What works best to relieve symptoms of knee arthritis, pills or shots?
A new meta analysis of 137 randomized clinical trials with a total of 33,243 participants concluded that injections trump oral medications.
Hyaluronic Acid
Surprisingly, the most efficacious treatment was injected hyaluronic acid. This natural compound is found in connective tissues. Although it has been used to treat osteoarthritis, it has not been considered a first-line approach. These results may change that.
The least efficacious treatment was acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. Celebrex was also less helpful than injections.
The authors conclude that shots into the knee joint are better than oral NSAID medications for alleviating arthritis pain.
