One of the most common questions I get in the office is how to make life better for the person suffering from arthritis without having surgery.
There are a myriad of options you will find on a web search, but there are some things I’ve seen as most helpful.
First and foremost is food! It seems odd, but I will have an entry that goes into detail on that issue, and treating your gut well can be one of the best things you can do for your entire body.
There are a number of supplements that are more natural and safe to use, and I will go into detail with those in a separate discussion, but turmeric, chondroitin and Vitamin D are more common ones.
NSAID’s such as naproxen or ibuprofen can be quite effective, but you have to be cautious of using them on a daily basis as they can cause stomach, kidney and blood pressure problems.
Lifestyle modification is more obvious, but taking frequent breaks to move the joint during long drives or sedentary type of occupations can be helpful.
A simple over the counter neoprene knee sleeve can work for many people as well. I’ve had patient tell me that the copper sleeves work well, but I don’t know about any data behind those.
The bottom line is that some things will work well for one person, and not at all for another. You will probably have to try a few things out and see what works for you.