His Name is Arthur

Mr. Arthritis when he wants to get personal!

Hello Golden Divas!

Let me introduce you to my little friend, oooh he thinks he’s running things and if I can be totally honest with you he had me on lockdown for a while. Ladies, he invaded my life a year ago when I tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) and during the healing process he latched on to my right knee and I can’t get rid of him.

You see this type of personal relationship with Mr. Arthritis is disrupting my normal flow. I’m the type of girl that likes to be mobile (without pain) and I love to wear heels. So, Arthur has to go!

One thing I know firsthand now and it is true, true, and true, from all of the people that I have been talking to about menopause they kept on telling me to take care of your bones. Make sure you are taking vitamin D because osteoporosis can be and will be running neck and neck with ‘Hot Flashes’ while you’re going through menopause. 

Now don’t get me wrong no one is exempt race, gender or age from getting some Arthur in their bones; however, when you’re in your 50s going through the change you are more prone to get it faster because your hormones are all over the place. 

Basically, ladies, this will be your new normalcy in life if you don’t be careful. Remember ladies estrogen plays a role in the development of osteoarthritis (OA). During menopause, women experience a decline in estrogen levels and you guessed it. OA is most commonly seen in postmenopausal women, which led researchers to explore the possible relationship between OA and menopause.    

When those hot flashes hit we want to stay as cool as possible by any means necessary and for me, that was with a handheld fan, electric fan or central air; anything to cool my body down; especially at night. Unfortunately, during this cooling off period the cool air set in my bones where the inflammation was in my knee where I tore my ligament. Now I have arthritis in the same knee.   

I said all of that to say this although we want to stay as cool as possible we have to be very careful at all times to make sure a night that the air is not directly blowing on us because we are not moving about but lying still for hours.

Let’s take a closer look at this new man in my life.   

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is very common but is not well understood. Actually, “arthritis” is not a single disease; it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions. People of all ages, sexes, and races can and do have arthritis, and it is the leading cause of disability in America. More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some type of arthritis. It is most common among women and occurs more frequently as people get older.

Common arthritis joint symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased the range of motion. Symptoms may come and go. They can be mild, moderate or severe. They may stay about the same for years but may progress or get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to do daily activities and make it difficult to walk or climb stairs. Arthritis can cause permanent joint changes. These changes may be visible, such as knobby finger joints, but often the damage can only be seen on X-ray. Some types of arthritis also affect the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys, and skin as well as the joints.

Degenerative Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. When the cartilage – the slick, cushioning surface on the ends of bones – wears away, bone rubs against bone, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Over time, joints can lose strength and pain may become chronic. Risk factors include excess weight, family history, age and previous injury (an anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, tear, for example). 

When the joint symptoms of osteoarthritis are mild or moderate, they can be managed by:

• balancing activity with rest
• using hot and cold therapies
• regular physical activity
• maintaining a healthy weight 
• strengthening the muscles around the joint for added support
• using assistive devices 
• taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medicines
• avoiding excessive repetitive movements

If joint symptoms are severe, causing limited mobility and affecting the quality of life, some of the above management strategies may be helpful, but joint replacement may be necessary.

Osteoarthritis can be prevented by staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding injury and repetitive movements. 

Inflammation and Stiffness: The Hallmarks of Arthritis

As a disease, arthritis is more complicated and varied than most people imagine. It can come in different forms and affect people in different ways. But the common thread through most forms of arthritis? Inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

Swelling may occur for two key reasons. Either the lining of the joint, known as the synovium, swells (synovitis) or the synovial fluid increases in volume (an effusion).  It is an active process: inflammatory cells (mainly white cells) and more blood enter the joint, while many inflammatory molecules, such as small proteins (peptides) are released into the soft tissues around the joint. The increased blood flow makes the joint swell and feels warm. The inflammatory materials cause joint fluid to collect in and around the joint, which adds to the swelling. The type of joint swelling can vary depending on the type of arthritis you have.

Inflamed joints can feel especially stiff first thing in the morning. How long it lasts is important: an hour or more is suggestive of inflammatory arthritis. Defining morning stiffness is hard, although people with arthritis describe it as an ache combined with difficulty moving. Stiffness following exercise is usually a feature of osteoarthritis; it is a sign that the joints are starting to fail. People also feel stiff when they rest, such as sitting down after a walk or relaxing in the evening. The joints are sometimes said to “gel,” a term reminiscent of how gelatin sets – a gradual process of firming up. Joint stiffness may occur with or without joint pain. Stiffness can affect any joint– the fingers and hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, feet, shoulders, hips, and even the jaw.

Know Your Symptoms

Other signs and symptoms in addition to the inflammation and stiffness will help your doctor figure out what kind of arthritis you have.

OA usually occurs due to wear and tear, injury or both. The most commonly affected joints are the lower back, hips, knees, and feet. Although inflammation is not a main symptom of osteoarthritis, it can occur in the joint lining in response to the cartilage breakdown. Morning stiffness may be severe but is usually brief – less than 30 minutes, that occurs after waking up in the morning or a period of rest. Joint redness, warmth, and swelling are usually minimal.

Golden Divas Do You Have Arthritis?

How do you know if your inflammation and stiffness mean you have arthritis? Only a health care professional can tell you for sure, but certain signs usually point to arthritis. There are four important warning signs that should prompt you to talk to a healthcare provider.  

• Pain from arthritis can be constant or it may come and go. It may occur when at rest or while moving. Pain may be in one part of the body or in many different parts.
• Some types of arthritis cause the skin over the affected joint to become red and swollen, feeling warm to the touch. Swelling that lasts for three days or longer or occurs more than three times a month should prompt a visit to the doctor.
• Stiffness. This is a classic arthritis symptom, especially when waking up in the morning or after sitting at a desk or riding in a car for a long time. Morning stiffness that lasts longer than an hour is a good reason to suspect arthritis.
• Difficulty moving a joint. It shouldn’t be that hard or painful to get up from your favorite chair.

Your experience with inflammation and stiffness will be important in helping your doctor pin down the type and extent of arthritis. Before visiting the doctor, keep track of your symptoms for a few weeks, noting what is swollen and stiff, when, for how long, and what helps ease the symptoms.

If the doctor suspects arthritis, they will perform tests to check the range of motion in your joints, asking you to move the joint back and forth. The doctor may also check a passive range of motion by moving the joint for you. Any pain during a range of motion test is a possible symptom of arthritis.

Treating inflammation and stiffness can involve medicine, both prescription or over-the-counter, and other methods. Follow your doctor’s instructions, but here is some general advice:

No medicine required

Applying heat or cold to affected joints is one of the easiest ways to relieve arthritis pain and stiffness on a short-term basis. Heat relaxes muscles and increases circulation in specific areas. Some examples of heat are hot packs, heating pads, heated pools, and warm showers.

Cold reduces swelling and numbs the nerves that detect pain. Some examples of cold are ice packs or cold packs such as frozen vegetables.

You can decide whether warm or cold works best for you by trying them both.  Do what is most comfortable because your comfort plays an important role in keeping your pain at a low level.

Neither heat nor cold should be applied for more than 20 minutes, and skin should be allowed to return to its normal temperature between applications. It’s also always a good idea to cover the object you’re using with a towel to help protect your skin.

Over-the-Counter Medicines

Acetaminophen is an aspirin-free pain reliever. It helps reduce pain but has little effect on inflammation. Many healthcare providers consider aspirin-free pain relievers the preferred first choice in treating mild to moderate arthritis.

Another type of oral medication is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). This help reduces both pain and joint swelling. NSAIDs may cause stomach problems and other complications. Some are available only by prescription. Some examples are Aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.  

Ladies let’s get rid of this guy he is wreaking habit on my life and I definitely don’t want him in your life!

Source

https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/arthritis-swelling-and-stiffness.php