Can you answer JosephA’s question about Arthritis?:

I’ve heard that rheumatoid arthritis almost always starts in the fingers and causing visible swelling and redness. In terms of fingers, is it possible for a person with RA to just have stiffness and pain in the fingers with little to no swelling? Also, how often do people with Juvenile RA recover?

Arthritis Treatment For Hands

Can you answer pfr305’s question about Arthritis?:

I am only 23 but I have had a knee injury since a year ago off and on and now I am experiencing osteoarthritis symptoms. (stiffness in the knee joint in the morning followed by pain of and on during the day) Could these symptoms be caused by something else or do I have arthritis already?

Alternative Therapy For Arthritis

Leena woke up to find her knees wobbly. It was painful for her to stretch her leg for a minute. Then she became okay. This had become a daily phenomenon and Leena decided to consult her Doctor. The Doctor asked her to get her X-ray done for the knee joint. The diagnosis: Osteoarthritis.

Being a member of an orthodox joint family, Savithri, aged 48, had to have her meals seated on the ground along with all her family members. Of late, however, Savithri was finding it extremely difficult to sit cross legged on the ground. Her leg refused to straighten up while rising from the seated posture. After a few seconds of discomfort, she would straighten her leg very slowly and then get up. Savithri consulted her family physician, and again the diagnosis: Osteoarthritis.

Vinita, a teacher by profession, around 45 years of age, found that she was taking more time to cut vegetables in the morning. It was due to a nagging pain at the end of her thumb. The flexibility of her finger joint was gradually being affected, resulting in slowing down of her actions. An X-ray report on the advice of her doctor revealed slight inflammation of the finger joint. Again a type of osteoarthritis was the diagnosis.

All these are not isolated cases. The incidence of osteoarthritis in India is as high as approximately 12 percent. Upto the age of 50, it occurs equally in both sexes. Above 50 however, more and more number of women seem to suffer from this disease. The possible reason for this could be the menopausal age group of the women.

How does one know that one is suffering from the beginning stages of osteoarthritis?

According to medical experts, there are some warning signs. An onset of pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling around a joint that lasts for more than 2 weeks could indicate the onset of the disease. If you experience persistent pain, you should definitely consult the doctor.

What exactly is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects joints in the body. It can involve any joint, but usually concerns hands and weight-bearing joints such as hips, knees, feet and spine. Cartilage is the tough elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones. In healthy joints, cartilage acts as a shock absorber when you put weight on the joint. The slippery surface of the cartilage allows the bones to move smoothly. When a joint develops osteoarthritis the cartilage gradually becomes rough and thin, and the bone

underneath thickens. With the passage of time the bones may form bumps called spurs on their ends.

What is the exact cause of osteoarthritis?

The exact cause of osteoarthritis is as yet unknown. But there are some indicatory factors like the incidence of the disease seems to increase with advancing age, probably due to wear and tear of the joints. The excess weight in obese people puts strain on the weight bearing joints such as hips and knees and could be a contributory factor to getting the disease. Even a previous injury which has not completely healed and subsequent overuse of that particular joint could lead to osteoarthritis after a prolongued period of time. Heredity could also be one of the causes.

What can be done to lessen the pain?

Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, a lot can be done to cope with the pain and discomfort the disease brings along with it. As we all know, excess weight puts extra stress on the weight-bearing joints, especially the knees and hips. The good news is losing weight, even just 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms), can help prevent osteoarthritis in your knees. Even if you have osteoarthritis in your knees, losing weight can make you feel better.

Take care of your joints. You may be 30, 40 or 50 years of age. It does not matter. Now is the time to decrease that excess weight and reduce the strain on your knee joints. Exercising is a must if you are suffering from osteoarthritis. Non usage of a joint could lead to weakening of the muscles around the affected joint resulting in more pain. However never do exercises without consulting a doctor or a physiotherapist. They are trained for this specifically, and they could teach you the correct exercises as necessitated by your condition. The only exercises you can start on your own are the light impact ones like walking and swimming which do not put unnecessary strain on your joints.

What exercises are advocated for afflicted patients?

A physiotherapist can teach you strengthening exercises which will improve muscle tone and strength which in turn will stabilize and protect the affected joints and reduce the pain. He or she could also show you a range of motion exercises which will help to maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness in the said joint.

Advice for a patient regarding change in his lifestyle:

You can do certain things to modify your daily workload at home. Plan your tasks in a paced manner, and alternate between heavy and light tasks, so that you give your leg and hand muscles ample rest between jobs. Use the stronger joints to carry loads and do not hold in the same position for long.

For example, you can use a shoulder bag to carry vegetables or provisions instead of a hand held one but remember to change the shoulder you carry it on every few minutes so that you do not strain the muscles of one shoulder unnecessarily.

Luggage carts, grocery carts and use of movable shelves do relieve the stress on our limbs. The kitchen gadgets like microwave ovens and food processors can also make our lives slightly easier. So why not make optimum use of them. Taking a hot shower can sometimes do wonders for our aching bodies. We all know that. The same hot shower can relieve pain in our knees or hips too. Heat applied to an arthritic area can reduce pain, stiffness and muscle spasm. It promotes blood circulation, which nourishes and detoxifies muscle fibers. You should not apply heat to an inflamed joint though. Ice packs can be applied to injuries and inflamed joints, as cold applied to inflamed joints reduces pain and swelling by constricting blood flow.

When is surgery recommended?

Surgery is and has to be the last resort. One of your joints may digress to a point where surgery could be indicated. Again there are different types of surgery performed on osteoarthritis patients. The surgeon may just recommend a minor surgery to clean out cartilage debris from the joints. This is more so in case of knee joints. This is called arthroscopic surgery and is generally performed as an outpatient surgery. When the joint is really badly damaged then a joint replacement surgery, a major surgery is called for. This is generally recommended for hip and knee joints. Replacement surgery does relieve pain and can restore your ability to move your joints and function normally. Artificial joints can last 10-20 years before they require replacement, which is why this type of surgery is delayed until it is clearly necessary.

There is a tendency among osteoarthritis patients especially women above 50, to feel helpless and depressed. Try not to give in to this feeling. Knowing about the disease and learning how to cope with it in daily life can reduce your helplessness, and give you an impetus to lead a full and normal life.



Thanks to Lalitha Balasubramanian for contributing this article to our Arthritis blog:

Alternative Treatments For Arthritis

More than 21 million Americans have osteoarthritis. Approximately 2.1 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to degenerative arthritis), abnormal metabolism (such as gout and pseudogout), inheritance (such as in osteoarthritis), infections (such as in the arthritis of Lyme disease), and an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus). Treatment programs, when possible, are often directed toward the precise cause of the arthritis.

If joint pain, swelling, stiffness, redness, loss of motion or deformity occurs, medical evaluation by a health-care professional is warranted. Even minor joint symptoms that persist unexplained for over one week should be evaluated. For many forms of arthritis, it is essential that patients have an early evaluation as it is clear that this can both prevent damage and disability as well as make optimal treatment easier.

Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two bones meet. A joint functions to allow movement of the body parts it connects. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints. Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia.

Arthritis is classified as one of the rheumatic diseases. These are conditions that are different individual illnesses, with differing features, treatments, complications, and prognosis. They are similar in that they have a tendency to affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons, and many have the potential to affect internal body areas as well.

There are many forms of arthritis (over 100 have been described so far, and the number is growing). The forms range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with inflammation as a result of an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many forms of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States.

For many patients with arthritis, mild pain relievers such as aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be sufficient treatment. Studies have shown that acetaminophen given in adequate doses can often be equally as effective as prescription anti-inflammatory medications in relieving pain in osteoarthritis.

Since acetaminophen has fewer gastrointestinal side effects than NSAIDS, especially among elderly patients, acetaminophen is often the preferred initial drug given to patients with osteoarthritis. Pain-relieving creams applied to the skin over the joints can provide relief of minor arthritis pain. Examples include capsaicin, salycin, methyl salicylate, and menthol.

Arthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults. Approximately 350 million people worldwide have arthritis. Over 40 million people in the United States are affected by arthritis, including over a quarter million children! More than half of those with arthritis are under 65 years of age. Nearly 60% of Americans with arthritis are women.

Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be present. Loss of range of motion and deformity can result. Certain forms of arthritis can also be associated with pain and inflammation of tendons surrounding joints.

Some forms of arthritis are more of an annoyance than a serious medical problem. However, millions of people suffer daily with pain and disability from arthritis or its complications.

Moreover, many of the forms of arthritis, because they are rheumatic diseases, can cause symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not directly involve the joints. Therefore, symptoms in some patients with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever, gland swelling, weight loss, fatigue, feeling unwell, and even symptoms from abnormalities of organs such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys.

The treatment of arthritis depends on which particular form of arthritis is present, its location, severity, persistence, and any underlying background medical conditions of the patient. Each treatment program must be customized for the individual patient.

Treatment programs can incorporate home remedies, nonprescription and prescription medications, joint injections, and surgical operations. Some treatment programs involve weight reduction and avoiding activities that exert excessive stress on the joint. The goal of treatment of arthritis is to reduce joint pain and inflammation while preventing damage and improving and maintaining joint function.

Not every person with arthritis requires medical attention. For example, some patients with osteoarthritis have minimal or no pain and may not need treatment. However, for those with persisting joint symptoms, the ideal steps to take should lead to a proper diagnosis and an optimal long-term treatment plan. This plan must be customized for each person affected, depending on the joints involved and the severity of symptoms.

Surgery is generally reserved for those patients with arthritis that is particularly severe and unresponsive to the conservative treatments. Surgical procedures can be performed to relieve pain, improve function, and correct deformity. Occasionally, joint tissue is surgically removed for the purpose of biopsy and diagnosis. Doctors who specialize in joint surgery are orthopedic surgeons.

Currently, prevention of arthritis focuses on avoiding joint injury and early diagnosis and treatment. Research clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis and treatment can result in less damage, deformity, disability, and even mortality in rheumatoid disease.

The treatment of rheumatoid disease is not only more effective but easier when administered early.

Additionally, maintaining overall good health and strength with exercise and good nutrition can be helpful in preventing joint disease.



Thanks to Alisha Dhamani for contributing this article to our Arthritis blog:

Natural Arthritis Pain Relief

Can you answer blanchardchristina’s question about Arthritis?:

I have been exercising at the gym for a week now and everyday I have joint pain and general body pain. I have had to take Liquid Advil but don’t want to make it a habit. Is there something I can add to my diet, certain foods, etc that will help me work my way out of the pain?

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