Living With Osteoarthritis.
You are never too old to dance. Don't let stiff painful or swollen joints get in the way of your groove.
A nutritional "building block" for joint cartilage, glucosamine is beneficial to the joints as it is capable of increasing joint mobility, and reducing joint inflammation and swelling. It also aids in the repair and formation of damaged cartilage to promote better joint health. An effective adjuvant therapy for degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, glucosamine can be used to provide temporary relief from pain associated with osteoarthritis.
Mr. Lee 61 years old, has experience progressive worsening of pain in both knees for the last three years. He experiences stiffness for about 20 minutes as he wakes in the morning and has difficulty walking beyond 30 minutes because of pain. These symptoms are usually made worse when squatting or walking down the stairs.
A nutritional "building block" for joint cartilage, glucosamine is beneficial to the joints as it is capable of increasing joint mobility, and reducing joint inflammation and swelling. It also aids in the repair and formation of damaged cartilage to promote better joint health. An effective adjuvant therapy for degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, glucosamine can be used to provide temporary relief from pain associated with osteoarthritis.
Mr. Lee 61 years old, has experience progressive worsening of pain in both knees for the last three years. He experiences stiffness for about 20 minutes as he wakes in the morning and has difficulty walking beyond 30 minutes because of pain. These symptoms are usually made worse when squatting or walking down the stairs.
What Mr Lee suffers from is a type of arthritis, known as osteoarthritis - alongside one in ten men and one in five women aged over 60.
As one of the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries, Osteoarthritis is a debilitating condition that strikes more women than men. Given that it is the most common form of arthritis, World Arthritis Day which falls on 12th October annually, was founded to promote greater understanding of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis results from the deterioration of the cartilage in our joints. The cartilage covers and prevents the edges of bones in joints from rubbing against each other. When this cartilage is progressively degraded or damaged, either due to ageing, pressure, injuries, or congenital conditions, victims experience pain, swelling and motion stiffness In tneirjoints, causing osteoarthritis or ‘wear-and-tear’ arthritis.
TYPES & SYMPTOMS.
Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently as people age, but is usually the result of repetitive use and high stress on the joints. Injuries to the joint, infections, obesity, ligament tears, over—burdening or hormonai problems also contribute to its development. The medical community has classified the most common types of osteoarthritis as the following:
Knee Osteoarthritis — Our knees carry the weight of our bodies everyday, which is why they are commoniy affected by osteoarthritis. The knees wili experience stiffness, pain when walking or bending, and even swell up, resuiting in reduced motion.
Hand Osteoarthritis — Hand osteoarthritis is mostly hereditary. Its most obvious symptom is the appearance of small, bony knobs at the end of the joints in our fingers, known as Heberden‘s nodes. You will experience pain, enlargement, stiffness and numbness in your fingers.
Hip Osteoarthritis — Common symptoms are increasing stiffness, pain and eventuai disability in hip movement if left untreated. The person may experience pain in other areas such as the knees, inner thighs or groin area.
Spine Osteoarthritis — Neck and lower back pain and stiffness is usually experienced by patients in the first half hour in the morning. Advanced cases will see pain, numbness, tingling or weakness from inflammation. There may also be a loss of balance, headaches, and weakness in the shoulders or arms.
Treatment Options.
Many treatment options are available to help patients reduce osteoarthritis symptoms, increase joint movement and lessen the joint-damaging effects. Some common clinical and home treatments include the following:
Medication - Pain relievers, non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants, creams, rubs and sprays are some of the widely used medications to reduce symptoms. Care should be exercised when taking any of these medications. It is also best taken with consultation from a physician, as NSAIDs are also known to cause gastrointestinal problems.
Heat and Cold Therapy - Thermotherapy is one of the most inexpensive and effective methods in pain relief. Heat treatments such as heat pads and warm baths can soothe stiff joints and tired muscles, while cold treatments can treat acute or numbing pain, reducing inflammations and swelling.
Injections - In some cases, doctors may recommend injections containing joint lubricants and cortisone, a powerful anti-inflammatory drug, directly into the joint. Injections provide rapid relief from tender, swollen joints, but may be less effective with each successive injection.
Surgery - Surgery, recommended only for advanced cases, may include Fusion (joining the bones at a joint), Osteotomy (joint realignment), 'Scoping' the joint (washing out the joint), or Total Joint Replacement (with an artificial man-made joint). Surgery is generally only recommended if osteoarthritis is shown to drastically reduce one's capacity to lead normal life.
Alternative And Complementary Treatments - In addition to standard medical treatments, many people have also sought acupuncture and massage therapy to ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis with great results.
Osteoarthritis is a progressive chronic condition. Hence. it is important for patients to manage it well with lifestyle adjustments. For many, making this modification to their lifestyle has proven to be the best ‘treatment’ in coping with osteoarthritis.
Weight Control is one key factor in successful TREATMENT management of the disease, as reducing one’s Many treatment options are available to help weight can lessen the pain, swelling and stress on patients reduce osteoarthritis symptoms, increase weight-bearing joints such as the knees or back.
Regular Exercise such as strength training and me following; stretching can help relieve pain and improve joint By building muscles around the joint, the joint gains strength and stability, which prevents further damage.
Stress should also be managed well to prevent the should be exercised when taking any of these symptoms from worsening, as repeated daily stress can add to increasing joint discomfort.
Dietary Supplements such as glucosamine is recommended for osteoarthritis patients. Glucosamine is a natural supplement found in the body which builds and maintains our cartilage. Clinical studies have in fact shown that glucosamine may even help in regrowing cartilage and inhibiting the growth of cartilage-destroying enzymes.
No comments:
Post a Comment