Scientists Now Shed Light on the Reasons Knee Oa Pain Happens Differently

(Newswire.net — February 22, 2022) Orlando, FL — On a global scale, there are roughly 300 million people who suffer from osteoarthritis. This condition doesn’t just produce substantial pain, but also functional limitations and disability. 

It is worth realizing that this condition affects different parts of the body, including the knees. For those with knee osteoarthritis, their pain usually changes over time. They initially suffer from weight-bearing-related pain, like stair-climbing and jogging. 

Over time, the pain gets more persistent and unpredictably causes flares. 

Scientists from the Boston University schools of Medicine (BUSM) and Public Health carried out a study to better understand why pain in knee osteoarthritis changes over time. 

In this research, the investigators looked into data from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study about the pain suffered by 2,794 older adults with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis. 

The study findings have shown that those with more pain sensitizations were more susceptible to suffering from constant and unpredictable pain, rather than just intermittent pain. 

The researchers, for the first time, were able to identify the potential underlying mechanism in the nervous system. This mechanism is responsible for why individuals with knee OA suffer from varying pain patterns. 

According to senior author Tuhina Neogi, MD, Ph.D., the findings support the clinical relevance of neurobiological mechanisms that affect the pain experience in knee osteoarthritis, including not only the severity of pain, but whether the pain is intermittent or constant, and whether the pain is unpredictable.

Neogi is a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine.

Through understanding the different mechanisms contributing to knee OA pain, healthcare providers may start personalizing pain management to every patient. 

“By understanding these mechanisms, determining ways to identify those mechanisms in the clinic, and developing treatments to target those mechanisms, we can provide better management options to the millions of people worldwide with osteoarthritis,” added Dr. Neogi.

More and more studies are looking into ways to help osteoarthritis sufferers manage their condition. It is vital to control the symptoms as poor disease management may lead to disability, which causes unemployment.

Making healthy dietary and lifestyle practices combined with the use of pain relievers are the top steps to manage the disease. Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used nowadays and are found to be particularly helpful for those with the condition.

There are also safer and side-effect-free options like Divine Bounty Glucosamine, which is widely reported by individuals with osteoarthritis. Glucosamine has long been studied due to its strong medicinal effects, especially for those who suffer from osteoarthritis. (http://www.amazon.com/Glucosamine-Sulfate-Supplement-2000mg-serving/dp/B0126ZF0B0/)