Dietary Supplements For Treatment of Arthritis From the Cleveland Clinic

WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic

Many people with arthritis -- especially osteoarthritis -- use supplements to ease the pain of arthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin are the most well known and best tested. Methyl sulfonylmethane, or MSM, is another supplement used to ease the pain of arthritis, but it has not been through as much rigorous scientific testing.

What Are Glucosamine and Chondroitin?

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are components of normal cartilage. In the body, they are the building blocks for cartilage and appear to stimulate the body to make more cartilage.
There are conflicting studies on glucosamine and chondroitin, some demonstrating a beneficial effect on osteoarthritis pain. Others, including the NIH-sponsored multicenter

Glucosamine/Chrondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), did not show benefit for the primary outcome measure of osteoarthritis pain measured by WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMacster Universities). However, a smaller subgroup of study participants with moderate to severe pain did show significant relief. Due to the small size of this subgroup, these findings should be confirmed in larger studies.

The supplements, which are available in pharmacies and health food stores without a prescription, are well tolerated and appear to be safe. However, there are no long-term studies to confirm their long-term safety and effectiveness. Many physicians may still recommend a trial of glucosamine at this point, and if there is not apparent improvement by 3 months, it would reasonable to stop the treatment.

It is important to check with your doctor before starting any new treatments. Your doctor can review the other medications you are taking and help you decide whether or not these arthritis supplements are right for you. In addition, always follow the instructions on the medication label. Do not take more of the supplements than is recommended. Continue Reading ...

All About Osteoarthritis and Women

By Jeanie Lerche Davis

WebMD Feature

Reviewed By Charlotte Mathis, MD

If you've just been diagnosed with osteoarthritisosteoarthritis (OA), you're not alone. Many women past age 50 discover OA is the reason for their creaking knees, aching backs, and sore fingers. Suddenly life is all about osteoarthritis -- but luckily, arthritisarthritis doesn't have to take control.

Arthritis is "the most common form of disability. It's also a natural part of aging," says Primal Kaur, MD, director of the Osteoporosis Clinic at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

In the U.S., one in five adults has osteoarthritis -- 24 million women and 17 million men, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Continue Reading ...

ASG-SLC Next meeting & Summer Vacation 2007 (no meetings)

The next Arthritis Support Group of South Lake County meeting will take place May 4th, Friday, at 12-1:30PM, located in the National Training Center/ Education Department on the South Lake Hospital campus in Clermont. Elizabeth Morse, MDiv, Spiritual Care Coordinator at South Lake Hospital, will be giving a presentation on “Relaxation and Guided Imagery”. She is licensed as a Guided Imagery specialist and is very knowledgeable about reducing chronic pain thru relaxation. Come join us and maybe leave with LESS pain! Bring a friend, sweater and snack. Fee: FREE. Brochures, pamphlets and literature are available during the meeting.

We will not meet during the summer (June, July & August) and resume our monthly support group meetings starting again on September 7th, Friday with Dr. Kenneth Stark, Rheumatologist, as our special guest speaker.

For more information call Meg King (352) 243-2098.

Reminder - Next Arthritis support group meeting is March 2nd, Friday ...

The Arthritis Support Group of South Lake County will meet Friday, March 2, Friday from 12 noon till to 1:30 pm. The Arthritis Support Group meeting takes place at the National Training Center / Education Department, 1109 Citrus Tower Blvd., Clermont.

All afflicted by Arthritis (there are more than 100+ types!), family, friends and those interested are welcome. Fee: Free. Brochures and literature is available at the meeting.

Guest Speaker will be Jennifer from the Clermont Herb Shop and Day Spa located in Historic Downtown Clermont. The topic and presentation will be about “Aromatherapy.” For more information, please call Meg King at (352) 243-2098.

Massage May Help Knee Osteoarthritis

Less Knee Pain and Stiffness Seen With Swedish Massage in Preliminary Study By Miranda Hitti

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
on Monday, December 11, 2006

Can A Massage Improve Your Health?

Dec. 11, 2006 -- Knees hurt? Massage may cut the pain and improve function if you have knee osteoarthritisosteoarthritis, a new study shows.

Massage therapy "seems to be a viable option" as an addition to other treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee, write the researchers.

continue reading...

Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) Study Results

February 22, 2006

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the popular dietary supplement combination of glucosamine plus chondroitin sulfate did not provide significant relief from osteoarthritis pain among all participants. However, a smaller subgroup of study participants with moderate-to-severe pain showed significant relief with the combined supplements. Continue reading ... National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and National Institutes of Health