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In this post I’m going to discuss successful options for osteoarthritis for those not wanting surgery or constantly rely on painkillers. I am going to explain how acupuncture, dry needling, massage, exercise, heat therapy and herbs improve quality of life, and decrease pain and discomfort. Osteoarthritis usually occurs when cartilage is torn, or becomes worn, causing the articular surfaces of the bones to rub. Cartilage can be damaged by a single injury, or through chronic misuse, like living with poor posture, carrying excess body weight or training with poor alignment.  Acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis pain Bones and muscle have good blood supply, so a fracture or muscle strain heals fairly quick. Tendons and ligaments have limited blood supply, so healing takes longer. Cartilage contains no nerves and does not have a full blood supply. As such, cartilage does not have the capacity to heal on its own. The only true cure for osteoarthritis is joint replacement surgery. The treatment goal for the conservative treatment is to limit pain, inflammation, preserve joint function and improve quality of life. Living with osteoarthritis can be painful and frustrating, however the following options can help manage the uncomfortable symptoms: Acupuncture / Dry Needling: The problem with osteoarthritis is that it is not only bone rubbing on bone, causing pain, swelling and discomfort, but also the surrounding tissue, the tendons, ligaments and fascia tend to stiffen up to protect the joint, causing more pain, discomfort and limits joint movement. Acupuncture and dry needling breaks up this stiffness and restores movement. Also during the treatment other acupuncture points are used to help decrease pain and stress in the body. Massage: similar to acupuncture and dry needling, (just not as deep tissue work, because with acupuncture the needle punctures through the skin requiring healing reaction from the body) massage also loosens up tight, restricted tissue and helps to restore joint mobility. Topicals: for mild osteoarthritic pain - I recommend my patients to rub U-I Oil into the painful area. Use it 2x a day morning & evening, or before and after training. The trick is that you not just put it on the skin like you would a body lotion, but it has to be rubbed into the tissue for a couple of minutes. Click here to purchase a few bottles.  U-I Oil for mild osteoarthritis pain For moderate to severe osteoarthritic pain a stronger topical is needed: Tiger’s Invigorate Collateral Liniment - best is to apply the liniment on the tissue, then apply a hot pack over it and hang out 10-15min 2x day. Click here to purchase a few bottles. Why heat and not ice? Chinese medicine practitioners don't use ice, we use various cooling herbs to control pain and inflammation; and we only use them at the initial stage of healing. Later stages we suggest heat and warming herbs because limiting blood flow causes pain in itself. Osteoarthritis doesn't happen over night, we consider them a chronic stage issue, therefore suggest heat to control pain and symptoms.  Collateral Liniment for severe osteoarthritis pain Herbs can also be taken internally - to help decreasing pain, inflammation and to treat other issues you may have going on. For this I suggest seeking help from your local Chinese medicine practitioner, because herbs need to be modified frequently to address changes in your health.
Exercise: exercise is important for managing weight (and taking pressure off of the joint), but also we lead such a forward lifestyle with sitting, driving, texting. The poor posture predisposes us for faulty movement patterns, which leads to wear and tear of the joints, causing osteoarthritis over time. Therefore posture correction, strength training, and training against tendency is very important to help people with osteoarthritis. I also believe the importance of doing full body movements, like in yoga and Pilates, because the body moves as a single unit. CLICK HERE to book your appointment today if you need help managing osteoarthritis. We are located in Midtown Manhattan.
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