Medications and Natural Supplements

Pain medications (analgesics) and anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs ­ Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can be used if required to help manage your arthritis pain. However, these medications will not cure your osteoarthritis; they will merely treat your symptoms. These medications aren't recommended for everyone or for long term use, as pain medications can cause liver damage, and NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal difficulties (such as upset stomach, diarrhea, ulcers and intestinal bleeding). They can also trigger other serious side effects, and even inhibit the body¹s natural ability to heal itself. COX-2 Inhibitors (prescription NSAIDs like Celebrex, Bextra or Vioxx, block the COX-2 enzyme involved with prostaglandin production responsible for inflammation) have been linked with risks of heart attack, stroke and in some cases death. The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) asked manufactures to withdraw some COX-2 Inhibitors (Vioxx and Bextra) from the market as well as put a big black warning label on the packaging outlining the risks involved with use (Celebrex).

Cysts can be treated by removing extra fluid from the knee using a syringe or seeing your physician to investigate cortisone/steroid injections or topical medications. These may initially help reduce inflammation and swelling, however steroids may actually harm the joint if used on a long term basis. These are occasionally used for rheumatoid arthritis, but rarely for osteoarthritis. Corticosteroids should be used with caution and never in conjunction with ultrasound therapy.

Some health professionals have also recommended natural supplements such as Glucosamine, MSM, Chondritin, Capsaicin, Devil's Claw, or Yucca Leaf to help relieve pain and/or strengthen your tissues. Hyaluronic Acid (Hyalgan) injections have also had a lot of success.

Heat Therapy and Cold Therapy:

Hot and cold treatments can be used once your initial inflammation has decreased to provide arthritis pain relief and improve your knee function. Heat therapy involves using a hot compress to help reduce your aches and pains, muscle spasms, joint and muscle stiffness that may accompany your knee arthritis, and will help increase blood flow to your injured knee. Cold therapy involves using a cold compress to help decrease your inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, as well as tendon and ligament sprains and strains, by constricting blood flow and restricting fluid build up. Cold also has a numbing effect on your nerves to decrease feelings of pain. The best way to get cold/hot therapy is by using a dual purpose Hot/Cold gel pack.

These are very effective, convenient, mess-free and long lasting. They are easy to use because they are portable, can be warmed up in the microwave or cooled in the freezer, and mold themselves to your knee shape. Once the treatment is over they can be washed and reused over and over again. You can also put the gel packs in a washable, polar fleece wrap to secure the packs to your body (very effective when the pain is in a hard to reach area) and to create a barrier between your skin and the pack to prevent heat/ice burn.