By the time most of us reach the age of 40, our bodies are beginning to show signs of wear. Hips, knees, elbows, the spine and other joints no longer move in smooth, easy, painless motion. When one or more of the joints change or become injured, the whole joint can become inflamed, resulting in arthritis.
Arthritis is defined as “inflamed joints” and can refer to over 150 different disorders involving the tissues, called cartilage, that connect them. In addition to those tissues, there is a capsule of synovial fluid that helps cushion the space between the bones and a thick pad of fatty tissue that cushions the larger bones like the hip and knee. As we age, cartilage begins to wear out and sometimes you can “feel” or hear a grating noise inside the joint that is the sound of two bones rubbing against each other where damage or wear has occurred. Birth defects and obesity can also cause osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is not genetic and often can also affect the fingers, feet, wrists, and ankles. More than 20 million American suffer from this disease that affects people in all walks of life. Your doctor can run a series of exams and tests to determine if you have arthritis or not. Limited range of motion, swelling and other signs of inflammation of the affected area may indicate arthritis – only your doctor can find out for certain and determine the correct treatment for you. Often this condition can be prevented and some pain relieved by exercise.
When should I consult a doctor?
- Tenderness and swelling or numbness in any joint
- Limited range of motion in a joint
- Aching pain that comes and goes with changes in the weather
- Stiffness in a joint that usually occurs in the morning, but eases with rest
Sometimes inflammatory pain occurs in joints and causes redness, a feeling of intense heat, and of course soreness. This pain is usually less frequent but is more intense and is called mechanical pain. This type of joint pain can be a “phantom” that is related to an area but not exactly where the pain occurs – it is called referred pain.
Pain Management (drugs your doctor might prescribe)
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen can reduce pain and swelling
- Cortisone injections give short-term relief for severe joint pain
- Tranquilizers (muscle relaxers) may help relieve referred pain from tendons, muscles and sore ligaments around the arthritic joint
- Narcotics (synthetic endorphins) can help serious pain because they block pain signals from getting to the brain
Be sure to let your doctor know what, if any, other medications you are taking before he writes your prescription so you do not experience drug interactions or side effects.
It is possible that surgery may be required. If this is the case, there are 4 basic surgeries:
- Arthrodesis – fuses two bones together permanently so they don’t rub together and cause pain
- Osteoplasty – reshapes damaged bone and washes away fragments of bone in the joint
- Arthroplasty – replaces damaged parts of a joint with a man-made piece that does the same job as the original joint
- Osteotomy – changes the way the bones fit in the joint by reshaping or realigning them
What if I don’t want to take drugs or have surgery? There are a few things you can do to manage your pain on your own, if it’s not too severe. These methods include massage, wrapping a hot towel fresh from the dryer around the affected area, self-hypnosis, and making sure the heels of your shoes are in good condition.
Is there any way to prevent Osteoporosis? Yes, there are at least 5 easy things you can do to help ward off this disease as long as possible.
- Use tools that put as little stress on your joints as possible
- Keep off excess weight
- Warm up your muscles before exercising or participating in sports
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Wear shoes that support your body evenly and fit your foot (not too tight and not too loose)
By taking an active role in managing your body and its joints, you can possibly prevent Osteoarthritis altogether, but don’t count on it. By the age of 70, almost everyone moves slower and experiences joint pain of some sort. The best defense is being educated and alert to signals your body give you when exercising, walking, and playing sports.
These other health-related articles may be of interest to you or help you get a jump in the right direction:
http://factoidz.com/25-delicious-10-calorie-snacks-for-dieters/
http://factoidz.com/common-food-sources-of-vitamins-a-b6-b12-and-8-other-vitamins/
http://factoidz.com/epsom-salts-in-your-bath/
http://factoidz.com/how-to-find-narrow-sized-shoes-that-fit/
