Osteoarthritis can affect the hands and other joints.
The wearing away of cartilage between the bones and the joints can lead to a painful condition known as osteoarthritis. This degenerative health condition can eventually cause the cartilage to wear away completely, leaving nothing as a cushion between your bones and joints. Osteoarthritis often afflicts older people and women, but it can also develop as a result of being sedentary or obese. Certain natural remedies and lifestyle changes can help you treat osteoarthritis by reducing or alleviating its symptoms.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Stiffness or pain in your joints when you first wake up in the morning or after sitting for a prolonged period of time can be among the first symptoms of osteoarthritis. Eventually, your joints can become inflamed, feel hot to the touch and lead to a reduced range of movement. If you favor sore joints, your muscles can become weakened in the process. Those who suffer osteoarthritis in the fingers can also end up with bony knobs at the joints, known as Heberden's nodes.
Complications of Osteoarthritis
As your condition degenerates, it can affect your quality of life, especially if it's not being properly treated. Daily tasks may become difficult to complete, and you may eventually have to reduce your workload or stop working altogether. If certain joints deteriorate to the point of having little or no cartilage left, such as in the hip or knee, your physician may recommend replacement surgery.
Lifestyle Changes to Treat Osteoarthritis
Many lifestyle factors contribute toward or exacerbate osteoarthritis symptoms. Achieving a healthy weight through weight loss and physical activity can greatly reduce your pain and discomfort. Swimming, walking and biking are a few forms of exercise that you can engage in to help strengthen the muscles that support your joints. In addition to stabilizing your joints, exercise also helps you retain range of movement. Even though it's important to exercise, it's equally important not to overdo it. Rest painful joints for 12 to 24 hours to reduce inflammation and pain.
Natural Remedies for Symptom Relief
Taking 500 to 1,500 mg of glucosamine and chondroiton daily can help preserve joint health and reduce joint pain. You can also use hot compresses to treat joint stiffness and cold compresses to relieve painful muscle spasms. Another way to reduce joint pain while preserving range of movement is to take yoga or tai chi classes with a knowledgeable instructor. Both of these types of exercise also help to relieve stress caused by the effects of osteoarthritis symptoms. Spices such as turmeric, ginger and capsaicin -- a natural component found in hot chili peppers -- can also be taken orally or topically to relieve joint inflammation and pain.
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