Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of pain and disability of the locomotor system. OA affects health-related quality of life of the majority of the ageing population. As a specific joint disease OA raises numerous aetiological problems and difficulties in terms of definition, diagnosis and treatment. Recent progress in our understanding of the pathogenesis of OA has resulted in introduction of more efficient forms of treatment and more effective elimination of risk factors like overweight. In our short review we present and discuss current treatment guidelines including nonpharmacological approaches in OA, as well as the use of analgesics and other medications.