Remedies for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Osteoarthritis of the knee or knee arthritis mainly affects older people. It is caused by the chronic degeneration of the cartilage or simply put, wear and tear. Since it is a degenerative joint disease, the condition will develop gradually, become worse over time and may even cause deformity.

Knee arthritis symptoms begin as an occasional pain and stiffness in the morning or after a period of inactivity. You may hear a cracking sound when you bend or use your knee joint. As time goes by, the joint cartilage will continue to wear away and the joint fluid won't be able to lubricate and cushion the knees. You may feel pain during or after movement.

When bony edges develop at the edges of the bones, the pain will become more severe. If the hyaline or articular cartilage is totally worn out, it will cause the bones to rub against each other and cause severe pain and the inability to move. When this happens, you may have to consider if you want to go through a partial or total knee replacement surgery.

The best way to determine if you have osteoarthritis of the knee is to see your doctor. An x-ray can reveal any damage to the joints. There is no cure yet for arthritis of the knee. But your doctor may recommend an injection or other medication once you've been diagnosed with arthritis of the knee. You may also want to include an alternative treatment, remedy or supplement to reduce the knee joint pain and improve your ability to move around.

Remedies for osteoarthritis of the knee No. 1 - Acupuncture

A study funded by two components of the US National Institutes of Health showed that acupuncture was able to reduce arthritis knee pain and improve knee function and movement. The clinical trial involved 570 patients over a period of 14 weeks. By the eight week of the study, there was already a significant reduction of knee joint pain and improvement in mobility.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese healing practice. Ancient Chinese doctors believed that illness are cause by the imbalance of energy that circulates through the meridian in the body. By inserting needles into certain meridian points of the body, the out of balance of energy is restored. Once this is accomplished, the body is able to cure the disease or prevent one from happening.

You can learn acupuncture technique, identify the meridian points and do it yourself. But it is best that you get the treatment from an acupuncture specialist near your area.

Remedies for osteoarthritis of the knee No. 2 - Knee brace

Another one of the remedies for knee pain relief is to wear a knee brace. Using a knee brace reduces the pressure on a knee joint, decreases the pain and improves motion and function on the knee so that you can do your routine activities. Using a knee brace is one of the best options to delay total joint replacement. Bear in mind that you still have to take your medication or supplement.

Remedies for osteoarthritis of the knee No. 3 - Supplements for Knee Arthritis

1. One of the compounds found in healthy cartilage is glucosamine. It is formed in the fluid surrounding the joints and is the precursor of a molecule called a glycosaminoglycan which is used by the body to repair cartilage. The production of glucosamine drops with aging. To supplement the deficiency, taking glucosamine supplement may help treat the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knees such as pain, joint swelling and stiffness.
   
   
   
2. Chondroitin is another component of joint cartilage. Its functions include absorbing water into the connective tissue, blocking enzymes that break down cartilage and assisting in the production of new cartilage. Chondroitin provides the same effect as glucosamine as it is able to reduce pain, swelling and stiffness and improve joint functionality. Some studies indicate that taking chondroitin supplement may delay the progression of knee arthritis.
   
   
   
3. MSM is one of the supplements used by many people as a treatment for osteoarthritis including knee arthritis and also rheumatoid arthritis. Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM is involved in maintaining joint health and in the formation of cartilage, ligaments and tendons. It may also relieve pain by delaying the nerves to transmit pain messages to the brain.
   
   
   
4. Similar to glucosamine and chondroitin, S-adenosyl-homocysteine or SAM-e is naturally produced in the body. Many trials have shown that SAM-e helped in reducing the pain associated with osteoarthritis because of its anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. In addition to supporting the joints, the additional benefits of taking SAM-e supplement include improving mood and brain functions and liver detoxification.
   
   
   
5. Boswellia herb may help in treating knee arthritis and providing pain relief. Boswellia extract has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving activities. Take 300mg to 400mg boswellia extract orally 3 times a day and at the same time apply boswellia cream or poultice to relieve the pain.

Glucosamine is sold as glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and n-acetyl glucosamine or in combination with chondroitin and MSM.

For more information, check out I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too

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