Osteoarthritis (OA) is a very common degenerative joint disease and a leading cause of disability. OA affects more than 20 million in the United States alone. OA is a progressive disease that is characterized by structural damage and functional impairment within joints.
Many inter-related factors like obesity and oxidative stress, all work together in OA to cause progressive, degenerative changes in weight-bearing joints including the knees, neck, lumbar spine, hips and hands.
A multi- factorial approach is ideal when targeting OA management. Conventional medical treatment focuses upon weight loss to reduce load on joints, improving joint support via enhancing muscle strength exercises, and treating pain and stiffness of OA with medications like acetaminophen and other NSAID drugs.
It would be good for people who are on these medications to always return for follow-ups with your doctors so that your progress of taking medications to manage OA is monitored and reviewed. Gentle reminder to always exercise patience and not to ‘doctor-hop’ too often as your body needs time to see results from the medications and treatments being prescribed.
Some medications may expose OA sufferers to the possible risks of liver and kidney damages, especially for people who already have underlying medical conditions. So, do remember to communicate with your doctor and discuss what other options or medications you could take.
Thanks to modern healthcare, food science and technologies, natural compounds like undenatured typed-II collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids and many more, are extracted from food to reduce pains and sufferings for people with OA.
In the subsequent articles, I will be sharing several beneficial and natural treatment strategies or integrative interventions which have evidence-based results from extensive research studies to aid support joint structures and functions to provide more than just pain relief.
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