Osteoarthritis

body Osteoarthritis can cause the breakdown of cartilage between facet joints. This causes pain as well as loss of motion and stiffness.The facet joints are in the back portion or posterior of the spine. They combine with the disc space to create a three joint complex at each vertebral level. These joints consist of two opposing bony surfaces that should have cartilage between them and a capsule around it that produces fluid.The cartilage and the fluid combine to allow the joint to move with little friction. However, with facet joint arthritis, the cartilage breaks down causing more friction with joint movement. This leads to a loss of motion stiffness and back pain.

I Know people that swear that high humidity makes them suffer more and on the other hand I also know people that recon it makes no difference This question has been up in the air for many years and it would be reasonable to say that the effects of climatic conditions for OA sufferers would depend on the individual

When you get degenerative changes (wear-and-tear) of your joints, one of the things that can happen is the formation of bone spurs. The technical term for this is "osteophyte" formation. The uncovertebral joints are between the bones in your neck. These terms together mean that you have some degenerative change in your neck, which is not uncommon as people age. More specifics would need to be known to determine how much, if any, these changes are affecting how you feel.

body Osteoarthritis (OA) Also known as degenerative arthritis and non inflammatory arthritis is one of the more common types of arthritis. Affecting cartilage and bone in the joints. Cartilage cushions the ends of bones and serves as a surface that that provides very little friction where the bones meet to form a joint. In OA, this cartilage breaks down.AO is most likely to occur in the fingers, weight-bearing joints, such as the knees, feet, hips and back.OA seems to be caused by changes within the cells of the cartilage leading to a loss of elasticity. This can lead to the thinning and breakdown of the cartilage at time leaving the ends of the bone unprotected and without the low friction required for painless smooth movement in the joints at affected.OA effects both sexes equally usually develop between the ages of 45 to 90 years. Most people develop some OA with increasing age. Men and women are affected equally. OA may also develop in joints that have been injured.OA progresses slowly and will have little or no impact on most people. OA rarely causes severe disability However when it does replacement joint surgery has proved to be very effective. Symptom includes Pain and stiffness in the joint and Swelling.is a group of diseases and mechanical abnormalities entailing degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and the subchondral bone next to it.What is osteoarthritis?It is the most common form of arthritis. It is also known as wear and tear arthritis, degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis. The disease involves perfunctory abnormalities related to joint degradation.What causes this disease?It is mainly caused as a result of breaking down of joint-cartilages. Certain metabolic, hereditary or mechanical reasons lead to the loss of cartilages. Some of the factors that lead to primary osteoarthritis are:Family historyJoint injuriesExcessive stress on the jointsRecurring use of jointsBeing obeseIt is often related to old age but not caused as a result of aging. Degenerative arthritis is also secondary in nature. Secondary OA could result as an outcome of other conditions or diseases like:DiabetesJoint injuries from accidentsObesityJoint disordersInflammatory diseasesJoint infectionsDeterioration of ligamentsWilson's diseaseHow does degenerative arthritis affect the life of the patient?OA concerns different people in different ways. In few cases, the disease is progressive and serious in nature. Generally, OA affects people in neck, fingers, knees, hips, lower back and thumbs. It results in weakness and pain. However, the disease not only affects its victims physically, it also affects people as far as their lifestyle and monetary matters are concerned.Financial effects comprise:Huge expenses on treatmentsLoss of wages owing to disabilityLifestyle effects could include:Job limitationsFeeling of helplessnessDepressionDifficulty in performing daily activitiesAnxietyThe condition frequently targets people who are aged above fifty and women.Osteoarthritis is another name for degenerative joint disease.Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.

Not if it can be treated with non-surgical means, which is always the first option you should take. In any situation involving herniated disks, the only reason you should even consider a surgical option is if there's loss of mobility or permanent paralysis at stake. I've had 3 fusions - C5/6/7 was my first in 1996 (L4/5/S1 in '99, L3/4 in '06). In my case, I had no other option - both disks were completely and severely herniated, and I faced the loss of full use of my left arm (even today, I still have nerve damage issues as a result). The affected nerve path radiates down the neck, across the shoulder, down the left arm, and into the left fingers. At the time, all the fingers in my left hand were numb up to the first knuckle. For both of my other operations, I was looking at a wheelchair had I not opted for surgery. Since I have a progressively deteriorating problem, I'm sure I'll need another one in the future. It's important to understand that once a disk is weakened by herniation (at least to the point where it's not fully collapsed), it will eventually heal, but there will always be a weak spot in the disk membrane at the point of herniation. This means for the future you need to be aware of, and avoid, situations that could lead to another problem. Of course there are situations you can't always totally avoid, but the obvious ones you can. Any spinal operation isn't without risks - if you have a doctor tell you a disk operation is "minimally invasive", or "low risk", or they've got the "latest surgical treatment", head for the door. There's no such thing when it comes to spinal surgery. You would not believe the numbers of failed spinal operations and screwups (myself included) that have hurt patients more than helped them. For new treatments, unless you want to be a guinea pig and statistic, avoid it like the plague. We all look for a quick fix, but there is none when it comes to disk problems. Those that think there are either don't have a real problem, or are totally clueless. If you ever get to the point where you do need a surgical option, they'll likely give you a choice of bone harvest from your own body (pelvic area) or cadaver bone. I opted and have always recommended harvest from your own body for a couple of reasons: 1. The whole "dead guy body parts inside me" thing creeped me out 2. Possibility of disease transfer from cadaver bone At the time of my surgery in '96, they said there wasn't any risk of disease transfer from cadaver bone - they now know that's not the case. It takes longer to recover using your own bone (and it hurts a lot more than the the cervical operation itself) but long-term you're better off. You should also only deal with a Neurosurgeon, and not an Orthopedic Surgeon if it comes to surgery. You want a Nerve specialist working on your spine, not a Bone specialist. I started this category almost 5 years ago in order to help others just like you who are facing now what I've already been through, so that you can avoid the problems I've experienced. I'll reiterate my original statement - unless you're facing mobility loss or paralysis, don't even think about spinal surgery of any type as an option. It should only be considered when quality of life is at stake.

My husband and I tried Cellaplex since we both have bad knee pain. My husband felt a little better after the first week but it took me about 3 weeks to see some good results. I asked my doctor about Cellaplex and he said it had some very good ingredients. Do some research on the product and I'm sure you will learn more about it. We both felt it was a good product overall.

one of them is an expanding blind spot. which will reverse if the drug is discontinued.

That would depend on the particular patient involved.

That depends on where it is

body Sometimes the sulfates in wine and restaurant salads increase inflammation, and, therefore you would have more pain. As with anything, moderation works. Perhaps some wines have less sulfates. Keep a food diary for a month, also marking down any flares you have and perhaps you can make a connection.AnswerOsteoarthritis unlike Rhumatoid can be aggravated by wine consumption. Rheumatologist general recommend the patient not consume any wine or substances containing caffeine, especially coffee. Strangely though, red wine is believed to be helpful in reducing the pain of Rhumatoid Arthritis because of the high levels of trans-resveratol. Doctors do agree that both types of the disease are seriously aggravated by the patient being overweight, inactive, having a diet high in fat content and the nemesis of all health issues, smoking.

osteophytic lipping is the formation of bone around or between the vertebral bodies, This can result in pressure being put on nerves that pass between them from the spinal chord. This can lead to pain tingling and numbness in other parts of the body.

body I have this.Pain,stiffness,kneecap feels loose and moveable.Bone Spurs are probably there and you will hear grinding and popping of the cartilage when you go up and down stairs.Knee Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that means your cartilage is wearing out (wear and tear )on it's own.Some herbs help with this as does a magnetic knee brace from Therion (medical grade magnetic braces).Try OsteoBi-Flex,Turmeric,Blue Emu Spray (anagesic spray that contains emu oil) capsaizin (hot pepper rub on lotion that comes in a foam applicator-great stuff).I recommend that you use a cane on bad days with a knee brace and not on good days.Exercise helps prevent stiffness and loss of mobility.Take it one day a a time and hang in there.Remember you can have a good attitude and see this as having a minor inconvenience,not a disease that defines who you are.

A rheumatologist is type of doctor that specializes in joint disease. They would know the most about osteoarthritis. However, as this condition is very common, primary care physicians would be able to treat it as well (internal medicine/family medicine).

Yes you can have osteoarthritis in your feet. The best thing to do is keep moving, soak your feet well in Epsom Salts (draws the soreness out) at least 3 - 4 times a week. Wear good shoes and not cheap ones and women should keep away from wearing any type of higher heel than what they call a 'cubal heel.' Also too flat shoes are not good for the feet. Go to a store such as 'Naturalizers' and buy well made shoes that are well padded inside on the bottom to cushion your feet.

No not necessarily

There are many exercises that are suitable for arthritis, but it is very tough to find those exercises with images on websites. However, you will find one such website further down this page listed uner Sources and Related Links.

It didn't work for my dad. And his and my physicians (different people) weren't surprised.

== == It will be one of the anti-inflammatories..ie Motrin (Ibuprofen), Aleve, and the like......Tylenol doesn't have anti-inflammatory properties. You need to read label and take as directed.There has been some warnings about not to take this class of medicine if you have heart disease,or have had heart attacks...also if you have an history of ulcers you should avoid this class of medicine. Taking too much Tylenol can be bad for your liver though...so if you have doubts check with your provider.

body Generally warmth is the suggested method for finding relief from inflammation in the case of gout it is definitely best to steer away from cold as uric acid crystals tend to form more effectively in colder situations. In the case of Rheumatoid arthritis cold followed by warmth can be a very effective way to get temporary relief from pain. These methods however do not get to the root of the problem and will have no effect on the cause of the inflammation

body Osteoarthritis is a "degenerative" condition. It comes from use or misuse of the joint. It can also be post traumatic. The type of arthritis you are born with is JRA or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; although it still affects the joints, it is a very different type of disease.The fact is that there does seem to be a genetic factor involved in degenerative or Osteoarthritis. Often people from the same family develop the symptoms of OA because they were born with the genes that predisposed them to it. while others that are not can put their joints through the same punishment without ill effect.

It meanns unusual and needs to be taken into acount.

Yes. Any person can develop osteoarthritis, regardless of any other previous conditions.

body AnswerNo, a new study shows that this type of treatment is not worth spending your money on.here is why....Background Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are used to treat osteoarthritis. The multicenter, double-blind, placebo- and celecoxib-controlled Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) evaluated their efficacy and safety as a treatment for knee pain from osteoarthritis.Methods We randomly assigned 1583 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis to receive 1500 mg of glucosamine daily, 1200 mg of chondroitin sulfate daily, both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, 200 mg of celecoxib daily, or placebo for 24 weeks. Up to 4000 mg of acetaminophen daily was allowed as rescue analgesia. Assignment was stratified according to the severity of knee pain (mild [N=1229] vs. moderate to severe [N=354]). The primary outcome measure was a 20 percent decrease in knee pain from baseline to week 24.Results The mean age of the patients was 59 years, and 64 percent were women. Overall, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate were not significantly better than placebo in reducing knee pain by 20 percent. As compared with the rate of response to placebo (60.1 percent), the rate of response to glucosamine was 3.9 percentage points higher (P=0.30), the rate of response to chondroitin sulfate was 5.3 percentage points higher (P=0.17), and the rate of response to combined treatment was 6.5 percentage points higher (P=0.09). The rate of response in the celecoxib control group was 10.0 percentage points higher than that in the placebo control group (P=0.008). For patients with moderate-to-severe pain at baseline, the rate of response was significantly higher with combined therapy than with placebo (79.2 percent vs. 54.3 percent, P=0.002). Adverse events were mild, infrequent, and evenly distributed among the groups.Conclusions Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate alone or in combination did not reduce pain effectively in the overall group of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Exploratory analyses suggest that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate may be effective in the subgroup of patients with moderate-to-severe knee pain. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00032890

Osteophyte formation has been classically related to any sequential and consequential changes in bone formation due to aging, degeneration, mechanical instability, and disease. Often osteophytes form in osteoarthritic joints due to damage and wear from inflammation. Calcification and new bone formation can also occur in response to mechanical damage in joints, or at the attachment points for ligaments and tendons. (wikipedia) in other word they are growth of bone that occur as a result of injury am underlying disease and often accompanies aging. These growth can interfere with the movement of joints or cause pressure to be put on nerves as happens with the back bone,

A low Purine Diet Will help those suffering from gout avoid atacks. Here is a list of some of the foods that are high in purines. These foods have the highest concentration of purines and should therefore be avoided by people that are prone to or are already suffering from gout. Beef, Pork, Bacon, Lamb, Seafood, Foods that are made with yeast like beer or bread, Alcoholic beverages These foods, while high in purine levels that can aggravate the symptoms of gout can be had occasionally by those who usually follow a low purine diet. Asparagus, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Peas, Spinach, Whole grain breads and cereals, White poultry meats, like chicken, duck or turkey, Kidney and lima beans. The following foods are safe to eat in a low purine diet; however these should not be the only food you eat. Green vegetables and tomatoes, Fruits and fruit juices, Breads that do not use yeast (may be found in the kosher section or a health food store), Nuts, Milk and milk products such as butter and cheese, Chocolate, Coffee and tea. food to AVOID when you have gout : all meat, esparragus, coliflower, spinach, fish especially oily fish like anchovies and shell fish, alcohol, oats, legumes, sugary food. You CAN eat: dairy products, eggs, potato, pasta, all vegatales but the above, rice, fruit (limit to 2 portions a day). An infusion of rosemary tea is very soothing. (1 litre a day) 1. Lemon Juice Gout is a build up of too much acid in the body. Therefore the body's pH level must be neutralized by adding alkaline to the body. This is best achieved by drinking the juice of a fresh lemon. Lemons are 20% acid, 80% alkaline. I just take the juice of a whole lemon, mix it with warm water in a tumbler and down it through a straw. Doing this first thing in the morning on a empty stomach also helps cleanse the kidneys which is linked to other gout related problems. 2. Cherries Prior to taking lemon juice every day, if I felt a gout attack coming on, I would go and buy a kilo of cherries and gradually munch on them for a few hours. Cherries are a natural anti-inflammatory. 3. Diet and Exercise While the first two points are excellent treatments, a healthy balanced diet and exercising 3 times a week for 45 minutes is core to preventing gout from occurring in the first place. Fad diets are rubbish. Dieting is pretty simple. It's pretty obvious what's healthy and not: Things that grow out the ground and that are natural = good. Things in colourful packets with loads of e-numbers and weird looking animations promoting them = bad. Moderation is the key. High Purine Foods that should be avoided Beer, anchovies, organ meat (brains, kidney, liver, sweetbreads), game meats, gravies, yeast, meat extracts, sardines, herring, mackerel, scallops. Medium Purine Foods that may be eaten in Moderation Fresh and saltwater fish, shellfish, eel, meat, poultry, meat soups and broth, asparagus , mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, legumes, oatmeal, bran, wheat germ, whole-grain breads and cereals, eggs. Low Purine Foods eat as much as you like (within reason). Breads and cereals (low-fiber, white flour, or refined grain types), nuts, peanut butter. Vegetables not high in purines, soups - cream style or vegetable without meat extract, coffee, tea, fruit juices, soft drinks, gelatin, sugar, low fat cheeses. Foods That are reputed to help relieve the symptoms of gout. Cherry juice or strawberries are said to be helpful. Some chemicals contained in dark berries may help reduce the inflammation and lower the uric acid. Oily fish like salmon, or fatty acids in flax seed or olive oil or nuts may reduce inflammation too. replacing meat with tofu (from soybeans) instead of meat could also be helpful. Some have found relief with OPC3 antioxidant supplement. A balanced diet for gout sufferers includes foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, low in protein and low in fat. Gout is a disease caused by an excessive amount of uric acid. Now, uric acid is produced by the catabolism of nucleotides that usually exist in cells. So, any food that has cells (animal cells) can make gout worse, like meat, eggs,.... etc Foods that can lead to uric acid and gout are: anchovies, sardines, herring, mushrooms, gravies, organ meats, and other purine rich foods. Alcohol, especially beer, and coffee should also be avoided.