How to Manage Osteoarthritis Knee Pain?

Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Management

Osteoarthritis which is otherwise known as the degenerative joint disease is elementarily a type of Arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the end of bones wear down. Reportedly, more than 10 million cases of osteoarthritis occur every year. The real tragedy behind this disease is that there are treatment options, this condition can't be cured.

People suffering from Osteoarthritis may experience severe pain in the joints and pain in the knee, lower back, neck or hips. The pain can even occur as per weather conditions, and joint deformation, limping, can also occur. The treatment methods for Osteoarthritis includes physiotherapy, medication, and sometimes surgery but these can just reduce pain and maintain joint movement.

There's no such thing as a permanent cure for this ailment, and the pain can turn chronic if intensive care isn't taken. Even if you see a bump on the finger is bony outgrowth in finger or toes, that's a cause for Osteoarthritis. You need to consult a skilled doctor at the very initial stage to avoid further complications in later stages.[1]

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Osteoarthritis symptoms are more often neglected because they develop very slowly. People tend to see the symptoms when the pain worsens over time. Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Tenderness in joints when light pressure is applied to them.
• Pain in joint after slight movement.
• Stiffness in joints when you wake up after a period of inactivity or in the morning.
• You may lose flexibility, and so you may not be able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
• The sensation in your joints and bones may increase, and you are most liable to experience bone spurs around the affected joint.

A clear diagnosis of the knee anatomy suggests that Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage which is responsible for cushioning the end of the bones in the joints gradually degenerate permitting the bones in a joint to rub against each other. Factors that hike the risk of osteoarthritis include older age and obesity. Apart from that women are more likely to be affected by osteoarthritis than most of the men.

There are several ways in which osteoarthritis can affect different parts of the body. Some of these are listed below:

• Pain is felt in the groin areas and sometimes inside of the thigh or bursitis knee.
• While moving the knees, a grating or scraping sensation is a common issue, and patients often experience chronic Knee pain after running.
• Bony spurs at the end of joints can cause fingers to become swollen, tender or red and there may be a pain at the end of the thumb.
• In the feet, pain and tenderness can be experienced at the base if the tie and swelling in ankles or toes is a common issue.

Joint injuries, certain occupations that involve strain on joints and genetics can also be the cause. Osteoarthritis being a degenerative disorder worsens over time, and the pain can become so chronic that even daily tasks may become a dilemma for people who are suffering from this disease. Some people even lose their ability to work, and when the pain becomes severe; doctors suggest joint replacement surgery as the only alternative.[2]

How may Osteoarthritis Affect Overall Health?

The reduced mobility and pain that comes with osteoarthritis lead to some other diseases as well. There can be several negative health effects that can take place even when they are not directly linked to the joint disease. Some of these are listed below:

What not to do During Osteoarthritis?

• Don’t engage yourself in extreme activities or high impact exercises that can harm your joints. Stop indulging yourself into stuff that is causing you pain. Your joints are already damaged and vigorous exercises like running, cycling, or tennis can cause more damage to your joints. The ultimate result will lead to the need for joint replacement surgery. So you better stop doing what's hurting your joints. Don’t start any activities at a time when you know that your joints are already going through a lot![3]

• Don't be afraid to use assistive devices if you are suffering through the pain. Braces and canes are a significant way to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis and can help to increase the mobility of your joints. If you don’t know what kind of braces you need, then you may refer to a therapist always. Choosing the right assistive device can hold your joints in place and will prevent further deformities. 

• Don't rely on eating an unhealthy diet that packs on pounds. Obesity is one of the prime risk factors for Osteoarthritis that can cause the pain to become worse. Stop eating an unhealthy diet;  include calcium and iron-rich meals into your diet as they are a boon for the bones. Excess weight can put a lot of pressure on the weight-bearing joints that are more likely to make the arthritis pain worse. So refrain yourself from the food items that can stack up pounds of fat into your body. 

• Don’t fear medications that could help you heal. Patients sometimes try to avoid drugs with the fear of getting addicted to them, and some even think that the drugs can disturb their natural biological process through potential serious side effects. Take your medications as directed by the doctor. Don't fear the consequences, as Osteoarthritis medicine has no significant side effects rather than helping your life to be more comfortable.
  

Lastly, stop blaming yourself for the disease or don’t keep asking every time ‘Why me’. Arthritis can stop any person from performing regular activities like even taking care of the daily chores, and you don’t need to be guilty about that because it can happen to anyone!

What to do During Osteoarthritis?

There are a lot of things. Some people simply do nothing while others do a lot of things that can even be harmful for them. Several questions arise in a person’s mind while he suffers from Osteoarthritis and he even refrains himself from living a normal life. But is it really necessary? Here is a list of some preventive measures that can be taken to decrease the pain of osteoarthritis:

• Choose low impact and joint-friendly exercises that will help you burn calories and won’t hurt your joints at the same time as well. There is a lot of exercises; like walking, swimming, and biking that don’t put much stress on your joints. If you are not so certain about what can be the possible therapies or exercises that can help your joints. 

• You also need to take care of the fact that you don’t jump straight into your workouts and do a proper warm-up if you have Osteoarthritis. What a warm-up does is, it lubricates your joints, so you are less stiff and makes it easier to move. This will reduce the strain on your joints before working out making the work a lot easier for you. 

• Incorporate strength and flexibility training in your daily workout schedule to strengthen your leg muscles. Strengthening exercises can make the muscles around your joints firm and aerobics will help provide you with flexibility, decreasing the pain around your joints. 

• Wear comfortable and knee friendly shoes. Don’t wear pumps or wedges that put pressure on your knees and lower back. Flat and flexible shoes that mimic foot’s natural flexibility can decrease the strain in knees and make the work a lot easier for you.

• Also, maintain a healthy weight that reduces the stress on your knee joints. The cartilage between your joint has already degenerated causing the friction between your bones to multifold and even in that situation when your upper body puts a lot of strain on the lower body, the pain worsens down further which may even lead to joint replacement surgery.
  

There are a lot of things that something like a common back pain can even imply you of. The preventive measures for these disorders and diseases include daily exercising and yoga. The most effective way is to stay away from all the evil things that are stopping you from getting inclined towards the healthier way of living. Osteoarthritis will never be a bother for you if you take into account this information and include healthy measures in your daily lifestyle.

References

1..https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/pain-management/tips/25-treatments-for-hip-knee-oa.php

2..https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/osteoarthritis/dos-donts-osteoarthritis-knee-pain/

3..https://www.verywellhealth.com/things-stop-doing-arthritis-190407