If you are suffering from arthritis knee pain, like millions of people worldwide, there are a variety of natural treatments that can safely help relieve your pain.
Arthritis pain is generally caused by inflammation of the joint, so pain relief is achieved by reducing the inflammation. Medical treatments usually rely on anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), however, undesirable side effects have been linked to these drugs. In 2006, the FDA issued health warnings about anti-inflammatory drugs such as Celebrex.
What are some natural alternatives that will ease your arthritis knee pain?
Bromelain – a Pineapple extract
Bromelain is an enzyme extracted from the fruit and stem of the pineapple with demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties. In 2000, researchers conducted a study with 73 patients diagnosed with arthritis in the knee joint. For 3 weeks, patients were given a treatment that included bromelain, trypsin and rutin and were not allowed to take other anti-inflammatory or pain relief medications. At the end of the three weeks, patients reported a reduction in acute arthritis knee pain.
Tart Cherries
Consuming tart cherries is a tasty way to combat arthritis knee pain. You can eat dried tart cherries, tart cherry juice or take tart cherry supplements. Two recent studies have pointed to tart cherries as a natural treatment for arthritis. In 2008, researchers from the University of Michigan released finding from an animal study that found that tart cherries reduce inflammation– a key to reducing arthritis pain. And in March 2009, Texas-based Baylor Research Institute reported that tart cherry supplements brought relief for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. More than half of the patients enrolled in this human pilot study experienced significant improvement in pain and function after taking tart cherry supplements for eight weeks.
Pine Bark extract – Pycnogenol
Another natural option for controlling arthritis knee pain is pycnogenol, an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, pinus maritima. Two recent studies looked at pycnogenol and its effect on osteoarthritis. The first study published in 2007 was a double-blind research project that involved 35 volunteers with arthritis knee pain. Participants who received pycnogenol for three months reported their pain levels dropped 43 percent and stiffness decreased by 35 percent. Another study with 100 human volunteers published in 2008 had similar findings, but also concluded that the therapeutic benefit of pycnogenol on osteoarthritis knee pain continued even two weeks after supplementation ended. In this research project, improvement in knee pain was noticed after one month of pycnogenol supplementation with continued improvement up to three months. Volunteers in this study experienced pain reductions of 40.3 percent.
Glucosomine and Chondroitin
Many people give anectodal reports of these supplements helping with their joint pain. But what does science say? A large 2005 study overseen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the combination of glucosomine and chondroitin sulfate is effective in treating moderate to severe arthritis knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. The study involved 1,258 individuals who had been suffering from osteoarthritis for an average of 10 years. Researchers determined that individuals who received 1,200mg of chondroitin sulfate and 1,500mg of glucosamine reported 25 percent less pain that individuals who received a placebo and 10 percent less pain than those given the drugs Celecoxib/Celebrex.
MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane
Here is another supplement that is often taken in combination with glucosomine and chondroitin. A small 12-week clinical trial conducted in Arizona and published in 2006 showed that MSM reduced osteoarthritis knee pain and improved function. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled research project, participants had mild to moderate arthritis knee pain due to osteoarthritis. Individuals either received 3,000mg of MSM twice a day or a placebo. Clinical evaluations after 12 weeks showed the group given MSM had significant pain reductions and less difficulty with tasks related to daily living. Researchers reported no significant adverse reactions among participants.
Boswellia Herbal Supplement
The Boswellia serrata tree grows in India and is also referred to as Shallaki, frankincense or salai guggul. The tree bark’s gummy resin contains anti-inflammatory properties that have been used for thousands of years to treat pain and inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Researchers have validated the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of Boswellia. A study published in 2003 involved 30 patients with arthritis knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Half of the individuals received 333 mg of Boswellia and the other half received a placebo for a period of eight weeks. Subjects given Boswellia reported decreased arthritis knee pain, greater knee flexibility, decreased swelling in the knee joint and could walk longer distances, while the group given the placebo did not report improvements.
As you can see, arthritis sufferers are not limited to prescriptions and over-the-counter painkillers to treat their joint pain. My hope is that one of these natural arthritis pain relief treatments will work for your arthritis knee pain.
My website, foods-that-heal.com, contains more natural arthritis treatments and a list of foods that help arthritis.
Cathy Hickman writes about natural health, focusing on foods and herbs that are helpful for those with arthritis, gout and high cholesterol. She is a former newspaper researcher/reporter and is currently a contributing writer at Twin Cities Naturally, a natural health magazine.
Author: Cathy Hickman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Tags: acute arthritis, arthritis in the knee, Arthritis Knee Pain, Arthritis Pain Treatment, pineapple extract
