Archive for the ‘Cold Therapy Knee Brace’ Category
There are alternatives to taking medication for osteoarthritis. While there is no cure for osteoarthritis, many of the treatments we will briefly describe have been successful for people living with this degenerative condition. The first osteoarthritis treatment you may want to try is hot and cold therapy. Placing a hot compress to your joints will increase blood flow to the region and soothe inflammation. Applying a cold compress has a numbing effect on nerves that are sensitive to pain.
Another osteoarthritis treatment to try is a lifestyle change. Try changing your eating habits and kicking bad habits like smoking and drinking excessively. Increasing exercise will also help increase blood flow to your joints. Weight loss will also alleviate pressure on your joints since heavy people tend to stress their joints out faster than people in healthy weight ranges. These relatively minor, unobtrusive treatments can have a significant impact on the pain associated with osteoarthritis.
This is a continuation of our series on the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) recommendations for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis published in the Journal of Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.
Heat Therapy for Knee OA
Recommendation X
Some types of hot and cold therapy are effective at relieving symptoms in hip and knee osteoarthritis.
Hot and cold therapies are frequently used to treat symptoms in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis. They can include hot packs, cold packs, immersion in warm water, and ice massages.
Evidence supporting the use of these treatment options for knee osteoarthritis is limited. One systematic review looked at two randomized controlled trials. The results were that quadriceps strength was increased but the range of movement and walking was not effected in a statistically significant manner.
There have been no controlled trials with hot and cold therapy for patients with hip osteoarthritis.
The research team gave this osteoarthritis treatment option a Strength of Recommendation score of 64%.
W. Zhang Ph.D., Moskowitz M.D., et al. OARSI recommendations for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis, Part II: OARSI evidence-based, expert consensus guidelines. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. (2008) 16, 137-162.
Ice Your Arthritis
Often times physicians will recommend cold therapy to treat the pain and swelling associated with knee osteoarthritis. Something as simple as an ice pack wrap can make your stiff and swollen joints feel a lot better.
Ice packs reduce swelling by constricting blood vessels and decreasing fluid build-up. They can be uncomfortable when first applied, but in a short matter of time they can numb the deep aches by reducing the ability of nerve endings to conduct impulses.
An ice pack knee wrap is a great treatment option for osteoarthritis because you can strap an ice pack to your knee, allowing a degree of mobility while icing.