What options are there for relieving arthritis pain?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis among adults and affects joints in the hands, lower back and neck, causing great discomfort and reduced mobility for millions. Along with joint pain, people also suffer from sleep disturbances, lower mood, and fatigue. Typical Western treatments for osteoarthritis include: combination of aerobic and strengthening exercises, NSAIDs, and surgery (total joint replacement).

What are other safe, effective, and natural options?

Many patients are seeking alternative treatments for osteoarthritis due to side effects from taking standard treatments like NSAIDs, cortisone injections, and to prevent surgery. Interestingly, a systematic review of 14 studies showed that a significant amount of people with knee and hip pain following total joint replacement, still had severe long-term pain postoperatively (Beswick, 2012). So, what are other options that have no side effects and provide lasting pain relief? At our clinic we offer therapeutic injections, acupuncture, and nutrition coaching to help address the underlying cause of inflammation. With a combined approach of therapeutic injections to address and stop the pain-spasm cycle leading to pain and acupuncture to address whole body healing (energy, sleep, inflammation, digestion support), and an individualized nutrition plan, most patients feel immediate relief of pain during their first treatment and at least a 25% reduction in pain at their second treatment. The neat thing about acupuncture is that it is the essence of whole-body medicine and addresses the underlying cause with no side effects!

What do the studies say?

A large meta-analysis consisting of 12 trials and 1,763 patients with osteoarthritis has revealed acupuncture to be an effective way of treating arthritis pain, rivaling conventional medicine. Researchers also said that electro-acupuncture would likely increase the effectiveness of acupuncture but it was excluded from the meta-analysis to rule out electrical stimulation as a variable. Not only was acupuncture found to be an effective way of treating osteoarthritis but is also a safe and natural way to treat the ailment.

If you suffer form arthritis, had no luck with cortisone injections (or want to avoid getting cortisone injections or surgery), then you should call to have a pain management consultation to see if therapeutic injections and acupuncturist are right for you.

Dr. Heintze at Starting Point Acupuncture and Wellness in Bothell, WA specializes in pain management. Give our office a call today (425) 686-4498 and get relief now!

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