Osteoarthritis is a common rheumatologic disorder. It is estimated that 40 million Americans and 80 percent of persons older than 75 years are affected by osteoarthritis. Although symptoms of osteoarthritis occur earlier in women, the prevalence of osteoarthritis among men and women is equal. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis is largely clinical because radiographic findings do not always correlate with symptoms.
Natural therapy for osteoarthritis
The most commonly used alternative or
complementary nutrients for osteoarthritis are glucosamine and chondroitin. Several other
nutrients and herbs may potentially help reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Nutrients
and Herbs helpful is osteoarthritis:
Boswellia serrata extract
Chondroitin supplement
Glucosamine supplement
Guggul
supplement may be helpful
Lipoic acid antioxidant
MSM nutrient
Omega 3 fatty acids can help
reduce inflammation and reduce pain
S-Adenosylmethionine
also known as SAM-e should be used only in low dosages of 50 mg a day even
though most tablets come in a 200 mg dosage
Stinging nettle extract
Curcumin, turmeric root extract
is helpful to reduce inflammation
Vitamin C supplement
Vitamin D supplement
Vitamin E supplement
Niacin
Folic acid
Vitamin B12
Manganese
What causes osteoarthritis?
The exact cause of
osteoarthritis is not fully understood. Multiple
factors (e.g., heredity, trauma, and obesity) interact to cause this disorder.
Any event that changes the environment of the chondrocyte has the potential to cause
osteoarthritis. Although usually occurring as a primary disorder, osteoarthritis can occur
secondary to other processes. The pathophysiology of osteoarthritis involves a combination of mechanical,
cellular, and biochemical processes. The interaction of these processes leads to changes
in the composition and mechanical properties of the articular cartilage. Cartilage is
composed of water, collagen, and proteoglycans. In healthy cartilage, continual internal
remodeling occurs as the chondrocytes replace macromolecules lost through degradation.
This process becomes disrupted in osteoarthritis, leading to increased degenerative
changes and an abnormal repair response.
What is the standard medical
treatment?
Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory medications remain first-line traditional drugs for the
treatment of osteoarthritis. Salsalate (Disalcid) or
choline magnesium trisalicylate (Trilisate) are good alternatives. Agents such as
cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COX-2) and sodium hyaluronate joint injections offer new
treatment alternatives. Complementary medication for osteoarthritis use has also increased.
Osteoarthritis symptoms:
Those with osteoarthritis often have one or more of these symptoms:
Gradual worsening of chronic joint pain, that is worsened by exercise or
weight-bearing activity.
Swelling in the joints.
Limited range of motion in the joints.
Joints that are especially stiff in the morning.
The joints grating during motion.
Joint pain that worsens during rainy weather.
Osteoarthritis
research
An increase in
blood pressure may be more likely when the painkiller Vioxx rather than other
similar drugs are used to treat arthritis.
Osteoarthritis pain medication danger
Just because aspirin, ibuprofen and similar pain relief medications can be
purchased at a local supermarket or gas station without a prescription does not
mean people should not take basic precautions when using them, according to the
National Consumers League and the US Food and Drug Administration. The two
groups joined together to launch their "Take With Care" campaign to
educate consumers about the safe use of nonprescription pain relievers.
"Although these medicines are safe when taken as directed, many consumers don't
realize the potency of OTC pain relievers," Peter J. Pitts, associate
commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration said during the campaign
launch. Some of the potentially serious side effects associated with the misuse
of over-the-counter pain relievers include an increased risk of liver problems
and kidney damage.
Fat in the diet and osteoarthritis
High levels of fat and (n-6) fatty acids in cancellous
bone in osteoarthritis.
Plumb MS, Aspden RM. Lipids Health Dis. 2004 Jun 18;3(1):12.
Osteoarthritis is strongly linked with obesity and patients with
osteoporosis have a low body mass index. Anecdotal evidence, clinical and
laboratory, suggests that Osteoarthritis bone contains more fat. However,
conversion of osteoblasts to adipocytes is reported in OP and this would suggest
that the more porous OP cancellous bone would have a high fat content.
To test the hypothesis that osteoarthritis bone contains more fat
than OP bone. Methods: Cores of cancellous bone were obtained from femoral heads
of patients undergoing surgery for either Osteoarthritis or OP. Lipids were
extracted using chloroform-methanol, weighed and expressed as a fraction of core
mass and volume. A fatty acid analysis was performed using gas chromatography.
Results: Osteoarthritis bone contained twice as much fat per unit volume of
tissue as OP. Levels of n-6 fatty acids were elevated in Osteoarthritis,
especially arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6) which was almost double that found in
OP. These data support the hypothesis that lipids may play a
significant role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and may provide part of
the key to understanding why Osteoarthritis and OP lie at opposite ends of the
spectrum of bone masses.
Chondroitin Useful in Osteoarthritis
Back in the mid 1990s the America
public became aware of effective nutritional alternatives to standard medical
drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine was the first nutrient
that became popular. Since then, many other nutrients and herbs have been
promoted, including chondroitin. Chondroitin sulfate is a major constituent of
cartilage providing structure, holding water, and allowing other molecules to
move through cartilage—an important property, as there is no blood supply to
cartilage. In degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis, there is a
loss of chondroitin sulfate as the cartilage erodes. But, few studies have
looked at the long-term benefit of oral chondroitin supplements. In a study
performed at University of Genova Medical School, in Italy, 12 individuals with
arthritis of the hands were treated with 800 mg/day of chondroitin sulfate plus
naproxen, and compared to 12 others who were given naproxen only. Naproxen is an
anti-inflammatory medicine similar to Motrin and sold over the counter as Aleve.
X-rays of the hands were done at the start of the study and again after 24
months. In both groups, degeneration of joints showed a general tendency to
increase over time, however, the damage was much lower in those treated with
chondroitin sulfate plus naproxen than in patients taking naproxen alone.
Comments: Although chondroitin by itself did
not stop the continuing damage to joints, it did slow the progression of the
arthritis. Glucsosamine supplements are known to enhance joint health in those
with arthritis, and it seems reasonable to take both supplements for the
treatment of arthritis. The most common dose of glucosamine is 1500 mg a day
while that of chondroitin is 500 to 1000 mg per day.
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