Low dose radiation for aches and pains

In Germany, physicians have been using low dose radiation (LDRT) to treat inflammatory diseases of the joints, such as osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, bursitis, and tendonitis. They’ve been doing this for decades and have treated more than 20 thousand patients with this therapy.  I’d never heard of it until recently, when I watched a video of an interview with Dr. Sanjay Mehta, a radiation oncologist with over 20 years of experience at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He’s an impressive guy. According to him, the U.S. is way behind Europe in using this low dose radiation to treat inflammatory diseases.

The therapy has a similar anti-inflammatory effect as you’d get from a cortisone shot, but it lasts longer. Dr. Mehta has found that if the pain is not reduced to zero, it’s at least 60 to 80 percent better than it was pre-treatment. Unlike a cortisone shot, it’s totally non-invasive. Depending on the condition, a typical treatment might include Monday, Wednesday, and Friday treatments for two weeks. Depending on the situation, the treatment might be repeated. It’s not a cure-all. For example, you still might need a knee replacement. But Dr. Mehta has found that many of his patients get immediate relief from pain.

One in seven people in this country are afflicted with such ailments, including me, at times, with osteoarthritis, bursitis, and plantar fasciitis. For many people, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cease to become effective and can have side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeds.

In the medical journals I investigated, one, the International Journal of Molecular Science states, “LDRT has been shown to be a cost-effective, noninvasive treatment with minimal side effects.” The Journal of Radiation Oncology says, “Currently, there are strong data to suggest a benefit of LDRT in plantar fasciitis, with about 80% efficacy in pain reduction. Additionally, there are data to suggest benefits in other musculoskeletal disorders, such as trochanteric bursitis, medial and lateral epicondylitis, tendinopathies of various joints, Dupuytren contracture, Ledderhose disease, heterotopic ossification, and other disorders.” (I checked out Ledderhose disease: lumps in the arches of the feet.)

The treatment is covered by Medicare and private insurance. Nevertheless, good luck in finding someone near you who uses this treatment. Dr. Mehta says that most doctors have negative reactions to the treatment because it’s taking away their specialty. Using Google, I did find a hospital in the Bay Area that uses the technique.

For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.