Sidney Health Center offers radiation therapy for osteoarthritis pain

SIDNEY — Sidney Health Center is offering low-dose radiation therapy as a treatment option for patients with osteoarthritis, providing an alternative that may help reduce joint pain and improve mobility without surgery. The treatment, available through Sidney Health Center Cancer Care, uses the facility's TomoTherapy technology to deliver a low dose of radiation to affected joints to help reduce inflammation, pain and stiffness. Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis that causes joint pain and stiffness. Although medications, physical therapy and injections can help manage symptoms, they do not always provide sufficient relief. Dr. Ralf Kiehl, a radiation oncologist at Sidney Health Center, helped introduce the treatment locally, making the facility one of the first hospitals in Montana to offer the approach. While radiation therapy is most commonly associated with cancer treatment, low-dose radiation has been used for decades in Europe to help manage painful joint conditions.

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