As discussed in the
Emergency Department prior to discharge, based on our evaluation your pain is
most likely due to osteoarthritis. Arthritis
is a general term that means inflammation of the joints. There are dozens of types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type. It often comes with age, and it often affects
the hands, knees, and hips.
The place where 2 bones meet is normally
covered with a rubbery material called cartilage. This material allows the bones to slide over
each without causing pain. When
osteoarthritis sets in, the cartilage begins to break down. As it wears away, the bones in the joint
start to rub against each other. This
can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling.
To ease your symptoms:
-Rest for several minutes when your pain
is at its worst – But don't rest too long.
That can make your muscles weak and your pain worse.
-Lose weight (if you are overweight) –
Being heavy puts extra strain on your joints.
-Get some physical therapy and exercise –
Having strong muscles takes some of the strain off of your joints. It can reduce your pain in the long run, even
though it hurts to do at first.
-Use shoe inserts, splints, canes,
walkers, or any other devices that help you – These devices can help keep your
joints stable or take weight off them.
-Use hot or cold packs
-Learn about arthritis – That way you can
work with your doctor or nurse to find the things that will help you.
There is no strong evidence that supplements
of any sort work on arthritis symptoms.
That's true even for Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Those are 2 supplements people seem to think
help with arthritis. If you decide to
try any supplements or herbs, check with your doctor or nurse before taking
them.
There are lots of medicines that can help
you manage your osteoarthritis symptoms.
Some simply reduce pain; others reduce swelling and pain. There are also creams and gels you can put on
your skin to reduce pain. Plus, there
are shots that go into the joint that can help with pain.
When other treatments do not help enough,
some people with osteoarthritis get surgery.
For instance, some people have surgery to replace a knee or a hip. Surgeons are working on other types of
surgery for arthritis, too.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis can be hard to handle. But don't lose hope. You might need to try different combinations of medicines, exercises, and devices to find the approach that works for you. But most people do find ways to go back to doing many of things they like to do.
