12 Pain Relief Tips for Knee Osteoarthritis

Medications — such as anti-inflammatories, intra-articular steroids, and hyaluronate injections — are often prescribed to treat osteoarthritis knee pain. However, natural remedies can also help provide knee pain relief either on their own or in combination with conventional treatments

Here are 12 tips you can try, but be sure to talk to your doctor before starting anything new.

1. Weight Loss

Every pound you lose is less stress on your knee joints. On level ground, every step you take puts pressure on your knees equal to 1½ times your body weight, according to Harvard Medical School. Add stairs, and the pressure on your knees increases to double or triple your body weight. That’s why it’s important lose weight if you’re overweight, and to maintain your weight at a healthy level once you get there. Losing weight also makes it easier to be active, and staying active is better for your knee joints than sitting still.

2. Exercise

People with osteoarthritis of the knee often shy away from exercise because it can hurt, but keeping fit is very important to avoid muscle atrophy that can make symptoms worse. The Arthritis Foundation recommends mini-squats as well as quad and hamstring stretches to help keep your knees strong. Start slowly and build up the number of reps you do. You can also work with a physical therapist to tailor exercises to your condition. A study of 58 adults with knee osteoarthritis found that a targeted strengthening program improved quadriceps strength, important for supporting the knee. Results appeared in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders in January 2016.

3. A Healthy Diet

Osteoarthritis also involves inflammation of knee joints, so it is vital for people who suffer from osteoarthritis to consume food that can help fight inflammation. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables because they’re high in phytonutrients, including inflammation-fighting antioxidants such as vitamins C, D, E and selenium. They’re also low in calories, so a diet favoring them helps you lose weight. Add cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring, to the menu. They’re high in omega-3 fatty acids, also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

4. Stretching

Gentle progressive stretching can improve blood flow and flexibility to stiff joints. In addition, gentle movement that takes you through a range of motion, such as the practice of tai chi, may help, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Tai chi also makes the list of the American College of Rheumatology recommendations for managing knee arthritis.

5. Ice and Heat Therapy

Ice is a natural inflammation fighting remedy for osteoarthritis, and should be used after an effort (a long day at work, etc), when the inflammation begins. Heat is good for warming up your knee in preparation for an activity. Never apply ice directly to your skin; place a towel between your skin surface and the ice source to protect it.

6. Acupuncture

Some people with osteoarthritis respond to acupuncture, especially those with arthritis of the knee or spine, according to the Arthritis Foundation. It’s also one of the non-drug approaches recommended by the American College of Rheumatology. Acupuncture combined with moxibustion, a technique that involves burning the herb mugwort close to the skin, is the main course of Chinese medical treatment for osteoarthritis. Moxibustion can be as effective as oral medications for treating knee arthritis, according to a study published in Medicine in February 2016. Your treatment should be tailored to your disease stage and may include acupuncture, acupressure, and moxibustion.

7. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can help you maintain flexibility, strength, and knee function, and also help you learn how to better manage your arthritis. A physical therapist can outline a program of strengthening exercises you can do at home. He or she can show you how and when to properly apply ice and heat to your knees and guide you in choosing and using assistive devices, such as a cane, walker, and braces to help ease pain while improving mobility. The number of sessions you’ll need depends on your level of function.

8. Occupational Therapy

An occupational therapist can suggest ways to minimize stress on your knees as you go about your daily routine. Strategies learned through occupational therapy might be as simple as always sitting in a chair that has arms, which you can push off from when you go from sitting to standing. It is recommended for the patients to wrap their knees with kinesiology tape. Taping can reduce pressure on the soft tissue around the knee that is inflamed and causing pain, according to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

9. Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can help reduce knee pain — at least in the short-term, according to a research review published in the Journal of Physiotherapy in July 2015. Another study, published in 2014 in the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, found that massage helped provide relief when combined with an exercise program. It’s not clear how massage helps, but one theory is that it lowers production of a neurotransmitter (substance P) that is linked to pain, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Because it simply feels good, massage can also help relieve stress, which, in turn, can relieve osteoarthritis knee pain and even help you sleep better, the foundation adds.

10. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

This type of high-frequency electrical stimulation through the skin can help reduce osteoarthritis knee pain. It works by helping to strengthen the quadriceps muscles that support the knee, according to the Arthritis Foundation. TENS machines, which are available for the home, send pulses to your nerve endings through pads that you place on your skin. The treatment is also offered by physiotherapists in healthcare facilities. As with all natural remedies for knee pain, not everyone will benefit, according to Arthritis Research UK.

11. Supplements

A number of supplements have been shown to help reduce inflammation and rebuild joint cartilage. Some, including curcumin (found in the spice turmeric), willow bark, and ginger, have been shown to reduce knee pain in people with osteoarthritis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. SAM-e is believed to both stimulate cartilage growth and reduce pain perception, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Glucosamine and chondroitin, alone or in combination, help some people with knee pain, but studies over the years have shown they don’t work for everyone and their benefits are modest at best. Since some supplements interfere with other medications, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a supplement regimen.

12. Topical Therapies

If you don’t tolerate oral NSAIDs well, you might want to ask your doctor about using a topical cream or gel form, and applying it to your knees where it’s absorbed through the skin. Unlike a fast-acting pill, it may take a few days before you feel any effect, according to Arthritis Research UK. Another topical option is capsaicin cream, made from the active ingredient in hot peppers. The cream can help change the way you perceive pain and may help provide relief.

Source: everydayhealth.com

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What do you do to reduce pain in your knees?