Degenerative Arthritis: What You Can Do to Reduce the Risks

Degenerative arthritis or Osteoarthritis is one of the two tougher forms of the disease, with the other one being rheumatoid arthritis.

Common Causes of Degenerative Arthritis

Degenerative arthritis happens when cartilage of one or more of your joints are either partially damaged or completely broken down. Your joints contain a fluid known as the Synovial fluid. They provide lubrication to the joints and assist them in performing effectively. Once these fluids dry sown, the cartilages no more get lubrication and start turning brittle. This results in greater friction and cartilage death.

Degenerative arthritis or OA is a biological anomaly heightened by age. Parts, which are most prone to OA, are hands, feet, and spine, obviously apart from the weight-registering joints like hips. Degenerative arthritis fuels the pain as it causes growth of new bones or spurs in place of cartilage. These bones move awkwardly in absence of synovial fluid and cause the agony.

Effects of Degenerative Arthritis

Patient suffering from Osteoarthritis suffer great pain when they try to stand or walk. Others can hardly feel the effort, as they have to make for each joint movement.

Tips for Reducing the Risk of Degenerative Arthritis

l Control Obesity

Obesity is believed to be one of the causes for the disease. To minimize the risk of OA, you can always cut down on your body weight. This seems like a logical train of thought. Higher your body weight, more the weight bearing joints have to bear. With time, their capacity to keep taking the load decreases. This can result in wearing away of cartilage.

l Joint Range Program

Degenerative arthritis might also be the result of some injury. In the event of a sustained injury to the joints, it is recommended to go for activity modification. A joint range program can be really fruitful in tackling the issue.

l Do Regular Exercises

Regular exercises and intermittent rest is known to have great bearing in reducing the chances of the disease. If you have already started on the dreary roads of arthritis, it is advisable to go for swimming and walking regularly. These will improve blood circulation and may result in re-blossoming of damaged cartilage. This way, the risk of aggravation can be reduced. If the pain is overbearing, the condition may soon get aggravated. Such risk needs to be minimized at all costs. It is also advisable to use localized heating prior to exercise. Once you are through with the regimen, you can go ahead with cold packs. This sets in positive motion in troubled joints and also alleviates the pain.

Moist Heat Therapy

Moist heat therapy is known to work pretty well for all kinds of joint inflammations. Proper health care personnel, who know about the specific issues related to joint swelling, should be consulted. If you have any doubts and think that perhaps the disease is on setting, it is advisable to go for MRI, Arthroscopy, or Arthrocentesis. These can help a great deal in nipping the disease in the bud stage.

While there are many medical treatments, which give relief and also partially cure the disease, it’s always better to keep the risk element reduced. You can always start with weight loss measures, if obesity is the monster that harasses you.

To Your Health!