Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is estimated to affect roughly 27 million Americans, with those older than 60 having the highest incidence (1). The main symptoms are swelling, pain, stiffness, and possible grinding at the affected joint. Most OA treatments focus on relieving joint pain and optimize function to improve quality of life (2).

 

Extivita Therapies for Osteoarthritis:

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Extivita Therapies Osteoarthritis Recovery:

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Neurofeedback

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Supplements

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Nutritional IV Therapy

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Osteoarthritis:

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - Chapel Hill
It is now widely accepted that inflammation of the synovium (part of the joint) occurs in early and late-stage osteoarthritis (3). Because HBOT increases anti-inflammatory cytokines and decreases pro-inflammatory cytokines, it can help reduce the inflammation associated with osteoarthritis (4).
Additionally, research on rheumatoid arthritis, which presents with inflammation and pain symptoms like OA, showed decreased feelings of pain in a human study (5). Beyond treating symptoms of OA, recent research suggests that HBOT may stimulate the production of new cartilage at joints (6).
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Effects of HBOT on Osteoarthritis:

Decreases Inflammation

Decreased Inflammation

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces systemic inflammation by increasing anti-inflammatory gene expression and decreasing proinflammatory genes.
Increases Stem Cell Production

Increased Stem Cell Activity

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy mobilizes stem progenitor cells (SPCs) from the bone marrow, creating the opportunity for tissue regeneration.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - Chapel Hill

Neurofeedback for Osteoarthritis:

There is some evidence to suggest that neurofeedback may improve dynamic stability for those with osteoarthritis following knee replacement. Neurofeedback may work by strengthening the connections between the brain and the limbs and may be an appropriate supplementary therapy to traditional physical rehabilitation (6).

Learn more about Neurofeedback

IV Therapy for Osteoarthritis:

Research has shown that the imbalance between free radical burden and free radical scavenging mechanisms is a significant part of OA disease development (7). Increased free radical burden has been shown to cause inflammation, fibrosis, and pain in local tissues between joint compartments. This can lead to cartilage destruction, joint changes from inflammation, and subsequent transition to apparent OA. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused be free radicals (8). Myers’ cocktail and IV glutathione can provide oxidative stress resistance (9-10).

Learn More About Nutritional IV Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - Chapel Hill
BEMER Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy in Durham, NC

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy for Osteoarthritis:

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease which causes joint pain and ultimately loss of joint function and disablement. PEMF’s effect on improving microcirculation/blood flow has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve mobility and alleviate pain(11-12). In fact, a review of 16 studies found that PEMF effectively reduces pain and stiffness while improving physical function in people with osteoarthritis(13).​

Learn More About PEMF Therapy

News & Research for Osteoarthritis:

The Basics of Osteoarthritis

The Basics of Osteoarthritis

Jul 18, 2019 |

Arthritis is a general term that means inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis, commonly known as wear and tear arthritis, is the most common type of arthritis. It is associated with a breakdown of cartilage in joints and can occur in almost any joint in the body....

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References
  1. “The Basics of Osteoarthritis.” WebMD. Accessed July 18, 2019. https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/osteoarthritis-basics.
  2. “Diseases and Conditions Osteoarthritis.” American College of Rheumatology, March 2019. https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Osteoarthritis.
  3. Sellam, Jérémie, and Francis Berenbaum. “The Role of Synovitis in Pathophysiology and Clinical Symptoms of Osteoarthritis.” Nature Reviews Rheumatology 6, no. 11 (November 2010): 625–35. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2010.159.
  4. Thom, Stephen R. “Hyperbaric Oxygen – Its Mechanisms and Efficacy.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 127, no. Suppl 1 (January 2011): 131S-141S. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181fbe2bf.
  5. Slade, John B., Mary V. Potts, Alan M. Flower, Karen M. Sky, Michelle T. Sit, and Thomas W. Schmidt. “Pain Improvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis with Hyperbaric Oxygen: Report of Three Cases.” Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine: Journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc 43, no. 4 (August 2016): 467–72. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28763177
  6. Chen, Hang, Gaoyi Wu, Qi Sun, Yabing Dong, and Huaqiang Zhao. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Protects Mandibular Condylar Chondrocytes from Interleukin-1β-Induced Apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway.” American Journal of Translational Research 8, no. 11 (November 15, 2016): 5108–17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5126354/
  7. Jamebozorgi, Ali asghar, et al. “The Effect of Neurofeedback on Postural Balance and Attention in Patients Suffering From ‎Knee Osteoarthritis With Bilateral Total Knee Replacement: A Pilot Study.” Archives of Rehabilitation, vol. 21, no. 1, Archives of Rehabilitation, Mar. 2020, pp. 4–4.
  8. McAlindon, Timothy E., Paul Jacques, Yuqing Zhang, Marian T. Hannan, Piran Aliabadi, Barbara Weissman, David Rush, Daniel Levy, and David T. Felson. “Do Antioxidant Micronutrients Protect against the Development and Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis?” Arthritis & Rheumatism 39, no. 4 (1996): 648–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.1780390417.
  9. Ziskoven, Christoph et al. “Oxidative stress in secondary osteoarthritis: from cartilage destruction to clinical presentation?.” Orthopedic reviews vol. 2,2 (2010): e23. doi:10.4081/or.2010.e23
  10. Shouan Zhu, Dawid Makosa, Benjamin Miller & Timothy M. Griffin (2020) Glutathione as a mediator of cartilage oxidative stress resistance and resilience during aging and osteoarthritis, Connective Tissue Research, 61:1, 34-47, DOI: 10.1080/03008207.2019.1665035
  11. Kaitlin S, Sheena S, Magda H. Pilot Study: Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMFT) Alleviates Symptoms of Osteoarthritis. Nov Tech Arthritis Bone Res. 2017; 1(5) : 555571.
  12. Gutterman, David D et al. “The Human Microcirculation: Regulation of Flow and Beyond.” Circulation research vol. 118,1 (2016): 157-72. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.115.305364
  13. Yang, Xiaotian, et al. “Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Pain, Stiffness, Physical Function, and Quality of Life in Patients With Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials.” Physical Therapy, vol. 100, no. 7, July 2020, pp. 1118–31. PubMed,.