Millions of Americans live with arthritis: a chronic condition that makes joints stiff, swollen, and painful. Traditional arthritis treatments include pain medication, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgery. But these methods typically address the symptoms of arthritis — not the cause.
Brian Lamkin, DO, and our team at The Lamkin Clinic take a different approach to alleviating arthritis pain. We offer a range of holistic options that target joint inflammation to reduce pain from the inside out.
Read on to learn more about our top six arthritis treatments and how they could work better.
Inflammation makes your joints stiff and painful. An anti-inflammatory diet counteracts inflammation in your body, and it can be effective in reducing arthritis-related pain.
Dr. Lamkin may recommend eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. You should avoid processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats, which can all increase inflammation in your body.
Certain nutritional supplements offer anti-inflammatory benefits for people with arthritis. Dr. Lamkin might have you try supplements like glucosamine or chondroitin for joint pain.
Over time, these supplements may help reduce pain and improve function. Before taking any supplements, discuss your current medications and supplements with our team. Some supplements and medications can interact and cause unexpected side effects.
Carrying extra weight puts extra stress on your body. If you have arthritis, being overweight or obese can make arthritis pain worse — especially in your hips, knees, and feet.
Medical weight loss management is a customized program to help you reach a healthier weight. Once you shed extra pounds, maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce joint stress and improve arthritis pain.
PRP is regenerative medicine that shows promise for people with arthritis. Dr. Lamkin takes a small sample of your blood, processes it to concentrate the platelets, and then injects the concentrated platelets into the affected joint.
The platelets release growth factors that promote healing and reduce inflammation. PRP offers an incredibly low risk of side effects and may even help prevent joint deterioration from worsening.
Peptides are small proteins found in your body. BPC 157 is a peptide with regenerative properties, and studies have found that BPC 157 peptide therapy may be an effective arthritis treatment.
Dr. Lamkin may recommend healing peptide therapy to reduce inflammation and arthritis pain. Like PRP therapy, peptide therapy is regenerative medicine that offers a low risk of side effects or adverse reactions.
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that is typically used to treat addiction. However, many arthritis patients have found it to be effective in managing arthritis pain. How this “off-label” use works isn’t entirely understood, but experts believe low-dose naltrexone may block certain pain receptors in the brain to lessen joint pain.
Dr. Lamkin and our team are dedicated to helping you find a solution for your arthritis pain. Not all of these treatments are appropriate for everyone, and meeting with our team is the best way to get a treatment plan that’s tailored to your needs.
Arthritis can’t be cured, but we work with you to find a comprehensive treatment that focuses on the root cause of your pain: inflammation. We may also recommend complementary treatments, like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and assistive devices, to improve function in your everyday life.
If you’re tired of living with arthritis pain, it’s time to try something new. Schedule an arthritis consultation at The Lamkin Clinic online or call our Edmond, Oklahoma, office at 405-285-4762.
