Methods for treating pain resulting from osteoarthritis, and associated devices and instruments for such pain treatment are disclosed. These methods aim to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis of a joint, by biochemically diagnosing microenvironmental abnormalities in the subchondral bone, and subsequently treating the subchondral bone to prevent, or delay the onset or progression of, or otherwise treat, osteoarthritis as well as any bone marrow edema or lesion.