Knee pain is a common problem, especially for people over 50. A new study from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has found a treatment that could bring real relief without the need for surgery.
The treatment is called genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation, and it has shown impressive results, particularly for older adults.
The study involved 36 people with knee pain. Researchers wanted to know if things like age, gender, body weight, past surgeries, or a condition called fibromyalgia made any difference in how well the treatment worked.
What they found was encouraging: everyone in the study felt less pain after the treatment. But the biggest improvement was seen in people who were 50 years old or older. They reported much better movement and less pain than younger people in the study.
Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation is a simple, low-risk procedure. A doctor called an interventional radiologist uses medical images to guide thin needles to the nerves in your knee that send pain signals to your brain.
The needles create heat using radio waves. This heat damages the nerves so they stop sending pain messages. These nerves don’t control movement or balance, so the treatment doesn’t affect how you walk or use your knee.
The whole process is quick and doesn’t require stitches—just small Band-Aids where the needles went in. Past research shows the pain relief from this treatment can last from six months to two years. That means people who get it can enjoy everyday life again without constant knee pain.
The team behind this research is still studying how long the relief lasts and what factors make the treatment more or less effective. They also want to see if it could help with pain in other joints like the shoulders, hips, or where the spine meets the pelvis.
For people living with pain, this is hopeful news. Other recent studies show that one in three people with chronic pain try marijuana for relief. Some vitamins may lower the risk of broken bones, and krill oil might help with muscle health. Even weightlifting, like powerlifting, has been found to help with long-term back pain.
This new knee treatment, led by researcher Kaitlin Carrato and her team, was shared at a major medical meeting called the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting. It shows that older adults have a strong chance of finding relief through this safe and effective option.
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For more information about arthritis, please see recent studies about how to live pain-free with arthritis, and results showing medical cannabis may help reduce arthritis pain, back pain.
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