Knee osteoarthritis causes chronic pain, stiffness, and difficulty in walking, often making it challenging for individuals to perform routine activities. As a result, going back to work may not be an option for persons with this medical condition. Now, researchers have announced a new non-surgical technique to treat the pain and stiffness that accompanies knee osteoarthritis.
The technique has been developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. According to researchers, they have experimented with a two-solution treatment, which involves a series of injections that are administered to the knee region. This therapy is called prolotherapy, and the results of the study were recently published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
Researchers reported substantial improvement in symptoms in a group of participants who were monitored over a one year period. During the testing time, participants received at least three of the two-solution injections. The researchers found that there was an improvement in symptoms varying from 19.5% to 42.9% compared to the person’s original status.
Additionally, researchers reported that there was improvement in pain, function and stiffness beyond the minimum clinically important difference in approximately 50% to 75% of the patients.
There is no separate category for knee osteoarthritis for a person to be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. However, if the condition has proven to be so severe that the person suffers from regular, chronic and severe pain or stiffness, and is not able to stand, walk or perform important routine activities that are essential to the performing of his job, he may be eligible for benefits.