Relief From Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Monday, March 8th, 2010Do you often suffer from excruciating pain in your shoulder when lifting an object? Or how about in your back when crouching to pick up a brown boot or something else on the floor? If you do, then it’s possible that you got osteoarthritis already.
Osteoarthritis is just one form of arthritis. And it’s the most common too. It goes by other names as well, including: degenerative arthritis, OA, wear-and-tear arthritis and osteoarthrosis. This disease can affect any joint in your body. However, it usually affects the knees, hips, back and hands.
It happens when the cartilage providing cushioning between your bone joints become damaged. A person suffering from osteoarthritis usually experiences pain and swelling in the affected areas. The normal range of motion becomes limited too. There are many risk factors for this disease. It can be because of age, obesity, injury or overuse of a joint, and even hereditary factors.
As soon as you suspect you’re suffering from it, it’s important that you immediately see your doctor. A physical examination should reveal whether or not you’re afflicted with the disease. Based on the findings, a treatment mode will have to be given, to help deal with the signs and symptoms.
It’s not unlikely for medications to be prescribed. Analgesic has to be taken for pain. While for swelling, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are usually given. For severe cases, there are also medications administered through injection.
As mentioned earlier, obesity can be a causative factor. If such is your case, then it’s important for you to shed off unnecessary pounds. Adapting a particular diet recommended by your doctor will help you lose weight, thus relieving excessive pressure on your joints. Such diet will also exclude foods that may worsen the condition.
A physical or occupational therapist will provide you with some exercise routines. Such routines will help stabilize the muscles around the joints. And at the same time enhancing the flexibility or the affected bone joints. Performing these exercise routines will help you increase your otherwise limited motion.
There are also food supplements that are said to help in repairing damaged cartilages, such as Kirkland glucosamine tablets. The body’s production of glucosamine wears off as you age. It’s an important substance for the formation and repair of cartilage. Other supplements contain substances like methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), omega-3 fatty acids and chrondroitin.
If you will adhere to your doctor’s recommendations, in no time you will benefit from them. You can perform much of your given up activities, such as using an ibanez acoustic electric guitar or playing with your kids. But for severe osteoarthritis cases, undergoing operation may be necessary for relief.
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