Right now, roughly 25% of Americans aged 65 and above suffer from knee pain. For them, squatting is near to impossible. If they do succeed, they need support to get back up and not without a jabbing pain in the knees.

Standing for long periods of time is an ordeal and moving about can painfully twist a ligament. A handrail is a must in going up and down staircases – one painful step after another.

Are you one of them Then you know how it feels. I know (I am not American) because I have osteoarthritis in both knees – the most common form of arthritis and the major cause of knee pain.

So let’s strip down osteoarthritis naked to know what it is and how to cope with this health issue that has caused so much misery among elderly people like us.

What is Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder caused by the wear and tear of the cartilage that cushions the  knee joint. It can affect any joint of the body like the hips, hands, and spine. But it is more common in the knees because they support the full weight of the body.

This knee disorder comes in two forms: primary and secondary.

Primary osteoarthritis is due to aging. Aging causes the water content of the cartilage to increase and the degeneration of its protein make-up. In effect, repetitive flexing of the knee joint can cause pain and swelling.

Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by diseases or other conditions such as obesity, repeated trauma, or surgery on the joints and abnormal joints at birth. Obesity is the most common because it induces more mechanical stress on the knees.

Health conditions like gout, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and other hormone imbalance can also cause secondary osteoarthritis.

How to cope with Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease and worsens over time. It causes chronic knee pain that may affect your daily tasks. In severe cases, it can result to sleep deprivation or depression.

Despite the ads you regularly see on FB and other social media outlets, there is no known cure for the disorder other than surgical implants. If there is any out there, the best it can do is to alleviate your suffering.

So if you are suffering from knee pain, see your doctor or rheumatologist. I just did – after five long years of suffering

Other than confirming that my knee pain is due to osteoarthritis, she also gave me some tips in coping with it.

Here are some of them:

1.  Have a knee x-ray

A knee x-ray may seem redundant but it is the only way your doctor can assess  the degree of degeneration of your knee cartilage.

2.  Pain-alleviation strategies

Osteoarthritis can greatly affect your mobility. It slows you down and forces you to take extra care in your movements. A misstep can send a bolt of searing pain in your knees. So here’s a short list of things to be careful about to avoid that:

• Avoid squatting;
• Avoid standing for long periods of time;
• As much as possible, use the elevator, not the stairs;
• While walking, take care not to make sudden twists or turns, or sudden change in direction which can stretch your knee ligaments;
• Watch out for abrupt changes on surface elevation. An unexpected step on a low-level surface can give your knees a jolt;
• Avoid carrying heavy loads.

3.  Be active

Ironically, one of the best ways of coping with osteoarthritis is to keep active to prevent joint and ligament stiffening. However, you must avoid high-impact exercises and use a pair of sneakers with soft soles to cushion your weight.

Knee and leg-strengthening exercises like hiking, stationary biking, and water sports are good activities in coping with osteoarthritis. For a more comprehensive list of activities visit the Arthritis Foundation site.

4.  Use hot or cold compress:

Hot or cold compress is a good way to relieve sore on inflamed knees. Hot compress increases blood flow while cold compress reduces inflammation of the joints.

When to use either is your call. I find cold compress easier to prepare and bring along when I am doing outdoor sports like tennis.

5.  Use canes, braces, supports:

Walking canes are cheap and convenient to take some of the weight off your knees. But prolonged use can alter the way you walk. If you don’t want to develop a limp, keep away from them.

Splints, braces, and supports won’t affect your gait but you have to consult your doctor so you can get the right one. I am using a knee brace – after consulting with my doctor. It works fine.

6.  Lose weight:

This is a no-brainer. Excess weight is a lot to carry for old knees which have seen better days.  However, obesity as a cause of knees pain may not hold true in all cases. For example, I have an ideal BMI (body mass index), yet both my knees have osteoarthritis. But it does pay to lose weight to avoid other obesity health-related issues.

7.  Eat well:

Eating well means having the right amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet. It must also have low-fat or fat-free dairy, lean meat, poultry, beans, eggs, nuts, and fish. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish may relieve pain.

Minimize or keep from food full of saturated fats and trans fats like butter, whole milk, baked goods. Also, minimize your consumption of sugar and salt.,

8.  Use pain relievers::

If all of the above fails, use drugs – as a last resort.

It should be the last resort to avoid dependency or, worse, develop other health issues from prolonged use.

Over-the-the counter drugs like acetaminophen (Tylenol),  ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve),etc., may provide short and temporary relief from pain but should not be taken for long periods of time. In fact, they should not be taken for more than 10 days without running the risk of developing complications stomach irritation, bleeding, and possible liver problems.

When I started having knee pains, I consulted our company doctor. As if on cue, she said that my cartilage is starting to wear out. “But can’t my body rejuvenate them,” I asked. Her answer was as curt and direct as a slap on the face. “At your age, that’s as impossible as growing another tooth,” she said.

If you spend a little time on FB each evening, you can’t fail to notice a lot of ads to cope with knee pains – from simple to hi-tech braces, to ointments, tablets, or liquids that promise to get rid of your osteoarthritis. Don’t fall for any of them unless you want to throw good money away. Consult your doctor to be on the safe side.

Image: dreamstime.com

~oOo~

The post Are You Suffering from Knee Pain Then This is For You first appeared on Age With Charm.

Have you suffered from gout I did, for one day, several years ago. But it was a day of pure suffering. I had it in my left foot which made walking excruciatingly painful that I had to limp. I thought, for a while, that my active life was coming to an end.

To my relief, it was gone the following day and has never come back since then.

How it left as fast as it came is the subject of this article. But before that, here are interesting things you must know about gout.

What is gout?

Gout is one of about 100 types of arthritis, and the fourth among the most common (the other are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia).

it was once dubbed as the “disease of the kings” because it only afflicted those who can afford to overindulge in food and wine. But with the growing middle class, the abundance of food resulting in an increase in obesity cases, it has become one of the most common medical issues of the elderly.

In fact, in 2008, 9% of Americans, aged 60 to 79, had bouts of gout. The percentage was higher, 13%, for those in the 80s and above.

So what causes gout?

It is caused by excess uric acid in the blood. Some of these form uric acid crystals that deposit in joints like the big toe, ankle, knee, elbow, wrist, and others.

Joints affected by gout are often reddish, swollen, soft to the touch, but always very painful.

Living with the disease can be a very painful experience, but it can be done.

How to live with gout?

Though mine lasted only for a day, a typical bout episode can be between three to ten days. In a few cases, it becomes chronic resulting in deformities of the affected joint.

Living with gout can only be done two ways: through drugs or discipline.

I am not a medicines man for two reasons: First, they are an additional expense and, second, they cause dependencies.

So if you want to avoid it on a long-term basis, self-discipline is the way to go.

Here’s how:

1. Keep away from food high in purine:

Purines are chemical compounds in foods and drinks we normally take as part of our diet.

If you have experienced bouts of gout, limit or keep away from organ meats like liver, kidney, pancreas, and brain; bacon, beef, pork, and lamb; anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, and scallops.

And keep away from too much beer.

Even beans with moderate amounts of purines can trigger gout if taken in excess – which it did in my case. I love tinned pork and beans.

2.  Be hydrated always:

Being always hydrated reduces the risk of this medical issue; it reduces the risk of urate crystals from forming.

So make sure you take no less than 1 liter of water per day. Skimmed milk will do, as well as fruit juices provided they are not laden with sugar.

Some evidence suggests coffee also helps prevent the occurrence of gout because of its diuretic properties.

This makes sense to me because coffee helped me get rid of it.

3.  Exercise:

Exercise is necessary for people of all ages. If you are senior suffering from gout, it is almost mandatory.

Not while you are suffering from its pain, of course. But you must hit the road as soon as the episode passes.

Exercise eases stiffness, improves joint movement, strengthens muscles and bones, and maintains bone density.

And if you don’t Well, as the saying goes, “you will lose it if you don’t use it.” If you don’t exercise your muscles become weak and stiff making movements even more difficult and painful.

4.  Lose weight:

I know of some people losing weight after they have experienced gout arthritis. While this may be commendable, it’s kind of having the airbags inflate after the collision. commendable, it is not the right way to do it;

With or without it, reduce weight. It is for your own good.

Lose weight gradually. A drastic weight loss from a crash diet can cause cell breakdown, resulting in an increase in urate levels.

The best way to lose weight gradually is to have a nutritious diet coupled with exercise. Try to hit your ideal BMI (body mass index) if you want to avoid this old-age health issue for good.

5. Keep away from alcohol, particularly beer:

Here’s a good news/bad news about alcohol consumption and gout. are the good news and bad news regarding gout and alcohol.

The bad news is that alcohol,  particularly beer is bad if you have gout. Even if you don’t, drinking in excess puts you at risk of developing one, especially if you are obese.

The good news is that studies upon studies have not established why they are bad for gout sufferers.

So keep drinking – but keep it within limits.

I drink two cans of beer each Saturday evening. That’s discipline.

Like you, I have several among my circle of friends who have gout. It’s kind of sad to see them suffer so much for something they could have avoided or have full control of. They rely too much on drugs to alleviate their suffering when all they need to do is to have a change in lifestyle to avoid such unnecessary expenses.

Please share with other gout sufferers so they can find lasting relief from this health issue common to people our age. 

~oOo~

The post Are You Suffering from Gout Do These! first appeared on Age With Charm.