Osteoarthritis - part 2 (March 18, 2014)
In my previous newsletter I said that if you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis from x-rays, even if the x-rays of kind of scary-looking,there isn’t really anything to worry about as long as you don't have any symptoms. However (and there is always a "however", isn't there), when you see some of these x-ray signs, they ARE a sign of past (and possibly ongoing) injury. Since injured joints degenerate faster than healthy ones, it’s probably not something you want to completely ignore.
Home care for osteoarthritis includes the application of cold packs to the painful area when there is severe pain or a new injury, heat (which most people like better than cold but which shouldn’t be applied to a severe flareup), and especially exercise. Exercise works by strengthening the muscles associated with the osteoarthritic joints -- that improves their function and helps them resist further injury. It also increases circulation to the area and otherwise assists in healthy joint maintenance and repair. Glucosamine sulfate as an anti-inflammatory and painkilling supplement is still under dispute for some reason, but it has loads of supportive evidence and I would at least try using it if you haven’t already, since there is some evidence it may slow down joint degeneration.
Take any symptoms seriously if they are severe, recurring, or if they last more than a few days at a time. Acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation of both the spine and extremities and the other modalities we use (like ultrasound and electrostimulation) can be enormously helpful in pain relief and restoration of normal function. I am so happy to see more and more good evidence supporting these treatments as more research is done.
--dr. diane holmes
Copyright © 2014
In my previous newsletter I said that if you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis from x-rays, even if the x-rays of kind of scary-looking,there isn’t really anything to worry about as long as you don't have any symptoms. However (and there is always a "however", isn't there), when you see some of these x-ray signs, they ARE a sign of past (and possibly ongoing) injury. Since injured joints degenerate faster than healthy ones, it’s probably not something you want to completely ignore.
Home care for osteoarthritis includes the application of cold packs to the painful area when there is severe pain or a new injury, heat (which most people like better than cold but which shouldn’t be applied to a severe flareup), and especially exercise. Exercise works by strengthening the muscles associated with the osteoarthritic joints -- that improves their function and helps them resist further injury. It also increases circulation to the area and otherwise assists in healthy joint maintenance and repair. Glucosamine sulfate as an anti-inflammatory and painkilling supplement is still under dispute for some reason, but it has loads of supportive evidence and I would at least try using it if you haven’t already, since there is some evidence it may slow down joint degeneration.
Take any symptoms seriously if they are severe, recurring, or if they last more than a few days at a time. Acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation of both the spine and extremities and the other modalities we use (like ultrasound and electrostimulation) can be enormously helpful in pain relief and restoration of normal function. I am so happy to see more and more good evidence supporting these treatments as more research is done.
--dr. diane holmes
Copyright © 2014