Pain relief for osteoarthritis in knees

Thanks, Meg, that’s interesting. I don’t eat enough peppers to make a difference, but eliminating tomatoes would be a wrench. Worth giving it a go if it works for others. Oranges bad for arthritis I once read.

The three foods I’m eliminating are tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. Re arthritis flare ups, the ‘itis’ part ...
‘itis’: Suffix meaning inflammation. For example, colitis is literally colon inflammation or figuratively inflammation of the colon. The ending -itis is one of the building blocks derived from Greek (in this case) or Latin used to construct medical terms.

I would be very interested to hear about the elimination diet. OH has bad knee pain but tries to be stoical and avoid drugs. That means that he hobbles slowly and it makes him look old. Which he hates!

I imagine you’ve tried temporary relief with something like Biofreeze? It might take the edge off the pain for a while. I use it to help get to sleep. My knees need replacing but I can’t afford it living in the US.

Your knee pain sounds bad enough to need replacement surgery.

But I’ve found taking Curcumin capsules is very effective at reducing inflammation and pain. I took ibuprofen for twenty years following a car accident that damaged my knee. Since I started on Curcumin (a couple of years ago) I no longer need ibuprofen and am pretty well pain free.

Curcumin 95 including black pepper works best for me. It costs about £15 a month for 2 a day. It might take a few weeks to be fully effective. Worth a try if you have arthritis.

I have osteoarthritis of knees and hips but not bad enough for surgery and I am also interested in your elimination diet OldMeg. I don't understand the chemistry of it because isn't the pain in osteoarthritis caused by loss of cartilage and bone is rubbing on bone? I know some do think diet does help.

What were the three foods, then, Meg.

Before you see your GP do your own research re an orthopaedic surgeon. Ask friends and only accept somebody who prefers to work on hips and knees. You do not want a Jack of all trades and master of none.

Do not be talked into having both knees done at once.

Thankfully my arthritis isn’t so advanced that I need anything replacing, but I did have a nasty flare up a few weeks ago that left my hobbling and in pain, even at night.

I started an elimination diet - three foods specifically, and was virtually pain free. So I reintroduced one suspect food and had a flare up the folllowing day that lasted for three days.

Back on the elimination diet again and pain free again. Able to walk without knees, hips, ankles and back aching. Will try reintroduced another of the suspect foods in a week or two.

This of course may just be a coincidence. As they say ‘once is accident, twice a coincidence but three times begins to suggest a scientific possibility’!

Yep- replacement the only option. The younger you are, the stronger you are- the better the outcome (younger meaning around 80).

I have found that the under knee bands (from Decathlon) very useful pre op.

Yes, totally agree a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon is overdue. Your quality of life and mobility are oh so important. If it helps I saw a consultant recently who cautioned me against leaving tkr too long, he said in his view patients recover far better if they are reasonably mobile when the surgery is booked.

teetime I’ve found a light knee support helps sometimes, anything too constricting makes my pain worse. We’re all individual as are knee issues. Suspect trial and error is the way to go.

I sympathise teacheranne I have a very painful knee it hard to describe and so hard to relive. I endorse what others have said about going back to the GP only an orthopaedic surgeon can tell you if surgery is appropriate. I hope you get some relief soon though before that.
I was wondering if anyone had found a knee support helpful. I cant do anything about my knee until I have the surgery for OA on my foot in 2 weeks time (other leg)!

I had a hip replacement when I was 51. To my mind, it's more important to be pain free and active now to prevent more problems in old age. Also, life is for living and enjoying. Don't be fobbed off. I hope you get some help.

As above, ask your doctor to refer you for x-ray and then the extent of the problem can be seen. I had both my knees done a few years ago at the age of 59.

Ask your GP to refer you to the Orthopedics dept you are certainly not too young, my hip was done at 57. You need to be clear how this affecting your daily life and your sleep do not be fobbed off.

I think the only thing that will give you pain relief is to have the knees replaced. It's rubbish that at 58 your were too young, mine were done at 55 and 57, never looked back since.