Lubricate With Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The very consistency of olive oil makes it seem like something that would lubricate your joints and ease arthritis pain, and it turns out, it actually does. A main compound in extra virgin olive oil called oleocanthal inhibits inflammatory enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, just like Advil or aspirin does. The study showed that 1 ½ tablespoons is equal to 200-mg of ibuprofen. However, not every oil is created equal. Heat destroys oleocanthal, so it is necessary to use extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed. The ripeness of the olives at the time they were pressed also determines the level of oleocanthal-generally the stronger tasting the oil, the higher the level there is present. It can be taken internally to reap the benefits, but being high in calories consider replacing any fats, such as butter, with it in cooking instead.
You will need -2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
DirectionsRub a bit of olive oil onto your sore joints twice a day, massaging in to each one gently. You can also take 2-3 tablespoons daily, but be sure to give up some other form of fat due to the high calorie count in the oil
Help For Arthritic Knees
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of pain and disability in knees. In the knee joint, smooth articulate cartilage, called surface cartilage, covers the ends of the femur and tibia . Between the two bones sits a second type of cartilage, called menisci, which acts as a shock absorber. Joint fluid also lubricates the knee joint.
Osteoarthritis starts as the lack or loss of surface cartilage, progressively involving the surrounding bone, tissues and synovial fluid. In OA, your knee cartilage may thin in spots or disappear completely, resulting in areas of exposed bone.
X-rays, MRI and knee arthroscopy can help you and your doctor to determine the right treatment plan, which may include these noninvasive options.
Wrist Hand Or Finger Splints
If youre going through a bad arthritis flare-up, using resting splints can help quiet the active inflammation and give you some relief, Dr. Osterman says. These are devices, usually made of plastic and secured with velcro, that temporarily immobilize the joint, which allows it time to rest, he explains.
Im only 22, but some of my fingers are already severely bent and fused from having juvenile arthritis. Splints are helpful for the pain and for helping keep them straight so hopefully they dont bend more, says rheumatoid arthritis patient Emma A., from Melbourne, Australia. My favorites are ring splints since they look like jewelry instead of a medical brace.
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How Much Can I Walk With Knee Arthritis
Consistency and moderation are important when it comes to walking with arthritis in the knee. To begin with, patients are encouraged to do about 1015 minutes of light walking per day and eventually work their way up to 30 minutes per day. You can do one 30-minute walk or several shorter walks throughout the day. Follow these tips to ensure safety and comfort when walking with arthritis:
- Warm up: Lightly stretching and warming up the muscles is always a good idea before exercising. This helps prevent injury and is particularly beneficial for patients whose knees are stiff due to arthritis.
- Choose appropriate terrain: Make sure you choose an even walking surface, such as a track or mall, to avoid possible accidents or undue strain on the joints. While some doctors believe a very moderate incline is helpful for the knees, flat surfaces are just fine.
- Dont overdo it: Begin by walking short intervals at a moderate, comfortable pace. In the coming weeks, your body and joints will likely feel better and stronger, allowing you to increase the distance of your walks.
- Walk when your knees feel the best: While walking may help arthritis pain in the long term, it is important to try and walk when your joints are feeling their best. For example, if you wake up with stiff, painful knees, it may be best to wait until later in the day to begin your walk. Additionally, walking right after taking anti-inflammatory medications can help minimize any possible discomfort.
Consult A Physician When Necessary
The knee may need immediate medical attention in the event of a sudden injury, such as one caused by a road accident or a fall.
You should have your knee checked by a doctor if there is considerable pain, deep cuts, swelling, or if you cannot move your leg.
Other knee problems require an examination by a doctor if:
- Lasts for a long time
- Progression of deterioration
- Disrupts daily life
In the event of red, tender, warm, and swollen knee joints, it is important to visit your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms such as persistent pain, involvement of other joints, and morning stiffness may indicate rheumatoid arthritis. As well as for the actual disease, doctors can also prescribe medications to treat the pain associated with it.
When a swollen knee is very hot and painful, and when there are other general symptoms of feeling unwell, its time to seek medical attention immediately. There is a possibility of infection, which can result in severe health complications. This requires immediate hospital treatment.
When a person is receiving medical treatment for knee pain, they should contact their doctor if problems get worse or if there are any problems with the treatment, like a drug side effect.
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Is Weight Loss A Treatment For Osteoarthritis
If youre overweight, youre putting a tremendous amount of pressure, stress, and strain on knees and hips, worsening your osteoarthritis pain. The ACR guidelines emphasize losing weight as a treatment for osteoarthritis.
“Weight control in those who are overweight is one thing you can do to improve symptoms and perhaps even slow progression,” says Roy Altman, MD, a rheumatologist with UCLA Health and professor emeritus at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles.
“Even modest amounts of weight loss 10 to 20 pounds are often of benefit,” says Dr. Altman. Aim to eat a balanced diet, count calories, and exercise regularly.
Dealing With Knee Arthritis At Home
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How To Help Arthritis In Knees: The Basics
Your knees are the largest, strongest joint in the body. Knowing a bit about the anatomy can help to appreciate not only their strength but also their unique vulnerabilities.
Knee joints consist of three bones. The femur connects to the tibia and the patella . Cartilage wraps around the end of each bone to protect and smooth movement where the three bones meet.
Two wedges of cartilage called the meniscus act as shock absorbers as the femur presses down into the tibia. Synovial fluid lubricates all of the cartilage in the joint and helps with smooth movement.
In addition, stabilizing ligaments and tendons include:
- Lateral and medial collateral ligaments: Stabilize side-to-side movement
- Posterior and anterior cruciate ligament: Frames movement forward and backwards
Knees absorb the impact of your upper body coming down on the lower leg: every day, all day. This means that everything you dowalking, running, hiking up a mountain, or simply standing up from a seatrelies on healthy knees.
When our knees are not healthy, the resulting knee pain can make it challenging to go about our normal daily activities or even get to sleep at night.
Up Your Calcium Intake
Getting too little calcium raises the risk of osteoporosis, a brittle-bone condition that accelerates if you have RA. Men and women should get 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, 1,200 for women over 50 and men over 70. Dairy is the most famous source of calcium, but its also found in such veggies as cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, and turnip greens. Here are 11 foods with more calcium than a glass of milk.
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Home Remedies To Treat Knee Pain
1. Physical Activity/ Strength Training
One of the most common causes of knee pain, osteoarthritis, can be avoided by indulging oneself in physical activities. Being physically active strengthens the cartilage.
Strength training that works the upper leg muscles are very effective for the good-health of the knee joint.
Some exercises that can be done at home for strengthening knees:
- Straightening and raising a leg while sitting or lying down.
- Alternatively, placing one foot on a step while keeping the other at ground level. Repeating the motion for a few more times.
- Sit on a chair and then stand up. Try to avoid taking the support of hands. This should be done for a minute and in a slow, controlled way.
- Holding a chair and performing squats until kneecaps cover the toes. Repeat this 10 times.
2. The hot and cold treatment
In case of a fresh injury, doctors suggest cold massage. This is because it reduces the swelling. Do this thrice a day within 48 hours of an injury.
In case of an old injury, you can try this. Apply warm sesame or mustard oil with a pinch of turmeric on to the joint. Other than the injury, applying a hot pad on the troubling knee also helps in reducing the stiffness.
3. Ginger
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger can offer help to your knees. Either applying ginger oil on the joint or drinking ginger tea regularly, one can get relief from knee pain. Adding ginger to milk and drinking the mix can also be tried for effective results.
Adding Or Removing Some Bone Around A Joint
If you have osteoarthritis in your knees but you’re not suitable for knee replacement surgery, you may be able to have an operation called an osteotomy. This involves your surgeon adding or removing a small section of bone either above or below your knee joint.
This helps realign your knee so your weight is no longer focused on the damaged part of your knee. An osteotomy can relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis, although you may still need knee replacement surgery eventually.
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Apply Heat And Cold Therapy
Ever notice how a warm shower loosens up your joints and muscles in the morning? If you have arthritis, your answer is probably yes. Did you know you can use both heat and ice to treat your arthritis? Heatsuch as from a shower, bath, electric blanket or heating padhelps relieve stiffness and gets blood flowing to the muscles so you feel able to move again. Ice reduces joint pain and swelling. If your arthritic knee hurts after youve been standing or walking all day, apply an ice pack to the painful or swollen area for no more than 20 minutes. Rest a bit, then move around again to keep from getting stiff.
Try Willow Bark Extract
Willow bark extract has been used as an analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory agent for long. However, there are very limited scientific studies available to support these claims.
The limited evidence suggests that willow bark contains salicin which can help lower the production of pain-inducing chemicals in osteoarthritis patients. However, since there is a lack of proper scientific research, it is best to consult your doctor before using willow bark extracts.
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Causes Of Knee Arthritis And Pain
The most common cause of pain is knee osteoarthritis. Known as a wear-and-tear disease, osteoarthritis occurs as the knee joint gets used over time. The structures that once supported and eased movement may begin to wear out, causing knee pain with movement.
Other common causes of knee pain include the following:
- Injury: Injury such as torn ligaments and tendons, bone fractures, bursitis, and tendinitis can cause knee pain both at rest and during activity.
- Mechanical problems: Mechanical problems occur when something in the joint fails. This might include dislocated kneecap, iliotibial band syndrome, or a foreign body in the joint .
- Other forms of arthritis: There are over 100 forms of arthritis, many of which can cause knee arthritis pain. In addition to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and septic arthritis can cause knee pain.
Finally, a less common cause of knee pain is patellofemoral pain syndrome. This pain between the patella and the femur is most often seen in young athletes but can develop as a consequence of arthritis in the kneecap.
Are There Benefits Of Walking With Knee Pain
It may seem counterintuitive to increase your activity level when you have chronic knee pain or arthritis, but walking can actually provide a number of benefits, including:
- Lubricating the joints
- Increasing blood flow to the tissues
- Building muscle strength to support the knee
Before beginning or resuming any fitness routine, it is essential that you obtain clearance from your physician to ensure the health and safety of your joints. Walking is a fantastic option for many patients with knee arthritis because it is a low-impact activity that does not put undue stress on the joints. Furthermore, walking can increase the knees range of motion and keep it from becoming overly stiff.
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How To Treat Knee Inflammation
This article was co-authored by Jonathan Frank, MD. Dr. Jonathan Frank is an Orthopedic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California, specializing in sports medicine and joint preservation. Dr. Frank’s practice focuses on minimally invasive, arthroscopic surgery of the knee, shoulder, hip, and elbow. Dr. Frank holds an MD from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. He completed an orthopedic residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and a fellowship in Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Hip Preservation at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. He is a staff team physician for the US Ski and Snowboard Team. Dr. Frank is currently a scientific reviewer for top peer-reviewed scientific journals, and his research has been presented at regional, national, and international orthopedic conferences, winning several awards including the prestigious Mark Coventry and William A Grana awards.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 72,584 times.
Keep Bc Arthritis Powder Stick Packs Handy
When you need quick pain relief at home or on the go, BC® Arthritis can help. It contains a higher dose of aspirin than in our original formula plus the same amount of caffeine to help stop minor arthritis pain fast. Powder pain relief absorbs quickly and our convenient, on-the-go, sealed stick packs let you slip one or two in your pocket or purse to take with you wherever you go.
As always, especially if you take other medications, talk to your doctor to make sure its okay to take BCÒ Arthritis occasionally too.
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Visit A Physical Therapist
Physical therapists work with your doctor to design specific exercises for knee rehabilitation. Many of these will focus on lengthening and strengthening the supporting muscles of the upper and lower legs, such as quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
Even one visit to learn the proper form for knee arthritis exercises can help support your recovery.
Consider Supplements For A Natural Treatment Of Arthritis
The combination of glucosamine and chondroitin may help with osteoarthritis treatment. While the ACR in general doesn’t recommend the use of either supplement alone, some studies have found that the combination can lead to some improvement of symptoms.
In a study published in April 2016 in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, taking glucosamine and chondroitin for 12 weeks or longer appeared to give participants more ease of movement. And according to a study published in May 2015 in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, taking the combination over the course of a year led to less joint pain, and taking it for two years led to less joint space narrowing than a placebo.
Early evidence has shown that the natural vegetable extract called avocado soybean unsaponifiables could be an effective osteoarthritis treatment that might even slow progression of the disease and reduce dependence on narcotic drugs, according to a research review published in January 2015 in the journal Cartilage.
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Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation uses a machine that sends electrical impulses through sticky patches, called electrodes, attached to the skin. This may help ease the pain caused by your osteoarthritis by numbing the nerve endings in your spinal cord which control pain.
Treatment with TENS is usually arranged by a physiotherapist or doctor, who can advise you on the strength of the pulses and how long your treatment should last.