Knee Pain Relief Possible Without Drugs
Are knee pain relief drugs not working as well as you'd like? Are you worried about health risks from long-term pharmaceutical painkillers? You are not alone. If your knee pain is moderate to severe, a natural dietary supplement may work as effectively as the prescription drug Celebrex, according to a 2006 government-funded study.
The six-month GAIT study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggested that glucosamine hydrochloride (HCL) and chondroitin sulfate provide significant pain relief for people with moderate to severe pain from knee osteoarthritis. The study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Glucosamine or chondroitin alone or in combination didn't reduce pain more than placebo in the overall mild pain group, but 79% of people with moderate to severe pain did get significant pain relief from HCL and chondroitin combined, and 66% from HCL alone.
For other knee arthritis patients in the same pain group, 69% taking celecoxib (Celebrex) experienced pain relief but were exposed to the drug's side effects.
"These supplements are extremely safe"
Richard Moslkowitz, MD, professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, said having the study participants take their supplement dose once a day instead of spreading it over three times a day, would have given a higher peak effect, increasing the odds of significant relief.
The take-home message for trying a natural supplement versus drugs in knee pain relief: Dr. Moskowitz concluded of the study, "We have to say something is going on. A three-month trial is reasonable for people who have a lot of pain. If it's working, by all means continue using them, as these supplements are extremely safe."
Dr. Daniel Fabricant, Vice President of Science and Quality Assurance for the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) said, "The NEJM's findings that two popular supplements actually work better than a popular prescription medication for knee arthritis underscore what millions of consumers already know. That is, natural products and dietary supplements, when used properly, hold great potential for improving health and well-being."
GAIT study is good news consumers should take note of
Dr. Fabricant added that demonstrated "efficacy and safety beyond that of the pharmaceutical intervention" is good news consumers should take note of. "This study is further proof that dietary supplements can play an integral role in the consumer's daily liefstyle and overall health," said Fabricant.
"Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems in today's society, and with the use of certain dietary supplements, consumers can empower themselves to lead healthier and more productive lives, while potentially reducing health care costs to the U.S. Health care system and reliance on prescription medications," Fabricant concluded.
You may be able to obtain the same degree of knee pain relief when you choose high quality herbal or plant-based treatments. The key is to find a dietary supplement company you can trust, as this industry is not required to prove a product's efficacy prior to its marketing.
How to find the best glucosamine supplement company
You may know from other pages on this site that my husband and I both have osteoarthritis. Mine is neck arthritis and my husband's is in both knees as a result of sports-related injuries. He is personally most familiar with the results of using natural dietary supplements for arthritis knee pain relief.
To help me find the best dietary supplement products, I first prepared a list of 30 questions to measure the standards of excellence in different supplement manufacturers.
The answers led me to a company founded in 1956--a leader in the natural nutrition industry. The science behind each of their products is second to none.
They've invested more than $250 million in clinical testing, research and development and have over 90 published studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals--more than any other nutritional company! This company has voluntarily operated as if it were regulated the same as a pharmaceutical company, which I think is a testament to its integrity.
In 2003, they introduced a natural pain relief program consisting of three natural products (two oral dietary supplements and one topical pain relief cream). We haven't found anything of better quality anywhere for our neck and knee pain relief.
Knee pain relief achieved totally naturally
My husband's regimen for many years for control of swollen knees, stiffness, aching and sharp pain was the over-the-counter drugs ibuprofen (Advil) and sometimes acetaminophen (Tylenol).
He has had osteoarthritis for many years from injuries occurring as early as age 25. In 1999, he had arthroscopic meniscus cartilage surgery on his left knee. Just prior to his surgery and for four years thereafter, I have seen his knees so swollen and stiff that he could barely get in and out of the car. He had problems getting up and down stairs and extreme stiffness after prolonged sitting.
At the time of his surgery, his doctor talked about the possibility of knee replacement in the not-too-distant future.
After he began using a natural knee pain relief program in earnest in 2004, he had had remarkable improvement on a gradual basis. Today, his knees are in the best shape they've been in more than 10 years. He plays tennis up to four times a week and uses no drug therapy whatsoever.
Four featured knee pain relief supplements
His knee pain relief program consists of the following natural supplements (click the bold links for product information/prices):
- Build cartilage and promote flexibility. A combination of glucosamine hydrochloride and clinically-proven cat's claw provides fast relief in as little as one week (dietary supplement).
- Pain relief tablets. A combination of patent-pending safflower extract and boswellia provides knee pain relief and other overworked joints naturally (dietary supplement).
- Pain relief cream. A remarkably deep-penetrating combination of natural plant extracts with pain-relieving cool menthol for relief of pain associated with arthritis, backache, bruises, sprains and more with relief for up to four hours (analgesic).
- Joint health anti aging tonic. Introduced in August, 2008 this multiple patent-pending resveratrol and muscadine based liquid tonic fights the diseases of aging at the cellular level, including supporting joint health, heart and cardiovascular health, immune function, while promoting cellular longevity, energy, good health and overall well-being (dietary supplement).
You may want to try one or more of these completely natural supplements in an effort to get away from potentially harmful drugs. I highly recommend them, and the company that produces them, from personal experience.
Disclaimer: Health statements on this knee pain relief page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Anti Aging Research. Anti aging discoveries reveal that resveratrol—a substance found in red wine—holds the key to dramatically prolong life and reduce the diseases of aging including arthritis. Click here for more information
Find Best Company. 30 questions concerning standards of excellence help find the best dietary supplement company. One company stands out with 90 published studies in prestigious medical journals, the gold standard for natural health products. Click here for additional details
Find Best Supplements. How to find the best natural health products as not all dietary supplements are equal. Herbs and other natural substances are useful for arthritis if used wisely, per The Arthritis Organization. Click here for more information
CGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practices. New cGMP regulations bring more strict control on quality and safety of dietary supplement industry, but some lament there’s no requirement for product efficacy. New rules fully phased in by June, 2010. “Buyer beware” remains the watchword. Click here for more on the industry and regulations
Osteoarthritis Relief. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It affects joints of the knees, hips, fingers, lower spine and neck. Click here for more on osteoarthritis
Herbal Pain Relief. Herbal pain relief supplements are popular complementary or alternative treatments used effectively for all symptoms of various types of arthritis. Click here for more on herbal pain relief.
Arthritis Products. Three safe natural products scientifically designed to fight pain and reduce dependency on pharmaceutical medicines. Each is unique for rapid relief and joint health...Click here for details
Joint Pain Relief. Wouldn't it be great if you could have a drug-free future with no harmful side effects and have complete control over your joint pain? It's not a dream--all of this is.... Click here for more on natural joint pain relief
Glucosamine Hydrochloride. The first authentic natural helper to appear in arthritis treatment in years. As a nutritional supplement it’s thought to help repair damaged cartilage. Click here for more on glucosamine
Fish Oil. Studies validate that fish oil supplements reduce joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritis types. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Click here for more information
Borage oil - GLA. Several studies confirm borage oil GLA, an omega 6 fatty acid, as an effective treatment for joint pain, stiffness and grip strength in RA patients, with few side effects. Click here for details
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