Healthy Joints for a Lifetime
The human body has more than 200 bones and more than 200 joints that connect the bones.

The most common joint problems come from arthritis and injuries. Joint damage can happen to anyone at any age.

Arthritis
If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis.

• Arthritis literally means joint inflammation.
• Although joint inflammation describes a symptom or sign rather than a specific diagnosis, the term "arthritis" often refers to any disorder affecting the joints. These disorders fall within the broader category known as rheumatic diseases, of which there are more than 100 kinds, and are characterized by inflammation as well as loss of function of one or more connecting or supporting structures of the body.
• Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged.
• Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin.

More than 46 million people in the United States have arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. By the year 2020, this number is expected to reach 60 million. These diseases more frequently limit activity than do heart disease, cancer, or diabetes.
Symptoms of Rheumatic Disease or Arthritis
The symptoms of rheumatic disease or arthritis can vary. If you have a sports-related injury, get prompt medical attention to determine the severity. Symptoms of distress include:

• Swelling, warmth, or redness in the joint
• Recurring or constant joint pain or tenderness
• Joint stiffness or difficulty in using or moving the joint after a period of movement or activity
• A crunching feeling or the sound of bone rubbing on bone

Osteoarthritis
Also called: Degenerative joint disease, OA, Osteoarthrosis
The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, often related to aging or to an injury.

Other types occur when your immune system, which normally protects your body from infection, attacks your body's own tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of this kind of arthritis. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a form of the disease that happens in children.

In osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage (the hard but slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones) breaks down and wears away, causing pain, swelling, and loss of joint motion. Healthy cartilage absorbs the shock of movement. When you lose cartilage, your bones rub together. Over time, this rubbing can permanently damage the joint. It can occur in any joint, but usually it affects your hands, knees, hips or spine.

About 435,000 Americans have a hip or knee replaced each year. Because of its structure and weight-bearing capacity, the knee is the most commonly injured joint. In the case of hip joint damage, osteoarthritis is the most common cause.

Young adults who have had a previous joint injury are more likely to develop osteoarthritis. Researchers are looking for ways to prevent cartilage breakdown after injury.

Factors that may cause osteoarthritis include

• Being overweight
• Getting older
• Injuring a joint

Therapies that manage osteoarthritis pain and improve function include

• Exercise
• Weight control
• Rest
• Pain relief medication
• Alternative therapies
• Surgery

Source of Information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov

Prevention of Osteoarthritis
Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and a healthful weight can help you reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis, especially in the hips and knees, or suffering sports injuries.

• Exercise helps bone density, improves muscle strength and joint flexibility, and enhances your balance. Take part in regular walking, strength training, swimming, dancing, tai chi, gardening, and similar low-impact activities.
• A bone-healthy diet should be rich in calcium and Vitamin D. Check to see if your favorite foods are fortified, and consider taking a daily vitamin or mineral supplement.

Source of Information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov

Modern medicine has come out with great strides in helping to reverse osteoarthritis too. I have worked with several people who have all but cured themselves with proper diet, exercise and medicine and show no signs of their pre-existing conditions. Our bodies are amazingly resilient... do a little and it will go a long way!

Would you happen to know what the medicine is they take?

There are a bunch of them out there now... they even have generic osteoarthritis medication now... still no otc stuff though... The best way to find out is to go to your doctor... or Mexico

Mexico is not an option at this time!! lol.

My husband has an awful pain and weakness in his right shoulder. The medication the doc gave him is not working. It's Hydrocodone 5/Acetaminophen 500 MG.

He has another appointment on Sept 15 to see the arthritis doctor. He's hoping the doctor will give him a cortisone shot.

See about some stronger arthritis medicine too... I think you can't take too many cortizone shots as the body becomes immune to them.

Oh, ok, I didn't know that. Thanks for the advice.

Let us know what the arthritis doctor says about your husband after he goes in on the 15th. I'm curious as to what they find out.

My husband said that the doctor he saw today at the VA Hospital was the best doctor he has ever seen. He spent a good 20 minutes with him. That's a WOW!! Anyway, the doctor said he has bursitis. He gave him a cortisone shot and some cream stuff, and 3 different medications to take and told him to come back in 3 months so the doctor can see how he is doing.

So is the cortisone shot working? Is he feeling better? What did the doctor say about bursitis? Is it something that he just has to learn to live with or is there things he can do to make it better?

Yes, the cortisone shot is working, so he is feeling better. The pain is not totally gone yet, though. He is taking naproxen for pain.

The doctor said that everyone responds differently to treatment, so to answer your question about if this is something that he has to learn to live with, my husband didn't give me a definite answer about that. He said in 3 months when he goes back to the doctor, the doctor will see how he is doing and go from there.

My husband said there is surgery that can be preformed, but for now, the doctor is trying the medicine, the cream, and the cortisone shot first to see if surgery can be avoided.

My poor old Mum's been plagued with both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis for more than thirty years now - she's practically housebound because of it as she can't walk far.

She takes enough medication to down a horse, and believe me, it seems to have little effect. A pain specialist she saw the other day even said that some of her recent pain may be due to side effects of the drugs that are supposed to help her.

She's been to a physiotherapist recently who has given her some simple exercises- my guess is to try and build a little strength in the muscles to take pressure from her joints. Arthritis is a swine in that as your mobility increases (due to pain as much as anything), you lose muscle and in turn I think that just adds more pressure to the joints and the pain increases - it's a vicious circle.

The pain specialist has also said he's going to send her to an acupuncturist. Worth a try, I reckon. Some people swear by it.

That doesn't sound fun for your mom. How old is she?

66 or 67 - not 100% sure. 66 I think...