Osteoarthritis - what helps?

Dry needling uses similar needles to acupuncture although with dry needling they put directly into muscle trigger point which makes a tight or painful muscle twitch ( it is painful when it does that) then the muscle immediately relaxes. My physical therapist does this. Not all therapists are qualified to do this. I have been very fortunate to have him for rehab of both my RTS and TKR. I believe that picking the right therapist is as important as having a great surgeon.
Best of luck

Tried it, did not work.

I have osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tears and tendonitis of my shoulder. I use a Thermotex infrared heating pad and an infrared lamp. Both ease pain. I've been going to PT for over a year and have better range of motion, I also use a TENS unit and take Tylenol occasionally.

The TENS unit was my security blanket for over a year while my back spasms were calming down. It helped me fall asleep at least. I later gave it to my brother who used it to heal after hip replacement and for migraines. He also used a related technology, a passive exercise machine to help rebuild leg and back muscles that had lost strength.

I find the whole area of different applications of energy to healing very interesting. A friend who'd suffered a badly-broken neck stopped healing. The bone growth to bridge the many pieces of vertebrae slowed to a near stop. The neurosurgeon added an ultrasound-generating collar and all of the pieces of bone attached and fused within 7 weeks and my friend was fully out of rehab a month after that. The body is still a mystery in many ways.

Hi Sue...since we last 'posted'..I wanted to upgrade a couple of things I've done...that are making a big difference in my life now.

I got a far-infrared 'belt' from LifePro Fitness...I use it on my sore back and knees. I've used it for about two weeks straight now..since I got it and it's making a huge difference in my knee flexibility as well as pain! I'm also using another LifePro product...the "Waver" vibration plate. I have severe osteo..and am using this machine, using the data available ....which sounds very promising, indeed. I'm just standing on it now..not doing anything crazy...working my way up the "levels"..but cognoscente of shaking two much as well. It feels wonderful!..and eases my pains..and hoping it's waking up my bones! I do a sit down session at the end of my day....can't tell you all the ahhhh'ssss I express...just putting my clean bare feet on it and enjoying the 'massage'......Hope you're doing well..blessings...

I have a friend who was becoming increasingly disabled 20+ years ago, with walking become too difficult. We went to an acupuncturist recruited from China (where he was a licensed physician) to teach at a nearby university medical school. The first few times Dr. Fu did acupuncture on my friend's legs, blue sparks would shoot off the end of the needle. I was impressed but Fu explained that it was a sign of how badly the qi was blocked in his legs. (Likely the result of surgeries he'd had when he was a teen.) After the first several sessions, my friend was walking without pain or difficulty and never had blue sparks from acupuncture again. It was fascinating to see the difference.

Hi,

I've got severe osteoarthritis in my knee, and they haven't got a lot else to offer me except a knee replacement. I'm 48 and feel it's too soon. Pain gets hard to manage sometimes and I want to find something other than medications. What's everyone's experience with orthobiotics-for fracture or for arthritis.

Thank you!

Hi @catmomma, I moved your discussion to this existing discussion in the Bones, Joints & Muscles group:
- Osteoarthritis - what helps? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/im-looking-forward-to-the-webinar-tomorrow-i-have-osteoarthritis-in-most/

I did this to more easily connect you with other members living with osteoarthritis like @bunky44 @tsc @dmk @popolopo @sprasatek and many others who may have experience with supplements like OrthBiotics.

You might also be interested in this related discussion:
- Alternatives to knee replacements: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/alternatives-to-knee-replacements/

Catmomma, did you doctor recommend supplements?

Hi @catmomma, I have osteoarthritis of my shoulder and I do take tylenol occasionally to manage the pain. I use an infrared heating pad which I purchased from Thermotex, a Canadian company with excellent customer service, in my experience. I also use a TENS Unit and a portable ultrasound device. For my knees, I've taken keratin supplements. I've heard a clinic advertising "wave therapy" on tv for "bone on bone" pain, but I'm not familiar with it.

Have you taken any physical therapy?

Teri, have you researched and/or considered turmeric?
Ditto for collagen, glucosamine?