New Option for Joint Pain Relief: Low Dose Radiation Therapy
November 17, 2025
Stiff mornings. Trouble getting dressed. Joints that won’t stop aching. Pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis make even the simplest tasks harder. And it affects around 33 million adults in the U.S., maybe even you or a loved one.
To avoid letting it slow them down, many people try pain relievers, physical therapy or cortisone injections. Some eventually opt for joint replacement surgery. But now there’s another treatment available: Low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) is a quick, noninvasive option that may help ease osteoarthritis pain.
We spoke with Timothy Chen, M.D., a radiation oncologist and medical director of the Central Nervous System Program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, and Adnan Danish, M.D., Chief, Division of radiation oncology at St Joseph's Health and the Totowa Cancer Center, to explain how LDRT works and who it could help.
What Is Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for Joint Pain Relief?
As cartilage — the connective tissue that cushions your bones and lubricates joints — breaks down with age and injury, pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis can set in. LDRT uses a very small, targeted dose of radiation aimed at the painful joint to calm inflammation. The dose is much lower than the amount used to treat cancer.
Dr. Chen recently treated a courtroom judge who had severe osteoarthritis in her hand. She even had trouble holding her gavel in court. “The judge was very embarrassed because the gavel fell out of her hand due to pain and stiffness,” says Dr. Chen. “After one week of LDRT, she could hold the gavel. After two weeks, she shook my hand with a firm grip.”
LDRT should be used early on in the disease process and is an alternative to steroid injections and oral NSAIDs. It can help to delay surgery and the pain relief can last more than a year.
How Can Low-Dose Radiation Therapy Help Joint Pain?
LDRT treats inflammation in the joints. Once the inflammation settles down, people often notice:
- Less pain: Walking, standing and moving feel easier.
- Better movement: Bending and stretching are more comfortable.
- More freedom: You can return to the activities you enjoy.
Many patients feel improvement within a few weeks of completing treatment. For some, relief can last months or longer. Dr. Danish says, “It can take one to two courses of treatment to see the maximum benefit.”
What to Expect During a Low-Dose Radiation Therapy Session
Step 1: Align on a treatment plan
Your doctor reviews your imaging reports (like X-rays or MRIs), examines the joint and maps the exact area to treat.
Step 2: Brief treatment sessions
Most people have about six visits over two weeks. Each visit usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll sit or lie comfortably while a machine directs radiation at your joint, usually for less than a minute. It doesn’t hurt.
Step 3: A return to your day
There’s no downtime — most people head right back to work, errands or home.
Who Might Benefit from Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for Osteoarthritis?
Low‑dose radiation therapy is designed for adults with osteoarthritis (most often people ages 60 and older) whose pain and stiffness persist despite standard care.
“Generally speaking, treatment for smaller joints like those in the hands and feet works faster — you can see pain relief within a week, sometimes two,” Dr. Chen says. “At one month, about 85% of people tell me their pain is much better.”
LDRT treats osteoarthritis. Other types of arthritis, like rheumatoid or psoriatic, may require a different plan.
Low-Dose Radiation Therapy May Be a Good Choice if You:
- Have a diagnosis of osteoarthritis confirmed by an X‑ray or MRI
- Still have pain and stiffness after standard treatment options or physical therapy
- Are 60 or older
- Have osteoarthritis in a hand, knee, hip, shoulder, wrist or ankle
- Want joint pain relief while delaying surgery and focusing on less-invasive treatments
“LDRT is a good choice for people who haven’t gotten joint pain relief from the current standard of care or want to avoid or delay surgery,” says Dr. Danish.
Safety and Benefits
To put the dose of radiation in perspective, Dr. Chen explains, “We all get small amounts of radiation from our environment every day. The radiation delivered is much less than any routine cancer treatment.”
Benefits of the treatment include:
- Non-invasive: No surgery. No needles. No hospital stay.
- Minimal side effects: Most patients feel no different during treatment and may only notice mild skin changes or feel temporarily tired after.
- Safe for adults ages 60+: Because the doses of radiation are low and targeted, the risk of long‑term effects is very small.
- Doesn’t limit future options: If you later decide on surgery or other treatments for joint pain relief, LDRT won’t prevent that.
Next Steps & Resources
- Meet our sources: Timothy Chen, M.D. and Adnan Danish, M.D.
- Learn more about radiation oncology services near you.
- Learn more about pain management at Hackensack Meridian Health.
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
