Living With Osteoarthritis

There is no definitive cure for osteoarthritis. However, it doesn't need to get worse, there are many treatments and exercises that can help ease the pain and discomfort so you can continue to enjoy life. This article will look at various osteoarthritis treatments and explore how simple life style changes can dramatically reduce pain and discomfort.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 1 million people in the UK every year. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the knees, hips and the small joints of the hands and toes, but any joint can be affected. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain of the joints, stiffness and difficulty moving. Despite there being no cure, there are ways of preventing arthritis conditions and a wide variety of osteoarthritis treatments that reduce pain and discomfort, helping those affected live a normal life.

The most important decision one can make is to adopt a healthy life style. This can be one of the easiest and most effective treatments for osteoarthritis and arthritic conditions. If implemented early enough in life, a healthy life style can prevent these types of conditions later in life. However, even if diagnosed, a well balanced diet and regular exercise can make a huge difference to the amount of pain and discomfort experienced with these conditions. In many cases weight is identified as a cause for osteoarthritis, in these cases simply losing weight can reduce and cease the symptoms experienced. Swimming has been identified as an extremely good form of exercise for helping with arthritis. Running can also help by strengthening your muscles as well as helping you to lose weight that may be directly causing your condition.

Another vital step to take in order to live with osteoarthritis is to take your medication. Some people stop taking medication if they feel symptoms have got better or ceased. With long term conditions such as osteoarthritis it is important to take your medication as prescribed. You should also speak to your local GP if you are thinking of taking over the counter osteoarthritis treatment such as pain killers and nutritional symptoms, as these can sometimes interfere with your prescribed medication.

As with any long term condition it is important to visit you local GP regularly for checkups and review. This will also help you develop a trustworthy and personal relationship with your GP, this can be extremely helpful and comforting when dealing with a condition such as arthritis and osteoarthritis. Regular reviews will also allow your GP to assess your condition and suggest other osteoarthritis treatment such as exercise, weights lose or in more serious cases injections and surgery.

Finally it is important to look after yourself. Those suffering with osteoarthritis are often encouraged to get a yearly flu vaccination as well as an anti-pneumococcal vaccination, which helps fight against a serious chest infection called pneumococcal pneumonia.

To conclude, osteoarthritis is a condition that is most common as you get older. It can be a painful and uncomfortable condition but it need not ruin your life. There are many osteoarthritis treatments out there, by finding the treatment that works for you, you can dramatically reduce the pain and disc