This Drugstore Cream Helped One Woman Finally Cure Her Chronic Knee Pain
Settling onto her sofa, Beverly Williams groaned as she rubbed her sore knees. The Maplewood, New Jersey, then 66-year-old had been suffering with severe pain and stiffness in her knees for several years.
Beverly had inherited her father’s flat footedness, which caused stress on her joints, and over the years, she’d undergone three surgeries to repair the cartilage in her knees. But while she recovered quickly after each procedure, the surgeries hadn’t erased the pain completely.
About five years ago, Beverly was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, and the pain and stiffness became intense. “Icing doesn’t bring relief; neither do the anti-inflammatories,” Beverly told a girlfriend, frustration filling her heart. “And my doctors are saying there are no other solutions.” That’s when her friend told Beverly she’d heard that arnica cream can help with inflammation. Beverly had no idea what arnica cream was, but desperate for relief and a cure for her knee pain she replied, “It’s worth a try. I’ll look into it — thank you!”
Giving Arnica Cream a Try
Doing research online, Beverly learned arnica is an herb that grows primarily in Siberia and central Europe. The flowers of the plant are said to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and have long been used in medicine.
Hopeful, Beverly started comparing different arnica products online and found one called MaxRelief Arnica Pain Relief Cream (Buy at Walmart, $18.65) that has 23 percent arnica — three times that of other leading products. Beverly ordered a jar, and as soon as it arrived, she rubbed a dab into her knees. To her amazement, she felt relief right away.
I can’t believe this really works! she beamed. The cream had a slight menthol aroma, but it quickly dissipated, so Beverly was able to apply some every morning and go about her day without feeling self-conscious about a lingering medicinal smell.
Relief at Last
The cream was instantly life-changing. Running her own business as a career counselor (Your Employment Matters), Beverly was able to attend seminars and stand for long periods giving presentations without experiencing excruciating pain — something she hadn’t been able to do before. At night, she’d rub more cream on her knees to help prevent them from stiffening up as she slept. Beverly continued using the cream morning and night, and with each passing week, her knee pain and stiffness lessened until they were virtually gone.
Today, the 71-year-old uses the cream only if she begins to feel her knees tightening up, and is thrilled to live a very active life. She starts each morning with exercise, then puts in a full day running her business. She published her second career advice book, Your GPS to Employment Success (Buy from Amazon, $20). “Arnica cream gave me my life back,” Beverly marvels. “It feels wonderful to finally be pain-free!”
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
