Radiation therapy has emerged as an effective non-invasive technique to treat pain in joints — like knee and hip — caused by osteoarthritis, doctors said.

The low-dose radiation therapy typically uses only a fraction of the radiation used to treat cancer. It is intended for patients, many of them elderly, who cannot undergo knee or hip replacement surgery, doctors said.

Osteoarthritis is a common chronic and degenerative joint disease. It causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility, primarily affecting the hands, knees, hips and spine.

“Many senior citizens suffer from osteoarthritis. Many of them are not fit for surgery. Radiation therapy can be used to alleviate their pain. It can reduce 80% of the pain. The radiation dose is extremely low —approximately 1/20 of that used in cancer treatment. There are no side effects,” said Sayan Paul, senior radiation oncologist at Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Calcutta.

“Osteoarthritis causes inflammation in the joint. The cartilages start degenerating. It leads to reduced mobility and causes a lot of pain. An inflammatory substance is a chemical released by the body that causes pain. Radiation stops the release of this chemical and delays the degeneration of the cartilage. This reduces the pain,” he said

The treatment is also pain-free, like undergoing an X-ray. A cycle of treatment involves six doses in three weeks, meaning two doses per week, he said.

“This treatment is common in Europe. But in India, the lack of medical infrastructure has been a hurdle.
There are not enough radiation machines for cancer patients. The lack of awareness is also another reason,” said Paul.

Sudipto Mukherjee, senior consultant at the department of orthopaedics and traumatology at Peerless Hospital, said low-dose radiation can help treat joint pain.

“This is an alternative treatment for high-risk and elderly patients,” he said.