Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world. Although there is no cure, here are some suggestions on how to treat it naturally.
By Dawn Flemming
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. In fact, most people over the age of 60 have the disease. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease (or more specifically, inflammation) that mostly affects middle age and elderly people. However, it is also common among younger people but this is mostly due to stress related exercise. One of the most common forms of osteoporosis and the osteoporosis of the neck (also known as cervical spondylosis). Around 85% of people over 60 are afflicted with the disease.
Put in a different way, osteoarthritis is a wear and tear disease that comes through physical strain of the joints and aging. The most common symptom of the disease is stiffness, or morning stiffness. It may also have the following symptoms:
Deep, aching pain in the joint
Difficulty dressing or combing hair
Difficulty gripping objects
Difficulty sitting or bending over
Fatigue
Joint is warm to touch
Morning stiffness
Pain when walking
Stiffness after resting
Swelling of the joint
Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are ways to treat it. The following are three ways you can treat osteoarthritis:
Exercise
Gentle exercise and wait lifting is ideal for repairing cartilage. Studies have shown how gentle weight lifting can help repair knee cartilage that has been strained over the years.
Look at what Every Day Health Has to Say:
“Cartilage is like a sponge that needs exercise to bring nutrients into it to keep it healthy,” says Gurjit S. Kaeley, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the division of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville.
Weight Loss
Obesity has been linked to chronic inflammatory diseases in many studies. Osteoarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Adipokine, which is a substance in fat, has been associated with higher rates of inflammation in the body. A 2016 study illustrated how restriction in calorie intake correlated with less inflammation in the body.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Naturally, eating anti-inflammatory foods can also be very helpful. Every Day Health summarizes it as follows:
Research has identified a number of foods that can reduce inflammation and swelling — the cause of much of the pain associated with osteoarthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids appear to play a role in controlling inflammation and improving wound and joint healing, which might slow the progression of osteoarthritis, according to research published in November 2015 in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
The Arthritis Foundation states that following a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes plenty of vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats, could help reduce inflammation and be a treatment for osteoarthritis.
In summary, exercise (weight lifting), calorie restriction and eating a healthy anti-inflammatory diet can be helpful in treating and easing osteoarthritis.
Make sure to talk to your doctor before attempting anything. What may be good for some may be dangerous for others.
Dawn Flemming is Director of Business Services at Geriatric In-Home Care in Fresno, California.
