Who Has Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is by far the most common type of arthritis, and the percentage of people who have it grows higher with age. An estimated 27 million Americans age 25 and older have osteoarthritis.

Although osteoarthritis is more common in older people, younger people can develop it – usually as the result of a joint injury, a joint malformation, or a genetic defect in joint cartilage. Both men and women have the disease. Before age 45, more men than women have osteoarthritis; after age 45, it is more common in women. It is also more likely to occur in people who are overweight and in those with jobs that stress particular joints.

As the population ages, the number of people with osteoarthritis will only grow. By 2030, 20 percent of Americans – about 72 million people – will have passed their 65th birthday and will be at high risk for the disease.

What Areas Does Osteoarthritis Affect?

Osteoarthritis most often occurs in the hands (at the ends of the fingers and thumbs), spine (neck and lower back), knees, and hips.

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis (pronounced AH-stee-oh-ar-THREYE-tis) is the most common type of arthritis and is seen especially among older people. Sometimes it is called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis.

Osteoarthritis mostly affects cartilage (pronounced KAR-til-ij), the hard but slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they meet to form a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another. It also absorbs energy from the shock of physical movement. In osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its normal shape. Also, small deposits of bone – called osteophytes or bone spurs – may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space. This causes more pain and damage.

People with osteoarthritis usually have joint pain and some movement limitations. Unlike some other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis affects only joint function and does not affect skin tissue, the lungs, the eyes, or the blood vessels.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the second most common form of arthritis, the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints, leading to pain, inflammation, and eventually joint damage and malformation. It typically begins at a younger age than osteoarthritis, causes swelling and redness in joints, and may make people feel sick, tired, and uncommonly feverish.

Arthritis : What Can I Do?

Go see a doctor. Many people use herbs or medicines that you can buy without a prescription for pain. You should tell your doctor if you do. Only a doctor can tell if you have arthritis or a related condition and what to do about it. It’s important not to wait.

You’ll need to tell the doctor how you feel and where you hurt. The doctor will examine you and may take x rays (pictures) of your bones or joints. The x rays don’t hurt and aren’t dangerous. You may also have to give a little blood for tests that will help the doctor decide what kind of arthritis you may have.

How Will the Doctor Help?

After the doctor knows what kind of arthritis you have, he or she will talk with you about the best way to treat it. The doctor may give you a prescription for medicine that will help with the pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Health insurance or public assistance may help you pay for the medicine, doctor visits, tests, and x rays.

How Should I Use Arthritis Medicine?

Before you leave the doctor’s office, make sure you ask about the best way to take the medicine the doctor prescribes. For example, you may need to take some medicines with milk, or you may need to eat something just before or after taking them, to make sure they don’t upset your stomach.

You should also ask how often to take the medicine or to put cream on the spots that bother you. Creams might make your skin and joints feel better. Sometimes, though, they can make your skin burn or break out in a rash. If this happens, call the doctor.

What If I Still Hurt?

Sometimes you might still have pain after using your medicine. Here are some things to try:

• Take a warm shower.
• Do some gentle stretching exercises.
• Use an ice pack on the sore area.
• Rest the sore joint.

If you still hurt after using your medicine correctly and doing one or more of these things, call your doctor. Another kind of medicine might work better for you. Some people can also benefit from surgery, such as joint replacement.

You Can Feel Better!

Arthritis can damage your joints, internal organs, and skin. There are things you can do to keep the damage from getting worse. They might also make you feel better:

• Try to keep your weight down. Too much weight can make your knees and hips hurt.
• Exercise. Moving all of your joints will help you. The doctor or nurse can show you how to move more easily. Going for a walk every day will help, too.
• Take your medicines when and how you are supposed to. They can help reduce pain and stiffness.
• Try taking a warm shower in the morning.
• See your doctor regularly.
• Seek information that can help you.

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Do I Have Arthritis?

Pain is the way your body tells you that something is wrong. Most types of arthritis cause pain in your joints. You might have trouble moving around. Some kinds of arthritis can affect different parts of your body. So, along with pain in your joints, you may:

• have a fever
• lose weight
• have trouble breathing
• get a rash or itch.

These symptoms may also be signs of other illnesses.

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What are the types of arthritis

There are several types of arthritis. The two most common ones are osteoarthritis (AH-stee-oh-ar-THRY-tis) and rheumatoid (ROO-mah-toyd) arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This condition usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows an injury to a joint. For example, a young person might hurt his knee badly playing soccer. Or someone might fall or be injured in a car accident. Then, years after the individual’s knee has apparently healed, he might get arthritis in his knee joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the body’s own defense system doesn’t work properly. It affects joints and bones (often of the hands and feet), and may also affect internal organs and systems. You may feel sick or tired, and you may have a fever.

Another common type of arthritis, gout, is caused by crystals that build up in the joints. It usually affects the big toe, but many other joints may be affected.

Arthritis is seen with many other conditions. These include:

• lupus (LOOP-us), in which the body’s defense system can harm the joints, the heart, the skin, the kidneys, and other organs
• an infection that gets into a joint and destroys the cushion between the bones.
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What is arthritis

Many people start to feel pain and stiffness in their bodies over time. Sometimes their hands or knees or shoulders get sore and are hard to move and may become swollen. These people may have arthritis (ar-THRY-tis). Arthritis may be caused by inflammation (in-flah-MAY-shun), of the tissue lining the joints. Some signs of inflammation include redness, heat, pain, and swelling. These problems are telling you that something is wrong.

Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Over time, in some types of arthritis but not in all, the joints involved can become severely damaged.

There are different types of arthritis. In some diseases in which arthritis occurs, other organs, such as your eyes, your chest, or your skin, can also be affected. Some people may worry that arthritis means they won’t be able to work or take care of their children and their family. Others think that you just have to accept things like arthritis.

It’s true that arthritis can be painful. But there are things you can do to feel better.

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Superfoods for Conquering the Pain of Arthritis

With good planning along with knowledge ,its very easy to make sure get the right kind of pain relief foods from your diet. Nutrient rich food can help ease pain of arthritis and with choices from virtually every food group, you will be on track to conquer the pain of arthritis. Managing arthritis starts from inside.

Salmon is among the richest sources of healthy fats, making it an ideal source of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, salmon contains calcium, vitamin D, and folate. Besides helping with arthritis, eating salmon may protect the cardiovascular system by preventing blood clots, repairing artery damage, raising levels of good cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure.

Commonly referred to as one of nature’s ‘perfect foods,’ bananas are perhaps best known for packing potassium, but they’re also good sources of arthritis-fighting vitamin B₆, folate, and vitamin C. They’re easy for your body to digest, and since they’re a great source of soluble fiber, they are an important player in your weight loss efforts, because you fell full after eating one without consuming a large number of calories.

If you are in need of vitamin C but aren’t a big fan of citrus fruits, reach for a green pepper. A single green pepper contains 176 percent of your daily needs for vitamin C — and colorful red and yellow varieties have more than double that amount. That makes them richer in C than citrus fruits, but sweet peppers are also excellent sources of vitamin B₆ and folate.

Vitamin D is a tough one to come by in foods, but shrimp fills that bill, since they have about 30 percent of the daily recommended amount in about three ounces – much more than a cup of milk. Shrimp also contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C, along with other nutrients essential for general health, including iron and vitamin B₁₂.

Hard or soft, fresh or ripened, cheese in all its variety is an excellent source of calcium for bones, and protein for muscles and other joint-supporting tissues. Cheese can be easily sliced to put on a cracker or a sandwich, grated into your favorite recipe, or eaten alongside an apple or pear for a fresh, quick snack.

Green tea contains hundreds of powerful antioxidant chemicals called polyphenols and has been cited for helping prevent problems ranging from cancer to heart disease. But studies also suggest green tea may help prevent or ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis – Are You at Risk?

At risk? I loved the word risk when I was bit younger; I was adventurous and full of life. I loved bikes, to the extend that I enjoyed all kinds of crazy tricks, but along with that came the risk of getting it wrong, the risk of breaking your bones falling from the bike and surely I did fall and broke my bones eight times. To be at risk indicates that there is a higher possibility.

Joint pain as simple as it sounds can become a crippling disability before you know. The way to access if you are at risk of having joint pain is to come to a conclusion based on various factors, which are known to contribute to the disease. Below you will find a few factors that are medically proven to increase you chance of various forms of arthritis.

Are you overweight? – The more weight you carry, the more stress you put on your joints which in turn might start disintegrating.

Have you had an injury? – Have you ever had an injury to your knee, which made you bedridden and force you to you to use crutches or require surgery?

Are you involved in high intensity physical activity? – Do you involve yourself in greater than three hours per day of heavy physical activities, such as lifting or bending or moving stuff on a regular basis?

Have you had hip problems that forced you to limp as a kid? – Although we feel that a long forgotten injury as kid is healed it might resurface again with out notice.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you might be at an increased risk. Arthritis contributes to 39 million-doctor visits leave alone half a million hospitalization. Early intervention can substantially decrease further damage and pain in the future. Remember prevention is better than cure.

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