Arthritis is a generic term meaning Inflammation of the joints. There are over 100 different types of Arthritis.
Osteoarthritis - the most commonest form of Arthritis is described as a degenerative joint disease, thus affecting the individual later in life. However younger people can be affected as the result of a previous injury. After the age of 50 women are more commonly affected than men.
The symptoms are of pain, stiffness and loss of range of movement in the affected joint and can take many years from onset to become debilitating.
The symptoms are as a result of cartilage loss in the affected joint - allowing bone to rub against bone. The main weight bearing joints are the most commonly affected - hip, knee and lower back. However hands, feet, shoulders and neck can also become Arthritic.
Symptoms are often described as pain or stiffness in the affected joint after a period of inactivity or increased use.
The bone ends rubbing on each other can give a grating or 'catching' sensation during joint movement. Bony growths at the joint margins can reduce range of movement.
Treatment is focused on decreasing pain and improving range of the joints movement.
The tendency for the individual to reduce weight bearing and reduce the joint movement in reaction to the pain means that without pain relief the joint will become increasingly stiff and muscles used to move the joint will become weak, thus increasing disability.
Thus treatment must be a several pronged strategy - pain relief initially can be by using simple analgesia e.g Paracetomol.
Other treatments include NSAID's (Non Steroidal Anti inflammatory drugs). However these are not suitable for everyone and to reduce or eliminate their usage is the goal of most individuals.
This is where lifestyle changes come into their own.
Body weight reduction will reduce the load exerted on the affected joint at each step taken, particularly the weight bearing joints of the lower back, hip and knee. Thus slowing the progression of the Arthritis in those joints.
Exercise should not be suddenly and rigorously undertaken otherwise the affected joints will become painful following and the individual will become reluctant to exercise in the future. Exercise should be of short duration and gentle initially, focusing on strengthening the muscles used to move the joint and will with time increase the exercise tolerance and as a result the movement of the joint.
Dietary supplements have been shown in some studies to reduce the progression of Osteoarthritis. However, studies are expensive and as these supplements are widely available in varying strengths and potencies the main studies have centered on knee Osteoarthritis only
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