Manage the Pain of Osteoarthritis

by Kamau Austin

The Mayo Clinic refers to osteoarthritis as a "wear and tear" condition that effects people as they age. It is a degenerative disease and is the most common form of arthritis. It is one of the most common causes of disability among adults. More than 20 million people in the United States have t he disease. Researchers project that in the next 25 years over 20% of Americans-beyond the age of 65 will be at risk for osteoarthritis.

Today, more than half of the population age 65 or older would show x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis in at least one joint. Both men and women have the disease with more men getting the disease before age 45, and more women getting the disease after that point.

Osteoarthritis may affect any joint in the body and it is characterized by a breakdown in the cartilage between the joints. The most common joints affected are the hips, knees, lower back, fingers and feet.

Osteoarthritis often develops slowly and quite often there are no symptoms. A person affected with the disease may not know that they have it until it is revealed during a routine x-ray.

People with osteoarthritis may have one or more of the following symptoms.

- Pain in a joint during or after use; or after a period of inactivity, such as after a night's sleep. - Pain in a joint during a change in weather. - Swelling or pain in a joint, after use. - Bony lumps on the end or middle joints of the hands - Loss of flexibility

Interestingly, the first year of onset of the disease may bring acute pain, that then fades within a year or so of its appearance. This is especially true of osteoarthritis of the fingers.

The exact cause of osteoarthritis is not known but some researchers believe that we are more susceptible to osteoarthritis as we age. It may be caused by a combination of factors, including being overweight,aging, a previous joint injury, heredity and muscle weakness.

The pain of osteoarthritis can range from that of a minor inconvenience for some sufferers, to chronic and debilitating for others. In cases where pain is severe, joint replacement surgery may be considered.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is also becoming one of the most frequently diagnosed forms of osteoarthritis. By some estimates, the frequency of diagnosis is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years. For instance, one estimate says that by the year 2030, some 70 million people will be at risk of developing osteoarthritis. Part of this dramatic increase is that it is expected that more people will be living past the age of 65. This will put a more people at risk of developing osteoarthritis, since it affects this portion of the population more. Although osteoarthritis indeed affects the elderly more, it is not unheard of to find diagnoses among the very young, since the disease can affect anyone who has suffered from some form of joint injury.

What are the most common symptoms of osteoarthritis? Like most other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis causes discomfort or pain in the joints and muscles. Osteoarthritis tends to affect patients most in the weight bearing joints. These include the knees, ankles, hands, arms, and hips. Other major symptoms that may help distinguish osteoarthritis from other forms of arthritis include snapping of joints, the appearance of bony growths in the joints, loss of joint movement, stiffness of joints accompanied by swelling, and an overall decrease in loss of movement in the joints.

Osteoarthritis is often referred to as the "wear and tear" form of arthritis. This refers to the fact that osteoarthritis is believed to be caused by the gradual wear on the body's joints. However, osteoarthritis may also be the result of joint injuries. Although the specific scientific cause of osteoarthritis has not yet been explained, most health professionals agree that age is the primary indirect cause of osteoarthritis. Over the years, our joints become worn down after a lifetime of use. This explains why the majority of osteoarthritis patients are over the age of 65. It is also generally agreed upon that obesity and joint injuries are two major risk factors for osteoarthritis. Many doctors will often prescribe weight loss as part of a patient's treatment since the body's joints cannot bear the extra weight it must sustain comfortably. Another significant risk factor for osteoarthritis involves the presence of congenital defects. Many individuals may be at greater risk of developing osteoarthritis both in early or later life because of the presence of potentially joint damaging congenital defects.

Individuals with osteoarthritis may be exacerbating the condition through certain activities. It is recommended that patients with osteoarthritis restrain from weight bearing physical activities such as running and jogging. In some cases, patients who have not yet been diagnosed may mistake the symptoms of their osteoarthritis for injury. Although these types of physical activities may have to be greatly reduced, some form of regular physical activity continues to be advised. Some activities that are recommended for osteoarthritis patients include walking, swimming, and yoga. These are physical activities that allow osteoarthritis patients to remain active, and that have been shown to have positive effects on the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

There is no cure for osteoarthritis, and treatment is geared towards reducing pain and increasing joint. Treatment may include medication, physical therapy, occupational therapy and self-care.

Pharmaceutical medication is used to treat the pain and may include, over the counter topical pain relievers that are rubbed into the skin at the effective joint, NSAIDs and acetaminophen taken internally to help with pain.

Prescription medications may include COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex may be considered for relieving pain, But both Celebrex and the recently removed from the market durg, Vioxx, are now linked with some rather serious side effects including, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

For some people, a side effect of living with chronic pain is depression. Since disturbances in sleep may accompany osteoarthritis, anti depressants may be prescribed because they can reduce chronic pain a well as help to alleviate sleep disturbances.

From time to time a doctor may suggest that an osteoarthritis patient receive injections of corticosteroid, which when injected into the joint space can offer some relief from pain and inflammation.

Surgical procedures can provide pain relief and relieve disability that may result from the deterioration of the joints. These procedures may include joint replacement; repositioning bones and fusing bones.

The surgical procedures and prescription medications may be overkill in the case where the osteoarthritis sufferer has only mild pain and inflammation. There is much that the mild or occasional sufferer can do to alleviate their pain ontheir own.

Life-style changes can help the condition so dramatically that it is sometimes the only treatment the occasional suffered will need.

Some things that you can do to help with the pain and stiffness are: - Exercise regularly - Control your weight - Eat a healthy diet - Apply heat to alleviate pain - Choose appropriate footwear to help support your back and hip joints. - Apply cold for occasional flare-ups - Practice relaxation techniques

In all cases osteoarthritis sufferers can benefit from making some changes in how they approach everyday activities. - Arm yourself with information and a "can do" attitude: Work with your health care professional to take control of your treatment and actively manage your arthritis. - Make use of a brace or cane if needed. A brace can greatly help to support a painful knee. And walking with a cane can help support an ailing hip.

- Keep activity within your limits. Osteoarthritis can make you prone to fatigue and muscle weakness. Take a short nap or rest when you fell tired. - Avoid straining your finger joints. Use a kitchen tool or hot water to help with opening jars and bottles. Kitchen centers and hardware stores are beginning to carry a supply of kitchen aids to help with simple tasks that may be difficult for osteoarthritis sufferers.

- Take breaks. Periodically relax and stretch. - Maintain good posture. Good posture more evenly distributes your body weight making it easier to support.

Regardless of the approaches that people take to dealing with their osteoarthritis almost everyone can benefit from the use of natural supplements. Glucosamine. is a naturally occurring substance that has been shown to be extremely effective in treating osteoarthritis.

Phosoplex™ is a natural supplement takes glucosamine one step better by combining it with Bio Cell Collagen II, a concentration of many elements including glucosamine.

The makers of Phosoplex™ have a valid point when they tell us "...If we consume only single elements involved in the complex process of keeping our joints and other connective tissue healthy we could only expect partial effectiveness." Phosoplex™ with its full spectrum of essential elements provides broader nutritional support aiding the overall health of individuals joints.

More information about Phosoplex™ can be found at http://www.bodestore.com/phosoplex.html

About the author:

Kamau Austin is a health and fitness enthusiast and advocate. He is also the publisher of ... www.healthandfitnessvitality.com . He writes on a regular basis on timeless health and fitness tips at the Fit After Forty Blog. See more useful health and fitness news and tips at... http://www.healthandfitnessvitality.com/blogs/fitnessblog.htm

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