UNDERSTANDING OSTEOARTHRITIS
DOES IT GIVE US A CLUE FOR WHAT TO DO WITH I?
Notes being developed as the arthritis is built dealt with. Consult your doctor to see what to do. Do not take this as advice, it is only notes and information
Rheumatoid arthritis is beyond the scope of these note.
A progressive, degenerate joint "disease" characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage. Arthritis is the word used to describe inflammation of a joint
The joints most often affected are in the knees, hips, lower back, neck and hands.
Cartilage pads the ends of the bones in the joints. When it deteriorates, the padding toughens and causes irritation. It can deteriorate to the point where the bones in the joints are rubbing against each other. This damaging effect results in the painful condition suffered by arthritics.
Stress on the joints
Osteoarthritis is a condition once thought to be due simply to wear and tear on the cartilage of a joint. Osteoarthritis is now known to be a complex process that involves an active disease process.
repetitive movements with particular joints. Muscle weakness from other diseases or obesity can put more pressure on the joints to develop osteoarthritis. Sports using one side of the body and actually weak muscles on one side can help to cause it. My sciatica condition, although my nerves never hurt, causes a muscle weakness on the right side, where I eventually had to quit playing tennis (which contributed to my condition) and skiing (which is, of course, not lopsided use of the body.
Joint replacement surgery may be recommended in some cases. Rest when pain or inflammation occurs is recommended in the early stages of the disease. Moderate exercise may help in strengthening the muscles around the joints. Losing weight may also be a recommendation to lower the stress on the knees or hips. Pain creams and lotions or heat and cold packs are also used to relieve pain.
exercise, weight management and the avoidance of joint injury can go a long way in helping to prevent OA.
DIAGNOSIS IN MY SITUATION
arthritis has cause the narrowing of the nerve canals in the spine, so that you are more likely to have the nerves rub against the sides. A sheath can be seen to be less where that is the case, so there is less protection.
In the joints the doc says chondroitin could be helpful, but he knows of nothing that helps the other areas.
Also, the compression of the disks L-4 and L-5 in the front of the disks is due to posture and that I need to maintain a very straight up posture with a flattened back with much stronger core muscles around that.
Try to avoid leaning forward. Use a back brace if doing any activities that would put undue weight not supporting adequately by muscled on joints.
So it would appear that the key problem with arthritis would be to keep from rubbing the nerves against the sides. Good posture will help from compressing the disks in the front. (I also bought, finally, some computer glasses, so I am not tempted to lean forward!)
The diagnosis was that it was about average for my age or maybe a little more.
NERVE PAIN
Other than assuring that I don't rub my nerves against the sides of the canal, it may be helpful to use one of two medications. Both pharmacists for each medication said that there is no anti-inflammatory or therapeautic effect of the medicine. It is just for the pain. However, the spine doc said there was an antiinflammatory effect especially for the nerves.
TAKING ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES
No professiona has warned against taking too much ibuprofen... Such medicine is recommended as eliminating the inflamation gets rid of some chemicals that are bad for you. They relieve pain from the inflammation, not from nerves (as I understand it).
AVOID HIGH IMPACT, BUT DO EXERCISE
No running, but exercising in a pool is excellent. Walking on a treadmill may be ok.
