How To If you have arthritis in the knees, you should treat it.
There's no cure for arthritis, but treatment may slow it down and relieve it.When your joint becomes inflammatory, it can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling.Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where your body attacks your joints when the cartilage in your joint wears away.According to experts, arthritis in the knee is very common because it's a weight-bearing joint, but you can get it in any joint.You may be able to manage your arthritis.
Step 1: If you are too heavy to lose weight.
People who are overweight or obese are more prone to arthritis because of the increased amount of pressure on their joints.Flat feet and fallen arches are promoted by overweight people.The thigh and shin bones are hard on knee joints because of Genu varum.Do your knees a favor and lose excess weight.Increasing cardiovascular exercise while decreasing calories at the same time is the best way to lose weight.Most people don't need much more than 2,000 calories a day to maintain their body processes and still have enough energy for some exercise.Less than 500 calories a day can result in 4 pounds of fat being lost a month.Swimming is a great way to lose weight because you don't have to put pressure on your joints.
Step 2: The heat can be used for osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis involves some inflammation, but not as much as either type.The first thing that happens after many hours of disuse is the formation of bone spurs in the knee.The warmth of moist heat dilates blood vessels around the knee, improves circulation, loosens up muscles and helps to alleviate joint stiffness, which is why it is a better choice than ice.If you don't use your knee for long periods of time, apply moist heat first thing in the morning.Electric heat sources can cause dehydration of the skin and muscles around the knee.The herbal bags that are microwaved work well for knee arthritis because they tend to have relaxing properties.It's a good idea to soak your legs in a warm salt bath in order to reduce pain and inflammation.Over 30 million middle-aged and elderly Americans have been diagnosed with the disease.
Step 3: Cold therapy can be used for arthritis.
Cold therapy, such as crushed ice, ice cubes, frozen gel packs or veggies from the freezer, is more appropriate and effective for inflammatory types of arthritis that involve severe swelling and redness.Cold therapy helps to control inflammation and pain by decreasing the amount of blood flowing to an area.It is very difficult to walk and run because of the throbbing pain and disability caused by gout, RA, and PA.Cold therapy should be applied to your knee after any sort of exercise for 10–15 minutes until it feels numb to touch.If it seems to be helpful, start with two to three per day.Wrap crushed ice or frozen gel packs in a thin towel before putting them around your knee in order to prevent skin irritation.The front and sides of the knee are the best places to put the cold therapy.Younger adults and even children suffer from inflammatory types of arthritis, which are more common in the elderly.
Step 4: NSAIDs are non-steroidal anti-Inflammatory drugs.
Taking aspirin or naproxen for short-term relief of pain and inflammation can be done over-the-counter.It's best not to rely on these medications for more than a few weeks because they can be hard on your stomach and kidneys.It is advisable to take NSAIDs with food to reduce the risks of stomach irritation and ulceration.If you have mild-to-moderate knee arthritis, some over-the-counter painkillers such as Tylenol are not effective.You should always follow recommendations for pain relief because it can be hard on your organs.One that's better for your stomach is applying pain relieving creams and gels to your knees.Capsaicin and menthol can be found in some creams that make your skin tingle.
Step 5: Get some exercise.
The muscles around your knees act as shock absorbers for the joints and help reduce impact, so some exercise for your legs is important.The stronger the muscles surrounding your knee joints, the less stress or impact they can absorb.High impact exercises such as jogging, running, tennis and climbing stairs are not appropriate for your knees.Gym exercises that increase thigh and calf strength without inflaming knee joints include mini-squats, leg presses and leg extensions.The leg exercises should be pain-free and done with limited knee flexibility.Walking should be done every day.Aim for three times weekly if you want to go to the gym.Swimming and water aerobics can be done in the pool.The water's buoyancy works out your leg muscles even though it reduces stress on your knees.
Step 6: Some foods are rich in Omega 3.
There are factors that play a role in arthritis.Diets high in refined sugars tend to make arthritic pain worse, whereas diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids have a mild to moderate anti- inflammatory effect on the body.Omega-3 fats can be helpful for controlling the pain of RA, but not for slowing its progression.ALA, EPA and DHA are the three Omega 3s found in food.The American diet tends to be too high in inflammation-promoting Omega 6 fats and too low in Omega 3 fats.Omega 3 fats are found in fish, plants and nut oils.ALA and EPA are found in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna.If you supplement with fish oils or seed-based oils you can get a noticeable anti-Inflammatory effect.
Step 7: Take Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are found in all joints.Glucosamine acts as a lubricant and chondroitin is a more effective shock absorber.Although the research is somewhat mixed, the evidence suggests that both compounds can be helpful for reducing the pain of all types of arthritis, particularly large weight-bearing joints such as the knee.In mild-to-moderate cases of OA, Glucosamine can increase mobility in large weight-bearing joints such as the knees.Glucosamine sulfate can lead to allergy concerns, so be cautious when taking it.Glucosamine hydrogen may not be as effective as the sulfate type.It takes two to four months for an effective dose for arthritic knees to show up.
Step 8: You can get stronger prescriptions from your doctor.
If you have arthritis in your knees, make an appointment with your family doctor.x-rays and blood tests can be used to confirm a diagnosis of arthritis, such as gout.Over-the-counter medications may not be strong enough to help if the arthritis is causing a lot of pain.Stronger anti-inflammatories are likely to be prescribed by your doctor.NSAIDs like meloxicam and celecoxib may cause fewer stomach problems.They are often prescribed for knee pain.Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are commonly used to deal with the pain and slow the progression of the disease.etanercept, hydroxychloroquine, and adalimumab are some of the drugs used in the disease.The loss of joint space is a classic sign of arthritis and can be seen on an x-ray.
Step 9: Discuss steroid injections with your doctor.
An injection ofcortisone into a knee joint can quickly reduce inflammation and pain, and allow normal movement of the joint.Corticosteroids are hormones that are made by the body.They are injected by a doctor.Prednisolone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone are some of the most commonly used preparations.The effects of the drugs last from weeks to months.The number of injections you can get each year is limited because it can cause knee joint damage over time.Local infections, excessive bleeding, tendon weakness, and nerve irritation/damage are some of the possible consequences of corticosteroid knee injections.If your insurance doesn't cover steroid injections, they can be very expensive.
Step 10: Consider therapy using the sun's heat.
Using low-energy light waves is known to be able to speed up wound healing, decrease pain and decrease inflammation in a variety of joints, including the knees.It's thought that using a hand-held device or a special sauna will penetrate deep into the body and improve circulation because it creates heat and dilates blood vessels.There are no negative effects of the therapy.Significant knee pain reduction occurs within hours after the first treatment, which lasts between 15 and 30 minutes per session.Pain reduction can range from 40% to 100% better after treatment.Some health professionals are most likely to use the therapy on the joints.
Step 11: Try the treatments.
In order to decrease pain and inflammation, thin needles are stuck into specific energy points within your skin/muscle.Some studies show that acupoints can relieve pain and improve function in people with knee problems.It is relatively painless and has an excellent safety record.It isn't covered by most health insurance plans, so it's worth a try if you can afford it.The principles of traditional Chinese medicine allow for the treatment of pain and inflammation with the release of hormones and substances called endorphins.Depending on the health professional you choose, you should be certified by the NCCAOM.
Step 12: Consider surgery as a last resort.
If conservative home-based remedies and non-invasive treatments from your doctor aren't effective at reducing the symptoms of your knee arthritis, then surgery may have to be considered.All other methods of treatment have failed in severe cases of arthritis where the knee joint is severely damaged.There are many different types of surgical replacements.Unless the cause is clearly understood or the entire knee joint is destroyed, surgery is not as common for inflammatory types of arthritis.A camera is attached to the knee to clean up pieces of torn cartilage.Depending on the extent of the damage, it can take a week or two to recover.Cartilage is added to a damaged knee.Younger patients with smaller areas of damaged cartilage are usually considered for this procedure.A synovectomy is the removal of the knee joint lining.An osteotomy is the removal of leg bones that form the knee joint.A knee replacement is called an arthroplasty.An artificial knee joint made of metal and plastic is used to replace the damaged knee.It takes the longest amount of time to recover from this surgery.