Wednesday December 24, 2008
Certain factors increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis -- the most common joint disease in the United States and worldwide. Not all people who have x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis develop symptoms of osteoarthritis. This fact has made defining osteoarthritis risk factors more difficult. But it's important to recognize osteoarthritis risk factors when possible because some are modifiable.
Being overweight is probably the best known risk factor for osteoarthritis. Obese women are four to five times more likely to have knee osteoarthritis than people of normal weight. But there are other risk factors that are just as important. What are the factors that increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis?
Friday, December 26, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Dealing With Arthritis
Very often, we make the mistake of thinking that arthritis affects older people only. This is not true. Over 15% of Americans affected are over 18 years of age. Arthritis is a joint inflammation that is a leading cause of disability in the US.
Arthritis
Simply put, arthritis is a joint inflammation. It causes cramping of knees, stiffness in joints and movement becomes painful and sometimes impossible. There are several different kinds of arthritis. However, we will discuss the two most common forms.
Osteoarthritis is caused by a breakdown of cartilage in joints. It causes joint pain and stiffness. Fingers, knees, hips and spine are most commonly affected.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation of the lining of the joint. The cause is yet unknown, but it is of the autoimmune type. In this condition, the body’s own cells attack it. It affects women more than twice as often as it affects men. An absolute cure is yet to be found for this condition.
Do you have arthritis?
There are some symptoms that you can watch out for: pain, swollen and deformed joints and limited mobility and stiffness, especially in the morning.
Some factors like age and gender play a role in determining if you are at risk. Although people of all ages are affected, your risk increases with your advancing years. In addition, if you are a woman, you are more likely to be affected.
If you have been involved in physically demanding professions, which involve heavy unsupported lifting or jarring movements, then it is likely to affect you. People involved in rough, damaging sports are also likely victims.
A common cause of osteoarthritis is obesity. A healthy lifestyle can help you out here. A possible cause of rheumatoid arthritis is genetic predisposition, as well.
Who can help?
There are many ways to treat this condition. People affected by arthritis can lead normal lives owing to these treatments.
The best first step is to consult a specialist. He will help you to assess the severity of your condition.
Physiotherapy has proved useful to arthritis patients. It helps to strengthen muscles around the joints so that they can provide support. A massage with creams like Tiger Balm and Ben Gay is also helpful.
Hydrotherapy, in which you use cold and hot water, is also said to be a great pain reliever.
Special devices like arthritis canes and walkers will be suitable for those that have limited mobility.
There are several helpful medications, analgesics, and painkillers. Steroidal drugs are used sometimes, both orally and injected directly into the joint.
If your joints are severely affected, then surgery is also an option.
Do not take to your bed if you have arthritis. Be active, because physical activity has helped arthritis patients. However, it is better to stay away from excessive physical activity.
Whatever your age is, proper care and protection can help you fight this disease.
Arthritis
Simply put, arthritis is a joint inflammation. It causes cramping of knees, stiffness in joints and movement becomes painful and sometimes impossible. There are several different kinds of arthritis. However, we will discuss the two most common forms.
Osteoarthritis is caused by a breakdown of cartilage in joints. It causes joint pain and stiffness. Fingers, knees, hips and spine are most commonly affected.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation of the lining of the joint. The cause is yet unknown, but it is of the autoimmune type. In this condition, the body’s own cells attack it. It affects women more than twice as often as it affects men. An absolute cure is yet to be found for this condition.
Do you have arthritis?
There are some symptoms that you can watch out for: pain, swollen and deformed joints and limited mobility and stiffness, especially in the morning.
Some factors like age and gender play a role in determining if you are at risk. Although people of all ages are affected, your risk increases with your advancing years. In addition, if you are a woman, you are more likely to be affected.
If you have been involved in physically demanding professions, which involve heavy unsupported lifting or jarring movements, then it is likely to affect you. People involved in rough, damaging sports are also likely victims.
A common cause of osteoarthritis is obesity. A healthy lifestyle can help you out here. A possible cause of rheumatoid arthritis is genetic predisposition, as well.
Who can help?
There are many ways to treat this condition. People affected by arthritis can lead normal lives owing to these treatments.
The best first step is to consult a specialist. He will help you to assess the severity of your condition.
Physiotherapy has proved useful to arthritis patients. It helps to strengthen muscles around the joints so that they can provide support. A massage with creams like Tiger Balm and Ben Gay is also helpful.
Hydrotherapy, in which you use cold and hot water, is also said to be a great pain reliever.
Special devices like arthritis canes and walkers will be suitable for those that have limited mobility.
There are several helpful medications, analgesics, and painkillers. Steroidal drugs are used sometimes, both orally and injected directly into the joint.
If your joints are severely affected, then surgery is also an option.
Do not take to your bed if you have arthritis. Be active, because physical activity has helped arthritis patients. However, it is better to stay away from excessive physical activity.
Whatever your age is, proper care and protection can help you fight this disease.
Monday, December 15, 2008
KNEE OA MORE LIKELY TO ADVANCE IN OBESE PEOPLE
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25, 2008 – In people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), those who are obese are more likely to develop advanced, end-stage disease than those who are of healthy weight, according to research funded in part by the Arthritis Foundation and presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco.
Using a computer model of knee OA progression based on published national data, scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and New England Baptist Hospital in Boston and University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill projected the occurrence and progression of knee osteoarthritis among several cohorts of individuals stratified by the presence at age 60 of obesity, knee pain and radiographic knee osteoarthritis.
The research team, led by first author Holly Holt and Principal Investigator, Elena Losina, PhD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, found that 70 percent of obese adults with mild knee OA at age 60, who survive 20 years, will develop advanced, end-stage disease by age 80. In contrast, just 43 percent of non-obese adults with mild knee OA will have end-stage disease after 20 years.
Using a computer model of knee OA progression based on published national data, scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and New England Baptist Hospital in Boston and University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill projected the occurrence and progression of knee osteoarthritis among several cohorts of individuals stratified by the presence at age 60 of obesity, knee pain and radiographic knee osteoarthritis.
The research team, led by first author Holly Holt and Principal Investigator, Elena Losina, PhD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, found that 70 percent of obese adults with mild knee OA at age 60, who survive 20 years, will develop advanced, end-stage disease by age 80. In contrast, just 43 percent of non-obese adults with mild knee OA will have end-stage disease after 20 years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)