Many people with painful osteoarthritis will benefit from low-dose external beam radiation therapy In fact, radiotherapy helps reduce pain in around 3 of 4 patients. It’s such a low-dose and safe treatment that people are keen to start as soon as possible so that they can get rid of their pain and get on with what they enjoy doing.
We always advise people that everyone with painful osteoarthritis learns how to best take care of themselves before seeking medical help. Taking a few simple steps can be enormously helpful for most people, regardless of the stage of the disease. For instance, it makes sense to lose weight if you have arthritis in the hip or knee, as it takes the pressure off those areas and will, therefore, make them less painful. Also, doing light exercise is very beneficial.
If it turns out that self-help measures are not providing enough relief, they often ask their doctor about medications such as tablets, creams and injections. Unfortunately, these treatments don’t tend to alleviate pain that well for a lot of people.
Later on, if symptoms get worse, people may be referred to a surgeon to discuss having a joint replacement, for instance a hip or a knee replacement. The challenge with this approach is that it is a highly invasive treatment, with risks, complications, and a long recovery time.
If you look at the picture below then you can see that there is an enormous need for a treatment that helps people who have tried self-help (“conservative”) measures and are not yet ready for surgery. There are many people who have to deal with pain and functional loss that significantly affects their lives every day.
Thousands, or even millions, of people suffer from pain and disability due to osteoarthritis (oa) for various reasons:
- They are waiting for surgery but are on a long waiting list
- The doctor has said that the disease is not “bad enough” for surgery, despite causing major pain and disability
- They are not inclined to undergo a major procedure like surgery
- They don’t want to take the risk of having surgery, for instance due to other health conditions
For these people, the opportunity to experience pain relief and improve their function or mobility can make all the difference. It may even help postpone the need for invasive joint replacement surgery.If you find yourself in a situation where osteoarthritis pain persists, and surgery seems like a daunting prospect, exploring the potential of radiation therapy treatment could be the key to unlocking a pain-free life. Take the first step in understanding how radiotherapy can benefit you and enhance your overall quality of life.
Ready to explore the possibilities of radiotherapy for your osteoarthritis (oa)? Contact us today and embark on a journey toward lasting relief and improved mobility.
