Knee osteoarthritis is a condition that affects millions of Americans and has several different causes. The primary cause of this condition is obesity. Many people who are obese or even overweight, will develop a problem in their knee joints that cannot take the extra weight.
Another cause of osteoarthritis in the knees can be related to a previous injury. Many athletes or former athletes suffer from this condition. The injury wears down the cartilage in the knee to the point where it is stiff and sore.
Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis
The symptoms of knee osteoarthritis will usually come on gradually. You will notice pain, the dominating symptom of arthritis, in the joint, accompanied by stiffness. This pain will usually get worse over a period of time, although not everyone who suffers from knee osteoarthritis will find the condition debilitating. Everyone appears to suffer from a different degree of pain from this condition. This could be because some people also have higher pain thresholds than others.
If you have the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, you need to see a doctor to have the diagnosis confirmed. The pain coupled by a stiffness in the joint are the primary symptoms for this disease. Osteoarthritis of the knee can also present with a freezing up of the joint intermittently.
Treatment Options for Knee Osteoarthritis
When a doctor diagnoses osteoarthritis, usually after taking a blood test as well as an x-ray of the joint, they will give you options based upon the cause of the condition as well as your age and the overall damage to the joint. If the reason for the knee osteoarthritis is due to obesity, your doctor will advise you to lose weight.
Many people who suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee are overweight. They find that when they lose weight, their symptoms are dramatically reduced. If you are overweight and suffering from knee problems, losing weight is the best option. This can be done by a diet rich in fiber and vitamins as well as exercise.
Exercise can help those who suffer from osteoarthritis in the knee. Swimming is considered to be the best exercise for this condition. Walking is also good exercise, although many with this condition will find that walking becomes painful. Exercise with knee osteoarthritis can be somewhat of a Catch 22. People want to lose weight through exercise, but find it too painful - making the osteoarthritis even worse.
A knee brace is also one way that the pain and swelling from this condition can be alleviated. Your doctor may recommend a knee brace as well as a heating pad to help with the swelling.
There are anti-inflammatory medications that a doctor can prescribe for those who are suffering from very painful affects of osteoarthritis of the knee. NSAIDS are the category of anti-inflammatory drugs that are most often prescribed for this condition. Some doctors will prescribe muscle relaxants and others will prescribe pain pills. Medication, however, should be a last resort and not a first option when it comes to treating osteoarthritis of the knee.
In some cases, knee replacement surgery can be performed. This is often an option for younger people who have suffered a previous injury and who want to avoid disability from this condition.
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