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Osteoarthritis, a common form of arthritis, is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 65. The joints which are affected most commonly are the spine, knees, hips and some of the small joints of the hands and feet.

Due to gradual destruction of the joints, the following symptoms emerge:

PAIN: The pain experienced by arthritics is typically aching in character. Pain is commonly one of the first symptoms noticed and it usually appears gradually and may be intermittent at first. It is precipitated by movement and load-bearing, and relieved by rest. However, as the disease progresses, the pain will occur even at rest and often people are woken at night by the dull throbbing pain.

IMMOBILITY: Fibrosis of the joint capsule means that the whole joint tightens up, decreasing the individual’s range of movement. Another aspect of the disease is thickening of the bone resulting in bony swellings. This extra bone can get in the way of normal joint movement.

MUSCLE WEAKNESS: Muscles of the legs, hands and feet may waste away leaving the person with little strength to perform normal activities.

When all of the above factors are considered together, it can be understood why arthritic individuals face many struggles in their everyday lives. Arthritis affecting the hip results in stiffness and pain which limits movement and exercise capacity. Wasting of the muscles means that patients with hip or knee arthritis may not be able to walk properly or even support their own weight. Climbing stairs also becomes problematic for many people. Tender and swollen hands mean simple tasks like doing up buttons or shoe-laces become an arduous chore, and often these people need a lot of assistance just to get by. Loosing their independence is quite a blow for many otherwise healthy people!

Thankfully there are some good osteoarthritis treatments which can slow the progression of the disease, relieve symptoms and restore some function. Some people may benefit from physiotherapy or other exercise-based therapies. Others require specific equipment such as knee braces or special footwear to stabilise and protect their vulnerable joints. Drug therapies are used to relieve pain and to decelerate disease progression. The last resort arthritis treatment is for those who continue to suffer despite drugs and other therapies; joint replacement surgery can often provide an individual with a new lease of life and allow them to participate once more in the activities that their arthritis had previously made impossible.

Life can be really miserable because of osteoarthritis pain. Matters can really get worse if you are always on the go, working, despite the osteoarthritis, just to provide a decent living for your family. With osteoarthritis pain, sometimes, it is almost impossible to move and this could cost more than your job, or the thing that you usually do. However, for every problem, there is always a solution, and the treatments do not have to come in the form of a medication.

Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States Of America. You probably know someone who has arthritis, or maybe you are one of 46 million people who are living with this life-altering condition. There is no cure or definitive cause, but we do know that there are some simple ways to prevent and reduce the pain of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.

Too often people mistakenly believe that the aches and pains associated with osteoarthritis are an inevitable part of aging, and that they just have to live with it. Moving is the best medicine. Keeping active, and losing weight, are two of the best methods, with which, anyone can combat osteoarthritis pain. If pain still persists, then there are healthy remedies to resolve problems for osteoarthritis joint pain, or any other type of pain, and one of the best alternative remedies is an accredited homeopathic herbal pain formulation.

The skeptics, do ask the question, does homeopathy work to get rid of osteoarthritis pains? The fact of the matter is, homeopathy can not only get rid of osteoarthritis pains but it will act very effectively for all types of body pains as well. If you accidentally stub your toe on something, or if you bang your head accidentally against the wall, or if you have been injured in a basketball game, you can use an homeopathic pain reliever to get rid of those excruciating pains.

Of course, we know that the best way to get rid of osteoarthritis pains, especially if it is already in its chronic stage, is to consult a doctor. But there are some, who are so busy with their jobs, they may not have the time to keep going to a doctor. What they can do is, buy any FDA registered homeopathic herbal pain formulation, and get rid of the pains immediately, without any worries of side effects, as most homeopathic pain formulations, are all natural supplements and nothing more.

Are brand name homeopathic pain relievers a scam?

To this question, the answer is an emphatic “NO”. Most all FDA registered homeopathic pain formulations are not scams. They cannot be scams, because the companies behind them, are invariably proud members of the National Products Association, and also have an enforceable money-back guarantee, that accompanies their products.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease and degenerative arthritis, is the most common form of arthritis. It involves the breakdown of cartilage in the joints and is primarily found in older adults. Symptoms include aching, soreness, pain, bony enlargements in the center of a joint, and joint swelling. Osteoarthritis is most commonly experienced in weight bearing joints such as the knees and hips. It is typically the result of aging, but can be intensified by other factors such as heredity, injury, obesity, joint overuse, and stress. While there is no cure for Osteoarthritis, there are helpful treatments that and lessen the pain, increase mobility, and enhance the individual’s quality of life. The type of treatment an Osteoarthritis patient receives will vary depending on a myriad of factors. If you suspect you are experiencing Osteoarthritis, it is critical that you discuss your symptoms and treatment options with your personal physician to ensure you are ge
tting the right treatment for your particular needs.

Most common treatments include:

Physical therapy and exercise.

A licensed physical therapist can advise you on specific muscle strengthening exercises that will help support ligaments and tendons and help alleviate pain.

Supportive devices.

Supportive devices increase mobility, prevent falls, and are great for pain relief. A hinged knee brace, can be used to stabilize ligaments and tendons which will significantly decrease pain, while devices like crutches or canes can lessen the direct stress on joints. When selecting a device, make sure it is lightweight, comfortable, and easy to adjust for a precise fit.

Medication (oral or injected).

Your doctor may prescribe you pain-relieving and/or anti-inflammatory medications which can help with Osteoarthritis management.

Weight Control.

Keeping your weight in a healthy range will reduce the stress on your joints.

Hot or cold therapy.

Hot or cold compresses can be administered to reduce pain and swelling.

Removal of fluid.

If excess fluid surrounds the joints, your physician may choose to drain that fluid manually in order to alleviate pressure on the joint.

Alternative treatments.

Some medical research concludes that glucosamine and chondrotin can rebuild cartilage, especially in the knee. There are also other (currently unproven) supplements that are also associated with Osteoarthritis treatment. Likewise, some people swear that acupuncture and bio-electric therapy alleviates pain, though there have not yet been any conclusive studies to support these claims.

Surgery.

If less invasive treatments prove ineffective, your doctor may recommend corrective surgery.

Osteoarthritis is a common condition affecting the joints that can affect mobility and quality of life. It can limit daily function such as ability to squat down or carry heavy objects.

This article reviews the signs and symptoms used to diagnose osteoarthritis.

It is a very common; 8.5 million people in the UK have osteoarthritis (Arthritis Care, UK 2002).

Osteoarthritis may first appear between ages 30 and 40, and is present in almost everyone by age 70.

There are several symptoms associated with arthritis and can include:

• Morning stiffness of stiffness after periods of inactivity
• Achy joints
• Pain
• Restriction range of motion/ impaired mobility
• Crepitus or grinding sound on movement

Symptoms are most likely felt in large weight-bearing joints in one or more sites especially the hip, knee, spine and hand.

Osteoarthritis can develop as we age or from other factors, such as injury or being overweight.

It is important that if you experience these symptoms that you consult a suitably qualified health professional for an assessment and diagnosis.

Most people with arthritis or degenerative joint pain have already been to their doctor to get it diagnosed.
In my experience there are some times when you MUST see your physician about your joint pain.

Here is my advice, if you have any of the following:

• joint pain that is causing persistent pins and needles or numbness
• spinal pain with weakness in your arms or legs, pins and needles, or loss of control of bladder and bowel (you need to see your doctor immediately for this one)
• undiagnosed trauma or significant injury that has not been assessed
• joints that lock regularly or give way on you (especially knees)
• unexplained weight loss
• constant unremitting night pain
• unable to weight bear through the joint
• undiagnosed joint pain for more than 2 weeks

Then you MUST consult your physician. Not all joint pain is from arthritis, and an accurate diagnosis is very important.

Your health professional will ask a series of questions to learn more about the symptoms then do an objective assessment.

On examination there may be swelling around the joint, heat, deformity, and pain on manual joint compression.

This could be confirmed by X-ray imaging where your health professional could see any of the following:

• narrowing of the joint space
• bony spurs or osteophytes
• alignment changes of the joint

It is important to know that signs follow symptoms and that in early arthritis you may experience some symptoms of osteoarthritis before the signs. As the condition develops it is more pronounced on X-ray imaging. Your health professional will look at the total clinical picture for the diagnosis.

Once you have received a diagnosis it is important to establish a systemised management plan that you can easily integrate in to your life to proactively manage your osteoarthritis. The earlier and more comprehensive your plan is in the beginning the better for your overall outcome.

Arthritis includes more than one hundred different disorders characterized by swelling, pain and limited or no movement in the joints. The most common form is osteoarthritis, caused by the breakdown and loss of the cartilage in one or more joints. Because it is essentially a degenerative disease, it happens more frequently and with greater severity as people age. It occurs more frequently in men over the age of 45 and in women after the age of fifty five, mostly due to wear and tear of the joints. Other factors exacerbate osteoarthritis, including weight and diet.

Psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis are genetically transmitted and are primarily caused by severe inflammation within the joints that destroy the cartilage.

Today, physicians know much more about who is likely to develop osteoarthritis, the most common form of this disease. Below are some factors:

• Heredity.

Like many conditions, this disease seems to run in families. One indication of a genetic predisposition is the formation of Herberden’s nodes. The hard, bony growths on the joints near the fingertips are twice as common in women whose mothers had these joint changes.

• Obesity.

This is another risk factor. Generally, the more a person weighs, the greater the pressure on the knees, hips, and other weight-bearing joints. For example, women who were overweight at age eighteen are five times more likely to develop hip arthritis than women who maintained a normal weight. This has serious implications, since more than half of the women in the United States are overweight. Weight management is a significant factor in the development of arthritis because excess pounds clearly create a greater strain on the weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips. Being overweight though, doesn’t guarantee that you will develop the disease, but it significantly increases your chances.

• Trauma.

Often a severe trauma such as a sports injury, motor accident or fall may cause damage to the cartilage. It may take more than a year for the disease to develop in the joint that was traumatized. Even a small tear in the cartilage can lead to inflammation at the site of the injury. This injury can be the instigating factor that leads to loss of resiliency in the cartilage, cartilage breakdown, and eventually, arthritis.

• Estrogen.

This hormone may also play a role in the development of osteoarthritis in women. The amount of estrogen in the body plummets after menopause. Several studies show that estrogen replacement may have a protective effect on the bones of older women. However, when this therapy is stopped the benefits that go with it decline too. In ten years, risk gradually returns to a level similar to that of women who have never used estrogen replacement therapy. Hence, women must consider the pros and cons of hormone replacement with her physician.

• Occupation.

Heavy physical labor may damage the joints and set the stage for osteoarthritis. For instance, miners, dockworkers, and furniture movers normally develop this disease in their knees. Employers may be willing to modify job descriptions or workplace environments to include some desk work or to reduce heavy lifting, climbing stairs, or squatting.