These days, more people than ever suffer from degenerative knee arthritis. In fact, its prevalence has more than doubled since 1940!
Unfortunately, mainstream solutions to this increasingly common problem usually involve harmful drugs, steroid injections, or surgery.
But two recent studies show you’re far better off trying some natural, non-drug options first. They’re more effective…and far safer.
So, let’s jump right in, with both feet, so to speak, starting with the first study…
Physical therapy outperforms steroids
The first study compared the effectiveness of steroid injections to physical therapy (PT) in 156 middle-aged men and women with knee arthritis.
At the study’s outset, the researchers randomly divided the participants into two groups. The first group received up to three cortisone injections over a one-year period. The second group received hands-on, manual PT.
The researchers regularly checked in with the participants during the year to monitor how they were doing. And there were some clear differences, even after the first round of treatment…
For example, most participants who received the steroid injections had to go home and rest for 72 hours, ice their knees, and take pain medication. By comparison, most participants who received PT left their first session feeling “quite good” and didn’t require icing or drugs.
And by the end of the study, people in the PT group reported much more improvement in pain than those in the steroid injection group. Plus, people who received PT performed better on functional tests and had less knee stiffness!
And, some of the patients in the steroid group nevertheless still went on to receive knee–replacement or arthroscopic surgery. Whereas none of the people in the PT group had to resort to these extreme surgical solutions.
As I explained last week, you should avoid taking any steroids—orally, topically, or by injection—unless absolutely necessary to treat a life-threatening condition. And I certainly never recommend injecting them into joints.
Yes, you may feel some immediate, short-term relief from the injection. But as this new study shows, steroid injections aren’t design to, and don’t, solve the problem. And good, old, non-invasive PT seems to work much better in the short- and long-term…and can even save you from surgery!
Ironically, health insurance companies often refuse to cover the kind of PT protocol followed in this study. (Although they’ll pay orthopods for doing costly, dangerous, and often inappropriate knee surgery, down the road.)
Worse yet, research shows that 90 percent of people with knee arthritis aren’t even offered the chance to get PT before they end up being operated on for a dangerous and often inappropriate total knee replacement!
Now—let’s move on to the second study I mention at the beginning of this Dispatch…
Natural, ancient supplement works on knee pain in just 12 weeks
In the second study, researchers looked at the effectiveness of taking a turmeric supplement compared to placebo for 70 men and women with knee osteoarthritis and pain over a 12–week period.
Of course, I often talk about turmeric. It’s a potent, yellow spice that people in South and Southeast Asia have used for centuries in both cooking and medicine. In fact, I regularly recommend curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) as part of my ABCs of joint health, together with ashwagandha and boswellia.
In the new study, researchers randomly divided the participants into two groups. The first group took a turmeric supplement for 12 weeks. The second group took a placebo. Both groups also filled out a standardized pain assessment at the study’s outset and again after 12 weeks.
Overall, the men and women who took turmeric experienced a significant reduction in pain after 12 weeks compared to the placebo group. Which is quite remarkable because I always recommend that you give any botanical, herbal, or nutritional remedy at least three months to begin to see optimal results.
In addition, unlike pain drugs (such as acetaminophen), turmeric and other botanic remedies improve pain and stiffness by reducing inflammation and rebuilding cartilage—which are the root causes of arthritis.
Just remember, as I mentioned earlier, studies often show that turmeric works best when taken with ashwagandha and boswellia. So, look for a high-quality formula that contains 500 mg of all three extracts.
You can also look for ways to add ground turmeric to your diet. Try making curry, a traditional, Indian dish made with turmeric (together with coriander, cumin, and often hot red pepper). Or—simply sprinkle some ground turmeric into your applesauce, oatmeal, salad dressings, smoothies, soups, stews, broths, and teas.
You can learn more about many other effective, natural approaches to combatting arthritis pain without drugs or surgery—in addition to the two I discussed today—in my comprehensive Arthritis Relief and Reversal Protocol. To learn more about this online learning tool, or to enroll today, click here now!
P.S. This Sunday, April 11th at 3 p.m. (Eastern time), I’ll be hosting a private Pill-Free Sleep Summit. During this exclusive event, I’ll show you the most unique, time-tested solution for falling asleep. To reserve your spot to this FREE event, click here now!
Sources:
“Knee osteoarthritis has doubled in prevalence since the mid-20th century.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Aug 29;114(35):9332-9336.
“Physical Therapy versus Glucocorticoid Injection for Osteoarthritis of the Knee.” N Engl J Med 2020; 382:1420-1429. doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1905877
“Effectiveness of Curcuma Ionga Extract for the Treatment of Symptoms and Effusion—Synovitis of Knee Osteoarthritis.” Annals of Internal Medicine, 9/14/20; 173(11): 861-869. doi.org/10.7326/M20-0990