Osteoarthritis

On August 2nd, I had my 120th tracheal stenosis surgery. My trachea was only 1 CM wide for me to breathe through. I apologize for taking so long to write for Wellness Works NW, my life has been chaotic. I digress. I am here to write about osteoarthritis and what it is and how to help people living with this degenerative joint disease.

Erosive Osteoarthritis also known as Degenerative Joint Disease affects 27 Million Americans. The areas affected are hips, knees, lower back, neck, and any small joint in the toes or finger. This type of arthritis can be helped with lifestyle changes.

The cartilage, which is a rubbery material that covers the end of each bone so that joints glide smoothly. When you have OA the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling, and problems moving the joint.

 

 

Degenerative Joint Disease Symptoms include:

• Limited range of motion or stiffness, but goes away with movement
• Clicking or cracking sound when a joint bends
• Pain at the end of the day

All these things can be helped with exercises and eating well for your joints.

Inflammatory Osteoarthritis affects the body:

• Hips- Pain felt in groin, buttocks, inside the knee inside the thigh
• Knees- A grating or scraping sensation occurs when moving the knee.
• Finger- Swelling, tender, and redness.
• Feet- Swelling in ankles and toes

Treatment for Osteoarthritis Includes:

• Strengthening exercises, range of motion exercises. Including 150 minutes a week of stretching exercises.
• Cut calories, eat more fruit and vegetables. Add omega 3’s, fatty acids. Get enough Vitamin C and Zinc (It builds collagen and connective tissue.) 75 MG’s of vitamin C for Women and 90 MG’s for Men.
• Watch cooking temperatures. It’s make a compound that causes inflammation called advanced glycation end product. Best to grill, broil, bake, or microwave.

Taking care of our joints by moving well and eating well needs to be part of all of our wellness goals. Especially those of us who have arthritis, no matter what kind it is.

If you need some help creating a work out routine or meal plan as part of your comprehensive wellness plan please contact Karen G Clemenson at Wellness Works NW in Longview, Washington. She serves people in Cowlitz County and Columbia County Oregon.

Ask Dear Jamie to Research a Topic

Here are some links I would like to share with you:

• Arthritis Foundation: Types of Arthritis
• Everyday Health: The Best Diet for Osteoarthritis
• WebMD: Living with Osteoarthritis

Jamie Holloway lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. As most of her articles will be about Men’s Health, Jamie intends to write her articles as though she was sharing important information with her brother, nephews and friends. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.