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May 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Dealing With
Osteoarthritis
You can control how you cope
with this disease
By Jamie Lober, Staff Writer
Being informed about arthritis
can save you from a lot of pain.
“Currently, Kentucky ranks fourth
in the United States with the highest prevalence of arthritis in adults,”
said Molly Young of the Arthritis
Foundation. Lifestyle may play a role
in the disease. “Much of the job force
in Kentucky is labor intensive, with
coal mining and a lot of factory and
farm work,” Young said. “We are a
heavy sports state coupled with being
a rural state and high in obesity.”
There are more than 100 forms of
arthritis, yet most physicians name
osteoarthritis as the most common.
“The cartilage that lines the surface of
the bones at the joint becomes worn,”
said Dr. Gary Crump, a rheumatologist with Rheumatology Associates.
“Often spurs form at the edge of the
joint, or what we call the margins.
The combination of the wear of the
joint and the spurs causes the joints
to not move well and be painful when
used.”
Osteoarthritis is easy to recognize.
“Symptoms include pain or stiffness
in joints after periods of inactivity or
excessive use or a grating or catching
sensation during joint movement,”
said Dr. Daksha Mehta, a rheumatologist with the Center for Arthritis
and Osteoporosis. “Osteoarthritis is
responsible for greater difficulty in
walking and stair climbing than any
other disease.”
Seeing a physician is the first step
to feeling better. “Diagnosing arthritis
is like detective work,” Crump said.
“We take a history, ask specific questions, examine you and do blood tests
that are helpful in determining which
type of arthritis you are dealing with.”
Sometimes X-rays are taken as well.
Although it cannot be cured,
osteoarthritis can be managed. “The
first therapy should be acetaminophen or Tylenol, which treats mild
to moderate pain,” said Dr. Leslie
Crofford, chief of rheumatology at
the University of Kentucky Hospital.
Other options include over-thecounter anti-inflammatories such as
ibuprofen and naproxen for swelling,
stiffness and moderate pain.
Don’t wait to schedule a visit with
your doctor. “If joint pain does not
go away for six weeks, it is time to get
evaluated,” said Crump.
Lifestyle modifications can have
a positive impact on osteoarthritis.
“Swimming is a fantastic exercise for
overall joint health,” said Dr. Ryan
Krupp, an orthopedic surgeon with
Norton Orthopedic Surgeons. “It is
very low impact because you get the
buoyancy effect of the water, which
takes gravity out of the equation and
helps loosen joints and get mobility.
The big thing is trying to work on
range of motion, keeping joints as
mobile as possible and then advancing beyond that to work on some
gentle strengthening, resistance-type
exercises.” The Arthritis Foundation
coordinates an aquatic program at
the YMCA that includes low-impact
water exercises.
Krupp says the goal is to keep the
muscles around the joints as strong
as possible. “When you have muscles
around the joint that are strong, it
tends to lighten the load on the joint
itself,” he said.
Cross training is another possibility. “It means using different kinds of
exercise that utilize different muscle
groups,” Krupp said. “A couple of days
you might swim and a couple of days
you might use an elliptical machine
or do light walking.”
Sometimes alternative therapies
are used. “Some studies show that
acupuncture may be good for osteoarthritis of the knee,” Crump said.
“Supplements like omega-3 oils and
fish oils may be helpful in taking the
edge off symptoms as well.”
Nutrition can play a role in easing
osteoarthritis symptoms. “Calcium
and vitamin D are essential for overall
bone health,” said Krupp.
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Some medications may be helpful.
“Glucosomine-conjoint and sulfate
is a combination of two compounds
that are found in cartilage and building blocks,” Krupp said. “It might
help relieve patients’ symptoms and
help overall joint health. Hyaluronic
acid can be injected into the joints
to give symptom relief as well.” Joint
replacement surgery is a last resort.
Be sure to consider your physician’s
input about which treatment is best
for your condition.
Patients may be surprised at the
emotional toll this disease can take.
Coping with it can be a challenge. “A
lot of people suffer from depression,
isolation and anger and they need
to know how to deal with the pain,”
Young said.
“When people start to deal with
arthritis, [there] is a sense of feeling
sorry [for yourself], which is a completely natural and normal reaction,”
said Dr. James Thompson, a psychologist with Pain Control Network.
“When chronic illness happens, you
do not have control over that, but
you do have control over who you are
going to be and how you are going to
be in response to that.”
Thompson’s recommendations
include walking or going to the hot
tub; keeping a positive attitude; finding a balance between independence
and dependence; and developing
social support. “Think about what
you can do rather than what you cannot do. Use strategies for relaxing like
meditation and visualization,” he said.
Make a difference by sharing
this article with a friend. “You can
empower others to improve their
quality of life through physical activity, educating themselves about the
warning symptoms of arthritis and
staying on top of their health,” said
Young.
Currently, Kentucky
ranks fourth in the
United States with
the highest prevalence of arthritis in
adults.”
— Molly Young,
Arthritis Foundation