pain at night or at rest and limited daily activity continue despite exercise, weight management, medication and injections, and the X-ray shows advanced wear. A surgeon should confirm this from your scans.
Injections can cause pain, swelling or rare infection. Surgery carries risks of infection, blood clots, stiffness, anaesthetic problems and implant issues. Your surgeon should explain those that apply to you.
An injection treatment needs about two to three days. A joint replacement usually needs 7 to 12 days, including hospital nights and a check before flying home.
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