Posts Tagged ‘osteoarthritis’

25
Jan

Treating Arthritis – No Bones About It

   Posted by: Fernanda    in Arthritis

Osteoarthritis, known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis that occurs more frequently as we age. In osteoarthritis there is inflammation in the joint caused by the breakdown of cartilage and the destruction or decrease of the fluid that lubricates the joints. Before treating arthritis it is important to understand about your joint.

Anatomy of a Joint:

Joints are the areas where two or more bones come together. Most joints are mobile allowing the bones to move. These joints are surrounded and enclosed by a fibrous tissue, called the capsule, which holds the bones together. The synovial membrane lines the capsule and secretes a clear, sticky fluid around the joint to lubricate it.  This fluid is known as the synovial fluid.  The ends of the bones which come into contact are always covered with cartilage; a connective tissue made up of cells and fibers and is wear-resistant.  The cartilage provides a smooth surface and is strong enough to bear the weight of the body.

Causes of Osteoarthritis:

As we age the water content in the synovial fluid and in the cartilage increases whereas the protein content decreases. Eventually, the cartilage thins and begins to break down by flaking or forming crevasses. Loss of the cartilage cushion causes friction between the bones, leading to inflammation of the cartilage, pain and limitations of your joint mobility.

Who is at risk?

  • People with a family history of osteoarthritis.
  • Aging does not cause arthritis but is a factor in developing the symptoms. Males under 45 more frequently have arthritis whereas it is more common in females over 55.
  • Extra body weight is clearly associated with arthritis of the knee. Being overweight puts extra strain on your large bearing joints such as your hips, knees and the balls of your feet.
  • Joint injury which may change your normal joint structure.
  • Estrogen deficiency in women, particularly after menopause.
  • People with a Vitamin D deficiency; vitamin D is important to keep the cartilage healthy.
  • People with nerve damage, as seen with diabetics, or a vitamin B12 deficiency causing decreased sensations.
  • Increased bone density results in bones that are less able to absorb impacts and to protect cartilage from trauma.

Treating Arthritis:

The first thing you should know about treating arthritis is that there is no substance that will completely cure your joint. When you visit your physician he will most likely give you an anti-inflammatory drug such as Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or another drug of the ansaid class of drugs. These will help relieve the pain and swelling but will not help repair or stop the progression of osteoarthritis in your joint.

There are natural ingredients that are a much better option for treating arthritis. These not only help stop the progression of the disease, but actually help repair and improve the condition of your joint.  These natural ingredients do not give you immediate pain relief, however, they help repair damaged cartilage and help maintain flexibility and joint health.
These natural ingredients consist of glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, Omega 3 Fatty acids, Boswellia Serrata, Vitamin C,E,A.

 See Lita’s article on Arthritis Prevention.

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One of the more usual kinds of inflammation of the joint, Osteoarthritis, can have differing causing from person to person. Various individuals inherit cartilage that is defective or have abnormalities of their spine when they are born that puts added weight and stress on one of their joints, resulting in both spine inflammation and back pain. Others have gained weight and developed the disease as a result of the increased pressure.

Knee and hip osteoarthritis are especially prevalent in overweight individuals. Injuries contribute to the development of this disease in athletes and young people, and the knees and spine are commonly affected areas in this case. Joint overuse increases the risk of developing the disease too, particularly in the hand and knee regions. Regardless of the particular cause, the Arthritis Foundation reports that there are things you can do that will help with your pain as well as slowing any progression of this disease, which afflicts close to 21 millions people in the United States alone.

Some people feel uncomfortable with taking medicine and have always disliked even taking Tylenol for a headache. There are some alternative treatments for osteoarthritis patients that are more natural for the body. Some of the more recent medical research shows that supplements which are natural, such as chondroitin as well as glucosamine, might provide relief from pain as well as assist in stimulating a persons body to reconstitute some cartilage, especially for people who suffer from knee arthritis.

Some people also use methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) for arthritis but the jury is still out as to their effectiveness. Acupuncture and bioelectric therapy have also been used to calm nerves and release a relieving flow of natural endorphins. Supportive devices like canes, crutches or braces can remove some of the pressure as well.

It can be disappointing to learn that your weight has caused osteoarthritis and that you now need to lose some weight to take the burden off your joints, even though you're suffering pain in your knees, hips, spine or shoulders. Regardless of how challenging of might be to you mentally to begin, your body will start to feel a little better as you exercise. Psychologically, you will have a better feeling about yourself as well as being more in control. Gradually, you will discover that you will get higher levels of mobility as well as additional ease at completing your daily tasks. Low impact exercises, such as swimming, biking or walking, are recommended.

For people with knee pain, strengthening exercises with light weights for the quadriceps are encouraged. Range-of-motion flexibility exercises that include stretching are very common in physical therapy sessions. Forget about aerobics or jogging, and avoid overdoing it. If the joints in your body hurt too much for a duration of more than 2 hoursm then you have exerted yourself too much. Prior to as well as after doing exercise you can attempt using heat/cold pack to assist in lowering instances of pain or redness. Braces, rest breaks, decreasing your speed or duration and reducing your weight can modify the level of intensity to give you the ideal workout.

You may be wondering, "When is surgery necessary for osteoarthritis pain?" If you have tried medication, lifestyle changes and other treatment options, then further action may be required. If you find that you can't participate in your everyday activities and the chronic pain is impeding your life and making you more sedentary, then resist!

Think about surgery like an arthroscopy, that clears out cartilage that is broken (anything except knee). joint replacement therapy (knee or hip), or joint fusion. Often surgery is not recommended for younger patients because they may need a new hip or knee replacement later in life. Surgery is also one of the more immediately expensive options, so it may not be for everyone. Nevertheless, for indivduals who have chronic pain, going through surgery can be the only path to aquiring more mobility as well as a better quality of life.

To learn more go to Arthritis Pain and at Lumbar Arthritis

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Are you looking for an Arthritis Cure? Arthritis usually means pain in the joints but it is a disease of the muscles and the bones so there could also be swelling and pain all over. Each bone is covered with a living tissue that covers the ends of the bones and guards them from rubbing against each other; this tissue is known as the Cartilage. Cartilage is made of living cells known as chondrocytes and this tissue resembles many of the other human organs. The chondrocytes die, they are replaced with new ones and the life cycle goes on. This article will focus on explaining arthritis versus arthritis cures.

However, over an extended period of time, the inflammation can kill more of the cartilage cells than the body is able to replace. This happens when the body is not healthy and suffers from malnutrition, injury can also be another cause. The condition causes damage where instability, deformities and joint weakness can obstruct daily life. Generally, arthritis can be treated with physical therapy, medication, and changes to the lifestyle the individual is used to living. If all zero or less intrusive interventions give no relief then as a last option joint replacement surgery can be used.

Arthritis is mainly categorized into two types, ‘localized’ and ‘generalized’ depending on which areas are affected (body or the joints); they are then sub categorized further. One of the sub-categories is localized conditions which only affect the soft tissue that surrounds the bones or joints, and is used to relate to conditions like tendonitis or bursitis. A sub-category of this affects one or some of the joints like hip or knee joints. In generalized arthritis, the disease affects the soft tissue and muscle where there isn’t any evidence of inflammation or swelling. This condition does not indicate joint damage; a common type in this category is fibromyalgia.

The second sub category is one where there is inflammation and the whole body is affected. Rheumatoid arthritis, gout and psortiatis arthritis are examples of the next conditions in this subcategory. Other generalized conditions are polymyositis (muscles); systemic lupus erythematosus (skin, kidneys, or other organs); and vasculitis (any organ).

However a person may suffer from multiple kinds of arthritis, in the United States of America around forty six million adults and abut three hundred thousand children suffer from hundred medical conditions. The condition is most common as osteoarthritis in adults age 60 and above but it can start as early as infancy. The numbers are increasing as the American population ages and more and more people are beginning to suffer from arthritis.

Within the United States arthritis, as well as several related illnesses are known to be the cause of major disability and it cost over one hundred and twenty four billion dollars each year in indirect expenses and medical care expenses. Maintaining the right weight, eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and D are simple but effective measures to prevent and arrest osteoporosis, Consumption of calcium is very important, adults must consume about 1000-1500mg calcium every day, exercising daily is a must and one must avoid injuries that may damage the joints.

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