Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is also known as degenerative joint disease. In this form of arthritis, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones that connect at the joint wears away, exposing the bone and causing pain. This condition may also involve a decrease in the amount of joint fluid, called synovial fluid, that cushions the joint, as well as changes in the ligaments and muscles that stabilize the joint.

What is primary osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis in its primary stage has no directly identifiable cause but is often posited as one of those diseases associated with aging. Scientific research indicates that chances for osteoarthritis become higher as one ages. This is because as one ages, water accumulates in the joints thereby affecting cartilage protein structure. As a result, cartilages in joints degenerate until eventually they become brittle and breakdown.

Osteoarthritis - Cause

Excess weight puts extra strain on the joints, particularly the large weight-bearing joints, such as the knees, hips, and balls of the feet. Experts estimate that every 1 lb (0.5 kg) of body weight means at least 3 lb (1.4 kg) of stress at the knee joint, and even more at the hip joint. Studies show that weight loss can decrease the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis or the chances of developing those symptoms.

Osteoarthritis is caused by two main reasons: 1) Trauma to the joints and/or 2) a predominantly alkaline body chemistry. If you were to sustain a trauma to a given joint and that body part sustained misalignment and damage; eventually that joint will wear out if specific measures are not taken.

Associated diseases: the presence of other associated diseases, infections, diabetes, and various other forms of circulating arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout

Genetics: having a family history of osteoarthritis or congenital defects of joints, spine, or leg abnormalities

Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Joint pain in rainy weather

Deep aching joint pain that gets worse after exercise or putting weight on it and is relieved by rest

Bony enlargements and osteophyte formation

Crepitus (crackling, grinding noise with movement)

Joint effusion (swelling)

Diagnosis

Osteoarthritis is often able to be diagnosed by its characteristic symptoms of pain, decreased movement and/or deformity. Osteoarthritis can be confirmed with an x-ray. Common x-ray findings include narrowing of the joint space between bones, a loss of cartilage and bone spurs or bone growths.

Blood tests may be used to exclude other possible conditions but they cannot diagnose osteoarthritis.

Treatment for osteoarthritis

Acetaminophen (Tylenol): has been shown to be as effective as nonsteroidal medication in treating the pain of knee osteoarthritis. Individuals should keep their dose of acetaminophen to under 2000 mg a day as higher doses could cause kidney disease.

Although there is little evidence for the effectiveness of complementary therapies in treating osteoarthritis, 60 percent of people with all forms of arthritis have used or are using one type or another. If you have severe side-effects as a result of medication, you may find acupuncture or reflexology helpful in relieving pain.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/osteoarthritis-causes-symptoms-and-treatment-648948.html

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As horses grow older and exercise less, weight gain and natural joint deterioration can lead to osteoarthritis. Eventually horses suffering from osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, can become lame. This doesn't have to be the norm. Keeping a horse flexible and active by using horse joint supplements can do wonders to improve a horse's overall health and quality of life.

Horse Joint Supplements- Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Recognizing osteoarthritis is an important part of the treatment process. Failing to treat a horse quickly can result in additional damage that can often only be cured by surgery.  Horse owners should begin looking for osteoarthritis symptoms when a horse is near 15 years old, or has led an unusually active life that required a lot of conditioning and joint usage. Horses that have experienced injuries can also be at risk.

The first sign of osteoarthritis is a gradually deteriorating performance. A horse will start having trouble doing the most simple activities, or exercises they usually performed with ease.  As the condition worsens a horse will start displaying stiffness after they wake up or attempt to walk after standing still for a long period of time. Swelling that does not go away will be the most pronounced sign of osteoarthritis, and if the swelling is hot to the touch a condition more serious than osteoarthritis may be present requiring immediate veterinary attention.

What Joints Are Affected

Often people who are not familiar with, or have limited experience with, horses and their medical conditions believe that a horses knee joints (stifle) are the only joints affected by osteoarthritis.  In reality, a horses knees are very rarely affected by osteoarthritis.  In reality, the ankles (hacks) are the joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis along with pastern and coffin joins.  This is because of the stress that is caused by athletic training and daily use. Proper shoeing, weight management, and a healthy diet can slow joint deterioration; but even these preventative measures alone are not always enough. Medication will eventually become a necessity as your horse begins experiencing pain and unrelieved swelling.

Why Horse Joint Supplements- Why Use Horse Joint Supplements

Anti-inflammatory medications are usually prescribed by veterinarians treating osteoarthritis. The problem with this is the fact that these medications are not usually safe for long-term use. Although prescriptions may provide short-term relief, they do nothing to heal the actual problem. On the other hand, our horse joint supplements are completely safe and deal with the root of the issue.

When combined with a nutritional diet, our horse joint supplements can help prevent osteoarthritis or slow joint deterioration that has already occurred.  Horse joint supplements also improve a horse's circulation, which speeds tissue recovery.  Most importantly, our horse joint supplements relieve pain, which will allow your horse to remain active during the healing process.

Bottom line? Horse joint supplements can help increase your horse's years of overall health and quality of life. Isn't that what we all want for those who trust us for their care? Here are some horse joint supplements!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/horse-joint-supplements-for-osteoarthritis-4934763.html

Equiform Nutrition has been a leader in horse supplements and natural equine health for the past century. We offer a complete range of horse supplements, including vitamin and mineral supplements, anti-anxiety aids, horse joint supplements and other products especially created to support performance.

We create our supplements using the most rigid standards of production and the highest quality and purest ingredients. We never use banned substances, so you can use our supplements with the confidence of knowing you are within regulations  with horses running under rule.

Check our horse joint supplements, as well as our immune range, our performance range, breeding supplements, hoof health line, and our other health specialty formulas.

Early on-set osteoarthritis?!, I'm too busy for that to happen to me!

I am a 32 year old mother of 3 beautiful girls. Shyanne-15, Kayla-4, Jessica-2. have recently been diagnosed with EARLY ON-SET OSTEOARTHRITIS. In the summer of 2008, I was expecting my third child. I was about 6 months along in my pregnancy when my right knee started causing me discomfort. I figured it must be pain from all of the weight I was carrying, not only was I in my third trimester-but obese as well.

As the pregnancy progressed the pain in my right leg became very uncomfortable, and irritating. I was really eager to deliver my girl, and gave birth August 25, 2008. She was early by almost 4 weeks, and weighed 5lbs-7ounces. She was admitted to the NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit). Pre-mature babies are nurtured 24/7 on the unit, to gain weight and be observed for any health concerns when babies are born pre-mature.

With all of the hustle and bustle of bringing a newborn home, I had forgotten about my sore leg. Since my pregnancy was over, and my leg was still bothering me-I decided to go get an x-ray. I went to Thunder Bay Regional Hospital-Emergency Department, to try to get some answers and some relief. I saw the doctor on call in the emergency department, and explained that my knee had been aching/irritated for about a year. Letting him know that the reason I had let it go on so long was because I assumed it was pregnancy related and would subside. The doctor ordered x-rays for my right knee. He came back to see me 3 hours later, to tell me that my knee was fine. He prescribed me an anti-inflamitory, and warned me that I MUST lose weight. This is nothing I hadn't heard before.

I have been on the heavy side my whole life, ranging anywhere from 170lbs-315lbs at different stages in my life. At that time I was sitting at about 200lbs., post-partum. I go on with a constant ache in the leg, and a limp developing that I found humiliating. I go down in weight by 20-25 lbs., and absolutly no relief.

Having no family doctor was also presenting a huge problem for me. My family doctor passed away in May of 2006, I was lucky enough to be working with an amazing nurse practitioner after that, named Vivian Jonston. When went on to work on the trauma unit of our new hospital, Thunder Bay Regional and left her office. I was again without a doctor. It has taken me over a year to even hear of a doctor taking patients. Thankfully I have just now found one, and it is Sept. 2010.

Winter of 2009 rolls around and the leg pain takes me back to the emergency. It is a constant ache running between my knee and upper leg area. This time I am blessed with a very good doctor who offers me a conclusive diagnosis for my leg pain. The pain feels deep and aches almost like a toothache or headache. After x-rays on my right knee, femur, and hip come back the doctor has much to tell me. He explains that when the pain started it was what he called "deffered pain" it was coming from the hip, but I was feeling it in the knee area.

I must describe for you what the x-ray looked like to my completely untrained eye. In front of me were 3 different positions, one of them a comparative of my left hip area-which is strong and healthy and another of my right hip which was damaged. When looking at the two pictures of my hip/femur the left side was solid white bone, the right side was a white outline and a foggy/grey looking inside. He diagnosed me with Early on-set Osteoarthritis of the right hip and femur. My joints are so badly damaged, hip replacement was nessesary. I was in awe, a hip replacement is huge!

On my way home a million thoughts are running through my mind. I am recently out of a very abusive relationship, I am raising my girls on my own, I have been told yet again, that I MUST lose weight. I am not looking for an excuse as to why I can't exercise, but everything hurts! My daughter has begun to call me fat and lazy. I will admit that being in constant irritation/pain makes a person less willing to do those day to day chores that used to get done. I have no support in order for when I do have the surgery. I will also require 4-6 months of rehabilitation, when the new hip is healed and ready to go. The rehab will be intense and daily, as I will need to learn how to walk again. I am very concerned that walking around with such a noticeable limp is going to damage my back or the joints on my left side.

I have been very lucky most of my life to have had great health! I was one of those people who was never sick, I have never broken a bone, I was active and physical...I can only wish for that kind of mobility again. My self esteen has suffered immensly. My sex life has become non-existant. I am left unable to get down and "play rough" with my girls. I will never take my health for granted again. I am now working a lowfat diet, and have purchased a recumbant bike to use in moderation to help burn some calories. My whole family has taken to a heathier way of eating, and I so glad. I am really scared about my up-coming surgery, and am praying to have my leg back. I would love to be able to throw on a pair of heeled boots like I used to and STROLL downtown. Maybe I will find my Mr; Right on my travels

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/womens-health-articles/early-on-set-osteoarthritis-i-am-way-too-busy-for-this-true-story-of-my-struggle-with-osteoarthritis-symptoms-diagosis-obstacles-and-resolution-3416079.html

I am 32 years old.  I am just recently out of a terribly abusive relationship, and have 3 beautiful girls.  My girls are 15, 4, and 2.  As you can imagine I am VERY busy!  I have been diagnosed with early on-set osteoarthritis, and am awaiting hip replacement surgery.  I have always had a deep love for words.  I graduated highschool and went on to college, scoring above average marks in English, literature, creative-writing and anything else involving the use of words.  I have some incredible stories to tell, some might say unbelieveable.  I will ease my way into that, but am incredibly happy that I am at a point in my life where I am dying to tell my story.  This article on my personal struggle with osteoarthritis is the first of many, many more.  My writing style is very descriptive, and always true.  I write it as I lived it, raw and real.  Thank you for taking the time to read this article and I promise there is much to come.

Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of arthritis mainly seen in old aged people. This article mainly emphasizes on the major symptoms and natural treatments for osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis Symptoms
1. Pain in the form of sharp ache or burning sensation
2. Inflexibility or stiffness of joint
3. Swelling
4. Crepitus or cracking noise while moving the affected joint.
5. Muscle spasm
6. Tendon contraction
7. The affected joint may appear larger than usual.
8. Tenderness at joints
9. Joint effusion due to accumulation of excess fluids within an affected joint.
10. Hard bony enlargements in smaller joints due to osteoarthritis.

Natural Treatments of Osteoarthritis

Medications like Acetaminophen, nonsteroidal pain reducing drugs like aspirin, naproxen, ketoprofen, and ibuprofen are usually recommended for treating osteoarthritis. Glucosamine sulfate supplements are also being prescribed these days. Such supplements increase production of cartilage and have anti-inflammatory properties. If symptoms become too debilitating, one can also opt for joint replacement surgery. However apart from medication and surgery, it is also possible to manage osteoarthritis symptoms by changing life style and diet. Pain management can be done through several home based remedies. Here are some ways to tackle osteoarthritis naturally.

1. Regular exercise, yoga and breathing exercises are very necessary for osteoarthritis patients. Exercise not only reduces joint stiffness, but also strengthens muscles and promotes the growth of cartilages. Range of motion exercises and aerobics should be done by osteoarthritis patients. Breathing exercises relax mind and relieve stress. But high impact sports are to be shunned, for they will only cause further wearing out of damaged joints.

2. Massage therapy is very helpful to treat arthritis. Massaging should be done through smooth strokes and kneading. Massaging reduces muscle spasm and stiffness, improves blood circulation, and eliminates wastes like lactic acid from the joints. Rumatone Gold massage oil, Castor oil, olive oil, mustard oil or hot vinegar may be used for massaging ailing joints.

3. Sea bathing is effective for painful joints. The iodine rich sea water restores and regenerates damaged tissues.

4. Diet should be nutritious and should include antioxidants, Vitamin C, D and E, minerals like Calcium, omega3 fatty acids. Such a diet would keep bones strong and healthy. Thus oily fishes like tuna, salmons, herring, sardines, and mackerel are very useful for osteoarthritis patients. Patients should avoid consuming food items of the nightshade group such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Red meat is to be strictly avoided. Also orange juice should be avoided, for it acts as a stimulant for osteoarthritis pain. Food cooked in flaxseed oil is very helpful for osteoarthritis patients.

5. Herbal tea like that of alfalfa, ginger can relieve patients from swollen and painful joints.

6. The patient should keep the body weight in check by means of exercise and dieting.

7. Hot compress and warm wax application on the affected area may relieve pain.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/osteoarthritis-symptoms-natural-treatments-and-remedies-3351944.html

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