{"id":22002,"date":"2025-10-29T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T14:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/?p=22002"},"modified":"2025-10-23T07:26:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T11:26:09","slug":"could-this-safer-treatment-relieve-knee-osteoarthritis-without-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/could-this-safer-treatment-relieve-knee-osteoarthritis-without-surgery-22002\/","title":{"rendered":"Could this safer treatment relieve knee osteoarthritis without surgery?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Knee osteoarthritis<\/strong> affects millions of adults, often leaving them choosing between pain medication or surgery. But new research offers hope for a less invasive <a href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/whats-the-reason-this-controversial-treatment-is-gaining-popularity-among-doctors-2-21030\/\"><strong>treatment<\/strong><\/a> option. A recent placebo-controlled clinical trial found that low-dose radiation therapy may provide meaningful pain relief and improve mobility in people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis \u2014 without the risks tied to drugs or joint replacement.<\/p>\n<p>The findings come from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted across three medical centers in Korea, presented at the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.astro.org\/news-and-publications\/news-and-media-center\/news-releases\/2025\/low-dose-radiation-therapy-offers-substantial-relief-to-people-with-painful-knee-osteoarthritis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2025 Annual Meeting<\/a><\/strong>. The study showed that a short series of radiation sessions, at doses far lower than those used in cancer therapy, significantly reduced knee pain after four months.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contenido<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/could-this-safer-treatment-relieve-knee-osteoarthritis-without-surgery-22002\/#How_low-dose_radiation_could_help_with_osteoarthritis_pain\" >How low-dose radiation could help with osteoarthritis pain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/could-this-safer-treatment-relieve-knee-osteoarthritis-without-surgery-22002\/#A_conservative_alternative_to_medication_and_surgery\" >A conservative alternative to medication and surgery<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/could-this-safer-treatment-relieve-knee-osteoarthritis-without-surgery-22002\/#A_therapy_with_a_misunderstood_reputation\" >A therapy with a misunderstood reputation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_low-dose_radiation_could_help_with_osteoarthritis_pain\"><\/span>How low-dose radiation could help with osteoarthritis pain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Patients who received the higher radiation dose showed <strong>marked improvement<\/strong> compared with those who received sham (placebo) treatment. In this group, 70% met responder criteria, meaning they reported significant progress in at least two areas: pain, physical function, and overall condition. By contrast, only 42% of the placebo group experienced similar results.<\/p>\n<p>The group that received an even smaller dose, did not show a statistically significant difference compared to placebo. This finding suggests that t<strong>he therapeutic effects depend on a minimum dose threshold to trigger meaningful relief.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Importantly,<strong> no radiation-related side effects were reported<\/strong>. According to Dr. Byoung Hyuck Kim, principal investigator and assistant professor of radiation oncology at Seoul National University College of Medicine, Boramae Medical Center, this approach could offer a safe &#8220;middle ground&#8221; for patients struggling with chronic knee pain.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_conservative_alternative_to_medication_and_surgery\"><\/span>A conservative alternative to medication and surgery<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;People with painful knee osteoarthritis often face a <strong>difficult choice between the side effects of pain medications and the risks of <a href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/sports\/training\/fitness-expert-shares-a-joint-friendly-5-move-wall-routine-for-knees-and-core-to-do-at-home-21191\/\">joint<\/a> replacement surgery<\/strong>,&#8221; Dr. Kim explained. &#8220;There\u2019s a clear need for moderate interventions between weak pain medications and aggressive surgery, and radiation may be a suitable option \u2014 especially for those who can\u2019t tolerate drugs or injections.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Osteoarthritis \u2014 the most common form of arthritis \u2014 <strong>affects more than 32 million U.S. adults<\/strong>, typically damaging the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones. Over time, this leads to stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility. Early management focuses on weight control, physiotherapy, and over-the-counter pain relief. Surgery is often considered when symptoms severely limit daily life.<\/p>\n<p>The trial highlights a <strong>new possibility for patients who fall between these extremes<\/strong> \u2014 those with ongoing discomfort but without severe joint destruction.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_therapy_with_a_misunderstood_reputation\"><\/span>A therapy with a misunderstood reputation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While low-dose radiation therapy is already used to treat joint pain in several European countries, including Germany and Spain, it remains underrecognized elsewhere. &#8220;There is a misconception that therapeutic radiation is always high-dose,&#8221; Dr. Kim said. &#8220;But <strong>for osteoarthritis, it\u2019s only a small fraction of what\u2019s used for cancer<\/strong> \u2014 less than 5% \u2014 and the treated joints are far from vital organs.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In this study, participants underwent six sessions of either real or simulated radiation, without knowing which they received. Other pain relievers were restricted to acetaminophen during the four-month follow-up, ensuring that results weren\u2019t masked by medication use.<\/p>\n<p>The study\u2019s placebo-controlled design allowed researchers to <strong>distinguish real therapeutic effects from placebo responses<\/strong> \u2014 which can be strong in osteoarthritis research. About 40% of patients in the placebo group improved, consistent with rates seen in prior trials of medications or injections.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Knee osteoarthritis affects millions of adults, often leaving them choosing between pain medication or surgery. But new research offers hope for a less invasive treatment option. A recent placebo-controlled clinical trial found that low-dose radiation therapy may provide meaningful pain relief and improve mobility in people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis \u2014 without the risks &#8230; <a title=\"Could this safer treatment relieve knee osteoarthritis without surgery?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/could-this-safer-treatment-relieve-knee-osteoarthritis-without-surgery-22002\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Could this safer treatment relieve knee osteoarthritis without surgery?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22002"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22172,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22002\/revisions\/22172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}