Research studies which highlight natural treatments for arthritis

As I have been writing about osteoarthritis and natural treatment options at this blog, I thought it would be useful to highlight some of the recent posts on this topic.  I wouldn't really call this a "top 10 natural arthritis treatment options" type of post, yet there are ten recent posts about this topic.

Some of the studies on these treatment modalities suggest that the options listed are effective for treating joint pain, yet others are equivocal. 


The following posts contain clinical trial studies on these various forms of natural arthritis treatments.

1. Glucosamine for joint health
2. Willow bark extract as a natural treatment
3. Magnets for treating pain
4. Devil's Claw extract in rheumatic conditions
5. Chondroitin Sulfate for joint pain
6. Exercise as a treatment for arthritis
7. Balneotherapy for osteoarthritis
8. S-adenosylmethionine for osteoarthritis
9. Psychological interventions for arthritis
10. Tai chi for Osteoarthritis

Clinical Trial recruiting participants--Yoga for Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you suffer from rheumatoid or an inflammatory type of arthritis, you may be interested in participating in this study.

Study sponsors: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Primary outcome measure: Quality of Life

Link for further information:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00349869;jsessionid=A0D67642B7E386977DCC0A637186F2D4?order=4

Steroid injection for osteoarthritis of the hip: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

"CONCLUSION: This placebo-controlled trial confirms that corticosteroid injection can be an effective treatment of pain in hip OA, with benefits lasting up to 3 months in many cases. Future studies should address questions related to the benefits of repeated steroid injection and the effects of this treatment on disease modification" (Lambert et al, 2007).


Lambert RG, Hutchings EJ, Grace MG, Jhangri GS, Conner-Spady B, Maksymowych WP. Steroid injection for osteoarthritis of the hip: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2007 Jul;56(7):2278-87.

Clinical effectiveness of a rehabilitation program integrating exercise, self-management, and active coping strategies for chronic knee pain

A recent study compared a rehabilitation program which included exercise, self-management, patient education, and active coping strategies (Hurley et al, 2007). Here is a link for a detailed description of the intervention:

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/medicine/gppc/escape/

"We compared the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program integrating exercise, self-management, and active coping strategies (Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Knee Pain through Exercise [ESCAPE-knee pain]) with usual primary care in improving functioning in persons with chronic knee pain" (Hurley et al, 2007).

"Rehabilitated participants had better functioning than participants continuing usual primary care" (Hurley et al, 2007).

"For individuals with chronic knee pain, supplementing usual primary care with a personalized, progressive rehabilitation program integrating exercise, education, and active coping strategies (ESCAPE-knee pain) improved functioning for up to 6 months after completion of rehabilitation, regardless of whether it was delivered to individuals or small groups of patients" (Hurley et al, 2007).


Hurley MV, Walsh NE, Mitchell HL, Pimm TJ, Patel A, Williamson E, Jones RH, Dieppe PA, Reeves BC. Clinical effectiveness of a rehabilitation program integrating exercise, self-management, and active coping strategies for chronic knee pain: A cluster randomized trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2007 Sep 28;57(7):1211-1219

Suffer from knee pain and osteoarthritis?

I have no affiliation or involvement with Pfizer. However, I recently discovered a website which is seaking volunteers to participate in a clinical research study for people who have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. They are investigating a new, oral medication for knee osteoathritis. This post is for information purposes only. Please refer to my disclaimer text.

"Pfizer is seeking volunteers to participate in a clinical research study for people who have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee and are currently experiencing knee pain. This research study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an oral, investigational medication, compared with an approved pain medication or placebo (inactive pill), to treat osteoarthritic pain of the knee. If you decide to take part in this study, you will return to the doctor’s office for appointments. The study doctor will assess your response to treatment."

http://www.painoftheknee.com/