How Effective Are Cherry Supplements For Knee Pain
A group of 58 people with osteoarthritis of the knee were asked to drink either tart cherry juice or placebo juice for 6 weeks. Then, after a week of no treatment, they swapped over to take the other juice for another 6 weeks so acted as their own controls.
Their knee pain, knee stiffness and knee joint function were assessed before and after each treatment, and scores decreased significantly after the cherry juice treatment but not after the placebo treatment.
What Are Gel Knee Injections
Our bodies naturally produce a thick gel called synovial fluid that keeps our joints lubricated and properly functioning. In patients with osteoarthritis, this gel becomes watery as the cartilage in your knees breaks down and is no longer effective in protecting your joints and absorbing shock.
Doctors can temporarily restore this substance into arthritic knees via gel shots. This treatment increased the hyaluronic acid levels in your knees to that of fully functioning joints. Once this fluid is restored, patients can experience reduced creaking, grinding, and inflammation, as well as restored function in their knees and most of all, pain relief.
What Procedures And Tests Diagnose Knee Pain
A health care professional will begin by asking questions related to the person’s general health and then specifically to the nature of the knee pain .
Next, an examination of the knee will be performed. This will include bending the knee through the full range of motion, checking for stability of the ligaments, and evaluating for any tenderness and swelling. It is often helpful to compare the results of the examination of the painful knee with the other knee. Frequently, this is all that is required to make a diagnosis and start treatment. In several research studies, it has been found that an experienced examiner is as reliable as X-ray examination.
Sometimes the doctor might want to do further studies such as the following tests.
Radiologic tests
Plain X-ray can establish fractures and degenerative changes of the knee.
MRI is used to evaluate the soft tissues of the knee for ligament tears or cartilage and muscle injuries.
Blood tests
If gout, arthritis, or other medical conditions are suspected, a health care professional might order blood tests.
Removal of joint fluid
You May Like: How To Strengthen Knees With Arthritis
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation uses a machine that sends electrical impulses through sticky patches, called electrodes, attached to the skin. This may help ease the pain caused by your osteoarthritis by numbing the nerve endings in your spinal cord which control pain.
Treatment with TENS is usually arranged by a physiotherapist or doctor, who can advise you on the strength of the pulses and how long your treatment should last.
Why Do We Experience Knee Pain
There are many causes of knee pain from injuries such as strains, sprains, torn ligaments and cartilage tears, to conditions such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis and bursitis .
Sports Injuries
Knee injuries are common among athletes, for example, who often experience tears in the knee ligaments, leading to sudden knee pain. Runners knee is a condition that can affect anyone who does a lot of knee bends, for example while running, walking, jumping or cycling. It is felt as pain around the kneecap and can be the result of overuse, injury, abnormalities of the leg bones or feet and weak muscles.
Other causes
Knee injuries can happen slowly because of osteoarthritis, for example. If you experience problems with your hips or feet that cause you to walk awkwardly, it can throw off the alignment of the knees leading to damage. If you have a knee injury, even if it is a minor one, it is more likely that you will have similar injuries in the future.
Locate the cause of your pain
Injuries to ligaments or tears to the menisci can cause pain in the side of the knees. Pain at the front of the knee can be due to bursitis, or cartilage problems. Osteoarthritis can lead to pain in the back of the knee.
You May Like: Which Fruit Is Good For Arthritis
What Is The Long
Some knee pain, especially pain caused by osteoarthritis, will likely be permanent. Thats because the structure of the knee is damaged. Without surgery or another type of extensive treatment, youll continue to feel pain, inflammation, and swelling in your knee.
The long-term outlook for chronic knee pain involves managing pain, preventing flare-ups, and working to reduce irritation to the knee.
The Most Important Piece Of The Puzzle
If youre overweight or obese, the most effective treatment is weight loss. This isnt surprising. Every extra pound of weight adds two to four pounds of excess pressure on your knees.
Losing weight is probably the most difficult part of the treatment puzzle, but its also the most important, says Dr. Day.
A weight loss program should include both diet and exercise. Some people have difficulty exercising to lose weight because their knees hurt. But any type of exercise can help, even strengthening the upper body.
Recommended Reading: Is Asparagus Good For Arthritis
Not All Apple Cider Vinegar Is Beneficial
Going to a grocery store may not be the place to find the apple cider vinegar that is beneficial. Most vinegar sold in grocery stores is processed and these are not beneficial to us. Raw, unprocessed, organic apple cider vinegar is the beneficial vinegar. This type of apple cider vinegar is rich in beneficial enzymes and acids that have a multitude of health benefits. It is encouraging however, to see some grocery stores carrying organic, raw apple cider vinegar. Health food stores carry this also and it is inexpensive.
All of the benefits of apple cider vinegar can only be attained with vinegar that is organic, raw, unfiltered and unprocessed. This type of apple cider vinegar will have a noticeable amount of residue floating around in the bottle. This is called the mother, the natural accumulation of beneficial enzymes and nutrients. In any other form, including pills, apple cider vinegar is inferior and much less effective.
Collagen Supplements For Knee Pain
While glucosamine and chondroitin give cartilage its flexibility and resilience, it gets its strength from a strong, fibrous protein known as type II collagen. Collagen is a protein composed of long chains of amino acids. Every third amino acid is glycine, with proline, hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine appearing in between. These last two amino acids are not found in any other human proteins.
Long chains of collagen come together in threes. Hydroxyproline, which needs vitamin C for its synthesis, has a unique shape which allows collagen fibres to twist around each other and form long triple strands for extra strength
You May Like: What Can Help Rheumatoid Arthritis
Symptoms Of Arthritis In The Knee
of arthritis. Two common types of knee arthritis are osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis .
OA is the most common type. It is a progressive condition in which the cartilage in the knee joint gradually wears away. It usually appears after midlife.
RA is an inflammatory condition that can occur at any age. It affects the whole body and can involve other joints and additional symptoms. It is an autoimmune disease.
Arthritis can also develop after a knee injury. Post-traumatic arthritis can result from a torn meniscus, ligament injury, or knee fracture. Symptoms can appear several years later.
OA and RA can cause similar symptoms, but there are also some key differences. Learn more here about how to recognize each type.
Torn Acl Symptoms And Signs
With an acute injury, the patient often describes that they heard a loud pop and then developed intense pain in the knee. The pain makes walking or weight-bearing very difficult. The knee joint will begin to swell within a few hours because of bleeding within the joint, making it difficult to straighten the knee.
You May Like: How To Relieve Arthritis Pain In Your Hands
Exercise And Physical Therapy
Exercise is essential for reducing the risk of osteoarthritis and slowing its progress. Exercise not only helps you manage your weight, but it also improves strength, flexibility, and mobility.
Low-impact exercises are less likely to put strain on a damaged joint. Experts strongly recommend tai chi for people with hip osteoarthritis.
Other options include:
Regular stretching can help relieve stiff, achy, or painful joints. Here are some tips to help you stretch safely:
- Start by asking a physical therapist for suggestions and guidance.
- Do all stretches gently and build up flexibility slowly.
- Stop if you feel pain.
- Increase intensity slowly.
If you dont feel pain after the first few days of an activity, gradually spend more time on it. At first, you may find it hard to stretch very far, but your flexibility will increase over time, as you practice.
Here are a few possible stretches:
Forward fold
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart or sit in a chair. Slowly lean forward, keeping your upper body relaxed. You should feel the stretch in your hips and lower back.
Knee pull
Lie on your back. Pull your bent knee up toward your chest until you feel a stretch. If your body allows it, use your other leg to deepen the stretch.
Extended leg balance
This is the same exercise as the knee pull, but you start from a standing position. Place one hand along the wall for support.
Cobra
Here are some other stretches you can ask your healthcare provider about:
- standing hip flexors
How Can I Treat Knee Arthritis
Whilst there is no definitive cure for arthritis pain in knees, there is a lot that can be done to help reduce pain and improve function. As we continue through the arthritis pain in knee section, you can find out lots more by choosing from the links below:
Best Arthritis Book:Everything you need to know in a handy bookArthritis Causes: The main causes of arthritisSymptoms & Diagnosis:The symptoms of OA and how is it diagnosed
You May Like: What Is The Medication For Arthritis
Try A Topical Treatment
Rubbing a cream on the outside of your joints can give you relief thats more than skin deep. While herbal supplements dont show too much promise for arthritis relief, topical creams seem to be more effective, says Dr. Torralba. OTC tropical rubs like capsaicin cream or Icy Hot can block pain receptors or reduce inflammation, giving you relief from arthritis pain. Read more about arthritis creams for pain relief here.
What Are Knee Pain Symptoms And Signs
- Chronic use/overuse conditions: osteoarthritis, chondromalacia, IT band syndrome, patellar syndromes, tendinitis, and bursitis
Below is a list of some of the more common causes of knee pain. This is not an all-inclusive list but rather highlights a few common causes of knee pain in each of the above categories.
Acute knee injuries
Fractures: A direct blow to the bony structure can cause one of the bones in the knee to break. This is usually a very obvious and painful knee injury. Most knee fractures are not only painful but will also interfere with the proper functioning of the knee or make it very painful to bear weight . All fractures need immediate medical attention. Many fractures require significant force, and a thorough examination is performed to detect other injuries.
Ligament injuries: The most common injury is the ACL injury. An ACL injury is often a sports-related injury due to a sudden stop and change in directions. The remaining ligaments are injured less frequently.
Meniscus injuries: The menisci are made of cartilage and act as shock absorbers between bones in the knee. Twisting the knee can injure the meniscus.
Dislocation: The knee joint can be dislocated, which is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Knee dislocation can compromise blood flow to the leg and have other related problems. This injury often occurs during a motor-vehicle accident when the knee hits the dashboard.
Recommended Reading: Can You Eat Tomatoes If You Have Arthritis
Heat And Cold Therapy
Heat and cold can be effective for managing knee pain. Heat can relax the muscles to improve pain and function and promote joint lubrication, which can reduce stiffness. You can use a hot water bottle or a heating pad. For cold therapy, an ice pack, wrapped in a towel, can help reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling.
Some people can get the most out of knee pain relief when they alternate heat and cold therapy. You can experiment with both to figure out what best works for you to manage your knee pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Who Gets Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. While it can occur even in young people, the chance of developing osteoarthritis rises after age 45. According to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 27 million people in the U.S. have osteoarthritis, with the knee being one of the most commonly affected areas. Women are more likely to have osteoarthritis than men.
Read Also: What Causes Arthritis In The Knee
How Boswellia Supplements Reduce Knee Pain
Boswellia contains several anti-inflammatory substances, including boswellic acids, which are as effective in reducing pain as some non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs . Boswellia is particularly effective for reducing knee pain, and is often combined with other joint supplements such as turmeric and glucosamine to boost their effects.
When Boswellia extracts were added to cartilage cultures grown from people underoing knee replacement surgery, Boswellia was found to stabilise the cartilage, reduce loss of structural substances, and had a protective, anti-inflammatory effect that was predicted to reduce cartilage degeneration.
Medication That Knocks Out Knee Pain
Medication can deliver strong relief for your knee pain, but you must be mindful of the possible side effects and follow directions.
There is a variety of medication available for knee pain, including both oral and injectable medication, depending on the source of your pain. But most medication used by people with knee pain falls into one of two categories: anti-inflammatories and pain relievers, also known as analgesics.
Over-The-Counter Medication for Knee Pain
Most medication that falls in the anti-inflammatory category also has analgesic effects, says William Bargar, MD, director of the Joint Replacement Center with Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento, Calif., and a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The main over-the-counter drugs are acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , including aspirin , ibuprofen , and naproxen . These can help with simple sprains or even arthritis.
Dr. Bargar points out that even though knee pain-relieving medication is available without a prescription, you should use care when taking it. Be sure to follow the instructions for any medication and read the warnings.
Prescription Medication for Knee Pain
Bargar also advises people with knee pain who are taking large doses of ibuprofen regularly to have blood tests every four months to check for kidney toxicity and anemia.
Injectable Medication for Knee Pain
Also Check: Is Glucosamine And Chondroitin Good For Arthritis
How Effective Are Rosehip Supplements For Knee Pain
The results from three studies, involving 287 people with osteoarthritis found that taking rosehip extracts for an average of 3 months significantly reduced joint pain. Those taking rose hip extracts were twice as likely to respond to treatment than those taking placebo.
Significant improvements in morning pain and stiffness, sleep quality, mood, energy and well-being were also seen, as well as a reduced need for rescue medications such as tramadol, codeine and paracetamol.
Over eighty per cent of people taking rosehip extracts report noticeable benefits in pain and stiffness within three weeks, and the level of pain relief in clinical trials is equivalent to that achieved with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol and aspirin .
Supplements For Those With Mild Pain
For people with milder pain, Dr. Day suggests trying supplements, such as the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin or the spice turmeric.
The evidence for glucosamine and chondroitin is mixed, but they are safe. So it might be worth trying. However, people with a shellfish allergy may not be able to tolerate them. Any effect wont kick in right away. Dr. Day recommends trying it for six to eight weeks. If you notice improvement, great if not, then stop it, she says.
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, and there is some evidence for its usefulness for painful knee arthritis. You can add turmeric to your food or take it as a supplement. It can thin blood, so people who take a blood thinning medication should not use turmeric.
You May Like: What Helps With Arthritis In Back
Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
This is commonly known as wear and tear arthritis. Osteoarthritis is by far the most common cause of arthritis pain in knees affecting approximately 16 million people. Usually osteoarthritis of the knee is related to, but not caused by aging, most commonly affecting people over the age of 65. Other common terms used are “degenerative arthritis knee” or “arthrosis”.
In a normal, healthy knee joint, there is a reasonable sized gap between the bones due to a thick layer of cartilage and lubricating fluid.
The surface of the bones is nice and smooth and as the knee bends and straightens, the joint moves easily and painlessly due to the cushioning from the cartilage.
With osteoarthritis of the knee, a few things happen. The cartilage thins and as a result the bone underneath begins to thicken and lays down new bone to try and protect itself.
These spurs stick up so the joint surfaces are no longer smooth but are all bumpy. They are known as osteophytes or knee bone spurs.
As a result of these changes, there is less space between the bones. This means that as you use the knee, you can get bone rubbing on bone, causing arthritis pain in knee joints. The bone spurs can also limit the amount of movement in the knee leading to stiffness.