Monday, June 3, 2013

Reducing the Damaging Affects of Osteoarthritis


Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis affect approximately 27 million Americans and it can be crippling. You do not have to allow yourself to become sidelined by these aches and pains. Arthritis involves bodily joints becoming stiff and swollen, making it difficult to complete even the simplest of tasks.

Unlike in the past, there is good news. That good news is that it does not require the use of heavy-duty medication to get relief from osteoarthritis. By making sensible lifestyle choices, it is possible to slow the progression and symptoms of this dreaded disease.

It has been projected that at least 67 million people, mostly women, will suffer with this disease by 2020. Osteoarthritis is characterized by a break down of the joints' cartilage. Cartilage cushions the ends of the bones. The areas most often affected by osteoarthritis are the knees, hands, hips, and the spine.

Normally these smooth cartilage surfaces begin to wear down and become rough through constant use and various internal biological ailments. This triggers swelling, stiffness, pain, lost of flexibility and reduced range of motion. For some, bone spurs form around the affected area.

Little is known about what sparks the degenerative process of osteoarthritis. What is known is that family medical history, nerve and joint injuries, repetitive stress injuries and aging all increase the odds of its development. Its biggest cause however, is obesity and lack of exercise or regular movement. These conditions add additional stress on the joints.

By maintaining a physically active lifestyle and keeping the muscles surrounding your joints strong it is possible to delay its onset and slow down its progression. You can achieve this by doing strengthening and stretching exercises.

If you are new to this type of exercise regiment you should discuss this with your doctor. If swelling and stiffness continues after two weeks on this program you may be losing cartilage and should see your tending physician to diagnose your condition and determine what is the cause of your inflamed joint. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and corticosteroids are part of the arsenal of medication available to relieve the discomfort.

The best remedy is to lose weight. Shedding as little as 15 pounds can cut knee pain by half for most arthritis sufferers. Become more active...get moving. There are a number of arthritis friendly workouts available anyone can implement in their regular lifestyle available at the Arthritis Foundation web site at arthritis.org. You do not have to become sidelined by the aches and pains of arthritis. Just become more active and watch your weight.

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