It’s a surprise to many people that arthritis has more than just a few variations. Instead, arthritis encompasses over 100 conditions, each causing joint inflammation and pain, though osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are by far the most common. Even if you’re aware of this, there are still plenty of myths and misinformation about arthritis.
If you’re living with arthritis pain, contact Westside Pain Specialists to explore solutions for your pain condition. Dr. James Nassiri and his team specialize in arthritis pain management, and they look forward to helping you live an active, pain-free life.
If you smoke, you’re at greater risk of developing both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, so you can avoid these by quitting now, before they start. Osteoarthritis is a wear-and-tear condition, so being overweight may lead to excessive wear that results in joint pain due to arthritis.
Even when your joints ache, staying active actually helps slow the progress of the condition. Combine weight loss with gentle physical activity and, if necessary, pain management, and you may sidestep more severe symptoms. There are some arthritic conditions you can’t avoid, so it makes sense to act on those that you can.
Nope. Nearly 66% of Americans with arthritis are younger than 64. Age is a risk factor, particularly for osteoarthritis, but there’s no reason to expect that younger people get a free pass from arthritis.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis affects children under 16, and psoriatic arthritis commonly appears earlier in life. Rheumatoid arthritis has its origins in immune system dysfunction, so it can happen at any time. The hormonal changes during puberty can trigger rheumatoid arthritis.
Activity is generally good for arthritic joints, if it’s the right activity. Joint stiffness typically eases with stretching, and walking is almost always a good thing. As well as gently stretching the tissues of the joint that might otherwise atrophy, activity stimulates blood flow.
Many arthritis sufferers could also benefit from shedding a few pounds. Losing even modest amounts of weight takes substantial pressure off weight-bearing joints like hips or knees, as well as improving your posture and other crucial body mechanics.
Arthritis is degenerative. There are precisely no cures for any of the types of arthritis. Treatment focuses on symptom relief and slowing progress. Regenerative medicine techniques including stem cell and platelet-rich plasma therapies show good promise, but there’s no evidence yet that these reverse the effects of arthritis on joints.
You may see this myth presented the other way, but a study published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2007 determined that, for people with osteoarthritis of the knee, sensing changes in barometric pressure and temperature does happen, and their arthritis pain changes with the conditions.
Now that you know the truth, contact Westside Pain Specialists by phone to schedule your pain management consultation with Dr. Nassiri, at either his Beverly Hills or Rancho Cucamonga, California, office. Feel free to send Dr. Nassiri and his team a message here on the website.
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