I’ve noticed that many of my type 2 diabetic patients have knee osteoarthritis, aka degenerative joint disease. That’s why I’m sharing my experience here.
I had considered this therapy a couple years ago but didn’t try it after reading that it had to be applied four times daily and that it may take 2-3 weeks to take effect, with no guarantee it would work. That just seemed like too much hassle. The hassle/benefit equation changed for me recently so I decided to give it a go.
The active ingredient in Voltaren gel is diclofenac, which is a non-steroid antiinflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAIDs can wreak havoc on the GI tract, causing ulcers and gastritis. It can also damage the kidneys. Topical application to the problematic joint should prevent those adverse effects, assuming there is negligible, if any, systemic absorption.
My wife picked up a tube for me so I don’t know how much it cost. The 150-gram tube has enough gel for 33 doses to a knee. The dose for a smaller joint like a wrist is half as much, so the tube would hold 66 doses. The package insert says it may take up to seven days to work. “Use Voltaren Arthritis Pain 4 times a day every day for up to 21 days for treatment of arthritis pain or as directed by your doctor.” “If no pain relief in 7 days, stop use.”
I resolved to try it for a week, which just about used up the entire tube.
I think it worked somewhat. Could have been a placebo effect, or just the effect of massaging my knee four times daily, or the knee just improved spontaneously. It didn’t work so well that I wanted to run out immediately and get another tube of it. In fact I haven’t used it again in the subsequent three months. My other knee is bothering me now so I got a 100-gram tube of the generic diclofenac (Equate brand) at WalMart today for $12-15. I’ve used Tiger Balm for immediate relief when the arthritis interferes with my sleep but, man, that stuff is expensive.
—–Steve Parker, M.D.
Diabetic Mediterranean Diet 