Chondroitin relieves knee osteoarthritis

What you need to know before you fill that prescription

There are times when osteoarthritis can make it pretty hard to face the day.

Your knees are throbbing with pain… and simple daily tasks like taking a shower (or getting into the tub), getting dressed, and getting into the car seem nearly impossible.

This time of year, low temps and wet weather can make the pain even worse — and if you’re one of the nearly 30 million Americans with OA, you’re probably dreading when winter really starts to hit.

There’s no shortage of pain “remedies” on the market — and if you’ve seen your doc about the pain you’re experiencing, you’ve probably already gotten a prescription for something.

But before you pop another pill, you should know that a recent clinical study showed a natural alternative can be just as effective — and safer — for OA.

And it can even do something that no prescription drug can do.

In a study out of Montreal, 194 osteoarthritis sufferers were given either celecoxib (a.k.a. Celebrex) or chondroitin supplements every day for two years.

Both groups reported similar levels of pain relief — but the doctors found that the chondroitin group also showed significantly less loss of cartilage volume AND less inflammation in the membrane lining the knee joint.

You see, osteoarthritis occurs when the cushiony cartilage lining your joints breaks down. The two bones that form the joint rub together, causing pain and inflammation.

So, chondroitin was able to get right to the source of the pain — rather than just covering it up — without any of the alarming side effects you’ll find associated with Celebrex.

If you’re interested in other safe, effective pain relief methods for your OA, add a glucosamine supplement to your daily chondroitin routine. The two are often sold as a combo.

You can also switch to an anti-inflammatory diet, which has been shown to help curb systemic inflammation. Replace processed sugars with naturally sweet fruit… cut out simple carbs like bread and pasta… and load up on healthy fresh foods like leafy greens, fish, and nuts.

You can enjoy all of these delicious, healthy foods and more on the Paleo diet, a “back-to-basics” approach to nutrition that can also help you drop any extra pounds that may be adding stress to your joints.

And if you’re still in pain, don’t underestimate the power of give medical acupuncture. A recent study showed that it can alleviate pain just as well as morphine — and that it starts to work a lot more quickly.

Source:
Chondroitin Beats Celecoxib in Knee OA
(www.medpagetoday.com)