Osteoarthritis of the knee is a painful, degenerative condition often impacting a person's daily life, interfering with walking, exercise and sometimes sleep. There are many types of treatment both conventional and alternative, including surgery and knee replacement, but many people do not want to take medicines or may be unable to tolerate them. There are topical applications available that can relive pain, stiffness and swelling of arthritis.
Heat and Ice
An old remedy still in use today, applications of alternating warm and cold packs seem to help reduce swelling and stiffness, and relieve pain. Alternate between heat and cold for a period of 20 minutes, three times.
Apple Cider Vinegar
According to Earth Clinic, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an effective treatment for topical applications to reduce pain and stiffness of arthritis. Use organic ACV whenever possible. Heat apple cider vinegar and fresh water in a 1:1 ratio (1 cup each of ACV and water) and make a compress with a washcloth soaked in the mixture. Be sure it's not too hot to burn you. Place on the arthritic knee and replace as it cools.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Cayenne Pepper
An excellent treatment for arthritis from Jethro Kloss's manual, "Back to Eden," is a mixture of ½ cup ACV with a pinch of cayenne and ½ cup water to make a soak. Dip a cloth into the mixture and place on the painful joint as a compress. This can be used at room temperature or heated to warm the mixture. If it feels too hot at first, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper and only leave on a short time until you get used to it.
Capsaicin
A topical cream made from hot chilli peppers, capsaicin binds to pain receptors in the skin reducing pain of arthritis. On initial application it is hot, and as it cools it soothes the skin helping to reduce sensitivity. It's an over-the-counter treatment available in most pharmacies.
Traumeel Cream
Traumeel cream, by BHI, is a homeopathic medication made from twelve botanical and two mineral substances. A soothing, light, nongreasy cream, it can be used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic topical application. According to ExplorePub.com, "The indications for its use include temporary relief of symptoms associated with inflammatory, degenerative processes due to acute trauma, repetitive or overuse injuries, and minor pain from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis." Traumeel is available in some health food stores and online.
NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Creams
According to a study performed by Lee. S. Simon and reported in the June 2009 journal Pain, Vol. 143, a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) called Diclofenac showed great promise in the treatment of arthritis pain in the knee. Orthopod.com which presented this study online, states that the authors have concluded that topical NSAIDs, especially Diclofenac containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), are effective treatments for knee osteoarthritis.
References
- Earth Clinic Folk Remedies
- "Back to Eden," Jethro Kloss, 1972
- ExplorePub.com
