What are the Non-Operative Treatments of Knee Arthritis?
Massage, acupuncture, acupressure, ultra-sound, diet, vitamins, minerals, Chinese herbs, copper bracelets, magnets, hypnosis, TENS unit, special physical therapy techniques, water therapy and may other treatment methods are occasionally used. Some of these can alleviate the pain but none can correct the basic arthritic condition. Knee pain can often be episodic. A lot of activity will cause a delayed increase in pain from the inflammation stirred up by the activity. With rest, NSAIDS, and inactivity, the pain may completely resolve for awhile with or without the above treatments. This episodic nature of knee pain often confuses patients when they try to evaluate the effectiveness of various activities and treatments. Marketing has been done for products such as shark cartilage. There are not scientific studies supporting shark cartilage use for arthritis. Dr. Moreland has seen many patients who have taken shark cartilage. Few have reported any benefit and Dr. Moreland does not recommen
