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Joint pain after 50, by the evidence
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of aching knees, hips, and hands after 50, and the market around it is full of remedies that do not hold up. This hub reads the trials and the OARSI and American College of Rheumatology guidelines: what genuinely reduces pain, what is overrated, and where injections and surgery fit. We take no money from any product or clinic we cover.
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Managing knee and hip osteoarthritis without drugs: what the evidence shows
Every major osteoarthritis guideline puts exercise, weight management, and self-management at the center of care. Here is what the trials and systematic reviews report, including how large the benefits are and where the evidence is thin.
Read the evidence →Medication pain relief for osteoarthritis: what the evidence shows
Randomized trials and rheumatology guidelines point to topical NSAIDs first for knee and hand osteoarthritis, treat oral NSAIDs as effective but risk-carrying (especially with age), rate acetaminophen as weak, and advise against opioids. Here is what the numbers say.
Read the evidence →Joint supplements for osteoarthritis: what the evidence shows
Store shelves are full of pills promising smoother joints. We read the high-quality trials and the major osteoarthritis guidelines to separate the few options with real signals from the marketing.
Read the evidence →Injections and surgery for knee and hip osteoarthritis: what the trials found
Corticosteroid shots relieve pain for a few weeks, hyaluronic acid and PRP have mixed or negative trial results, arthroscopy performed no better than sham surgery, and joint replacement remains the proven option for end-stage disease. Here is what the research shows.
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