Arthritis Pain Relief

Posts Tagged ‘Osteo Arthritis’

by Susan NYC

Osteo-Arthritis, Coping With This Crippling Illness

Many people would associate arthritis with the start of senior years. Although aged folks may are afflicted by arthritis, it isn’t merely the elderly who’re suffering from arthritis. Many young folks, including some in their teens suffer the pain of some kind of arthritis. Dictionaries define arthritis to be an inflammatory reaction of the joints because of infectious, metabolic, or constitutional causes. Obviously that can include many different factors that cause this illness.

Arthritis is swelling in the joints and also the cartilage in the joints; furthermore it is an ongoing, degenerative illness. This really is probably just about the most difficult factors of the disease to deal with: although today could be painful, the near future will quite possibly only be more painful.

You will find a lot more than one hundred various kinds of arthritis. Two of the most popular types are osteoarthritis, a result of the wear and tear exerted on the joints through a lifetime and rheumatoid arthritis, caused by an autoimmune response in your body. Osteoarthritis is an arthritis linked to growing older. This is actually the version of arthritis that many people think about when referring to arthritis. When it comes to rheumatoid arthritis, one’s body is tricked into acting as though there was contamination inside the joint. Consequently there is swelling, inflammation and pain in that joint because the body tries to fight the phantom contamination.

The most typical medical treatment offered to arthritis patients are NSAID’s or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. The downside with these drugs is that they can cause irritation in the digestive tract plus some researchers believe might make the deterioration of the joints more serious.

Other remedies for arthritis include using Glucosamine Sulfate, turmeric and fish oils. Numerous studies have recommended that glucosamine aids you to develop cartilage and thus repair damages done to joints both from wear and tear as well as arthritis. Turmeric, a yellowish spice utilized in curries and prepared mustard, possesses anti-inflammatory characteristics. One of many compounds in turmeric that’s so helpful, called curcumin, are available in capsule form. Fish oils, particularly EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), assist to fight inflammation. In addition, as omega-3 essential fatty acids, they help with overall health of your body.

Dealing with arthritis is definitely an ongoing process, considering the fact that arthritis can worsen with time. Obviously two priorities exist with this coping effort; to help the person handle the pain and to aid them in living as independently as it can be. The problem of coping with pain will be part of the therapeutic process, using either pain medication and/or alternative methods. Some arthritis gets so bad that surgery is needed to fix the joints involved. As far as sustaining independence is concerned, effective therapy will assist. If attempts to control the arthritis don’t work, a plan to adjust to limited mobility is necesary.

Just about any degenerative sickness like arthritis is often a real challenge for the health of the person experiencing it. Not just is the arthritis an unpleasant and crippling illness to begin with; but exercise, something that is essential for maintaining a proper weight in addition cardiovascular health, can become almost impossible. Although seeking a cure to an arthritic condition might be laudable, a far more effective strategy could be to aim at reducing the pain, healing what may be healed and planning to maintain independent living as long as possible. A cure will be wonderful, but understanding how to cope with arthritis for the time being is advisable.

Histopathology Bone–Osteoarthritis, subchondral cyst

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by halfwaytoconcord

Total hip replacement for young and active patients

More & more young & active patients world wide are in need of hip replacement surgery. In such cases, it is imperative to pay special attention to the technique to ensure a successful outcome & longevity of the operation.

Traditionally a total hip replacement was performed in the older age group.

Young patients with hip pain either had to endure pain or subject themselves to a total hip replacement with its inherent disadvantages of dislocation and life span of 10 to 15 years.

Now, recent advances in bio- materials and techniques have made it possible for young patients to get a satisfactory & successful outcome after a hip arthroplasty.

Definition of a young patient- The deciding factor is not necessarily the patient’s age, but their activity level. Even many older patients like to play Tennis, Golf or participate in physical activity. This applies also to anyone who can be expected to live for a long time, is biologically (not chronologically) young and has good bone quality. Today even septuagenarians meet these pre requisites. Surgeons have to re think their conventional strategy of putting in a total hip with a metal on poly bearing. Resurfacing also poses several un answered questions and cannot be considered as a panacea.

Causes leading to hip pain in young patients-

Avascular necrosis is the leading cause leading to hip arthritis followed by developmental dysplasia of the hip. Perthes disease, slipped upper femoral epiphyses, sickle cell disease and post traumatic arthritis are other causes leading to the common outcome of secondary osteo-arthritis. In middle and older Caucasian patients, Primary osteoarthritis is the commonest cause of hip pain.

Limitations of hip resurfacing

Off late, hip resurfacing has been vigorously promoted on the internet as a possible & preferred treatment. However there are some inherent un answered problems with hip resurfacing. Elevated metal ion levels, metal allergy, metallosis are some of the side effects of metal on metal hip resurfacing.  The long term impact of raised metal ion levels is unknown.  Females in all age groups are high risk candidates because of the risk of fertility curbs in young & femoral neck fracture in the older. However the attraction of a hip resurfacing drives many females to ignore these risks and choose a hip resurfacing.

Dr.Venkatchalam of www.hipsurgery.in discusses an alternate bone sparing safe approach in young & active patients. These approaches combine the advantages of a hip resurfacing and total hip replacement.

Why do you prefer the short stem?

The various short stem prostheses like the Proxima hip & METHA combine the advantages of resurfacing & THR.

On the acetabular side a full range of options is available to the surgeon.

The force transfer in the femur is more proximal and more biological. Lack of a distal stem component eliminates the incidence of thigh pain. In addition these implants open up the vast range of bio materials available.

All biomaterial combinations like metal on metal, metal on poly, ceramic on poly, ceramic on ceramic are possible. These promise excellent longevity. If a revision becomes necessary, then one can switch to a standard stem. Some of these models like the METHA hip make it possible for the surgeon to tailor the implant to the individual’s anatomy.

What other innovations can you use to ensure a proper implant positioning?

Navigation allows the surgeon to place the implant in the optimal position.

What are the special considerations in Asian patients?

Dysplasia and osteo necrosis constitute the most common indications for total hip replacement in India & Asia. Primary osteo-arthritis is rare.

Moreover these patients are younger and more active. Their social and religious habits such as sitting with crossed legs dictate to the surgeon that he must use a prosthesis which provides a large range of movement. Risk of dislocation has to be reduced. Anatomic differences also exist. All these variables require a special implant concept and very wear resistant materials with a large diameter.

To summarize, treatment of hip arthritis in the young poses a challenge to surgeons and scientists. Hip resurfacing while offering a possible solution has some draw backs. Short stem prostheses with newer bio materials promise to overcome these deficiencies and offer a long lasting surgical outcome.

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by sponng

Taking Cat Arthritis Seriously

Cats are incredibly agile. They have an amazing sense of balance and they always land on their feet no matter how they started to fall. They also have a unique bone structure that allows them to absorb shocks from any impact. That is, the forelegs of a cat are not attached by bone to the rest of its skeleton. Yet, with all these wonderful attributes, cats can still suffer from arthritis.

There are two identified forms of arthritis in cats.

1. Traumatic Arthritis – It is an injury acquired in a split second due to a strong impact. Such impact may come from an unseen moving car, a vicious fight against other cats, or a clumsy fall. Even with the cat’s famed gracefulness, a cat can still topple down or make an awkward plunge.

2. Osteo-arthritis – It is occurs mostly in the joints found in the shoulders and elbows. The possible causes of this form of arthritis are repeated traumatic arthritis, previous bone fractures, and joint dislocations. These causes have made the cat’s joint more sensitive and prone to painful inflammation.

The arthritis of a cat must be taken seriously. When an owner suspects that his cat has arthritis, the pet should be taken immediately to the vet. To determine if a cat has either the osteo-arthritis or the traumatic kind, the owner must look for these two unmistakable signs:

· Joints that are either protruding or bulging

· A painful limping or stiffness displayed by the cat, even though the limping seems to disappear for awhile.

When brought to the vet, the cat will be examined and x-rayed to accurately diagnose the arthritis. Then, certain treatments will be conducted in order to save the cat and prevent the worsening of the arthritis. Some of these treatments are the following:

· Medications that bring down the inflammation – Most of these medications are simple painkillers that remove any limp or stiffness that the cat may be displaying. But the effects are short-term and these do not cure the arthritis. Such medications are usually taken together with other measures such as an exercise program and a weight control program. The most common of such medications is the Glucosamine.

· Weight control program – This refers to the diet that must be followed by the cat. An overweight problem will compound and worsen the arthritis. Thus any medication given will have no significant effect if the cat is overweight.

· Exercise program – Making a cat follow an exercise program can be a real challenge for the owner. But the owner must persevere in persuading the cat to wake up and move around, instead of allowing it to indulge in sleeping.

· Surgical operation – A cat, especially with an injury or traumatic arthritis, may need to undergo surgery so that healing can progress in a proper manner.

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