Critical review of articles is essential to understanding whether or not the conclusion is accurate. A recent New York Times article cited a study that researched whether Vitamin D and Calcium help relieve joint pain. The conclusion was that these supplements do not help.
Unfortunately, this conclusion is misleading. Vitamin D and Calcium are used primarily to promote healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis. Joint health is a completely different issue
The question of whether supplements such as Glucosamine, chondroitin and fish oil help with joint pain is unclear. Multiple studies have been done on these compounds and the results have been mixed on whether they actually do anything. Many people find these compounds to be very helpful. It is fairly clear that they are not harmful. Take these as directed on the bottle, and they might help, a 3-month trial would be reasonable and decide on your own.
Medications that Reduce Joint Pain
So if these supplements do not help reduce joint pain, what are some pain management options? There are numerous ways to combat joint pain. Medications that have FDA approval for joint pain include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen
- Analgesics like acetaminophen
- Steroids like prednisone
- Injections like hyaluronic acid
Some of these are now available without a prescription. NSAIDs act by interrupting compounds in the body that cause inflammation and thus joint pain. Prednisone is a corticosteroid, a very powerful prescription level medication that decreases inflammation, but can cause significant other problems when not used cautiously. Analgesics block the transmission of pain signals to the brain or their perception. As noted, these medications all may have significant side affects and can cause other more severe medical problems besides helping with joint pain.
Other Joint Pain Treatment Options
A lot of joint pain is caused by slow deterioration of the joints as we age. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to prevent joint pain. Here are a few specific ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent joint deterioration:
- Eating appropriately
- Exercising regularly
- Keeping muscles strong, and the body moving
- Proper body mechanics while doing activities
- Not over stressing the body
To maintain bone health, taking Vitamin D and Calcium has been proven to be healthful. However, joint health is a different issue entirely. When reading research, sometimes it is necessary to understand more background information to be able to determine if the conclusions make any sense. Just because someone did a study does not make it correct.
Source:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/supplements-fail-to-relieve-joint-pain-in-study/?_r=1