Most people don't know it yet, but they're going to develop osteoarthritis. Reports show that more than 70% of older individuals develop this condition. With pain developing in load bearing joints, hip, knees, ankles, and so on, this condition is degenerative, and can go from bad to worse if ignored and is not managed properly.
Common treatments for arthritic flare-ups, is to take medications that will reduce the pain and swelling of afflicted joints. Some prescribed medication or perhaps some over the counter, these substances may provide temporary relief but the condition is still present. Osteoarthritis has no cure, and until there is, you'll need to learn what treatments help in controlling pain.
To effectively manage osteoarthritis and gain control over its painful effects, there are a few things you can do. For load bearing joints, if you are overweight, losing some of those extra pounds will lighten the burden on them. In fact, obesity is a risk factor in the development of osteoarthritis in the first place. Losing weight (easier said than done, I know) brings with it a lot of other health benefits too, reducing the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, just to name a few.
While losing weight, individuals with osteoarthritis are always advised to exercise regularly. Refrain from doing strenuous exercise such as lifting weights, running, or indulging in physical sports. Moderate exercise as simple as stretching, walking, stationary bicycles, or low impact exercise will help to avoid stiffness and give joints the necessary activity they need. You may feel discomfort when you start but it will slowly dissipate as it warms and stretches. The theory of "no pain no gain" does not apply here. Listen to your body and stop if the pain is telling you to. Osteoarthritis can contribute to muscle atrophy, so try and remain active, but in a gentle way.
During arthritic flare-ups, some patients apply capsaicin cream (a topical analgesic) to achieve pain relief. As a temporary cure for sore muscles or pain brought on by arthritis, it does provide results for many and I'd recommend that everyone should keep some on hand for those occasions.
In recent years, physicians have begun prescribing glucosamine, a natural over the counter supplement that has slowly gained a reputation as being effective in addressing the problem of osteoarthritis. For maximum results, combining glucosamine with chondroitin has shown surprisingly good results. Studies have shown in blind tests, that Glucosamine Chondrotin performed better than celecoxib (Celebrex) in patients suffering moderate to severe arthritis pain. NSAIDS (Non Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) (Celebrex and others) while effective in controlling pain in most cases, come with some side effect warnings, including potentially fatal results.
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