Wednesday 7 January 2015

Nondrug Approaches to Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis is a common bone disorder among adults aged above 60. Females of postmenopausal stage are more prone to Osteoarthritis. This involvs degeneration of bone mass (degradation of bone cartilage). At menopause stage the sex hormones getting stopped in female which leads to come down of calcium levels in blood.

Thereby lack of calcium in the bones leads to weakening of bones. The bones get fractured evev for least stress. This is the reason why geriatrics are more prone to bone fractures.
 

Risk factors for Osteoarthritis:
1. Menopause
2. Nutrition deficiency
3. Obesity (Cause for frequent bone fractures)

Effects of Osteoarthritis:
1.Weakening of bones
2.  Frequent bone fractures.
3. More time taken to recover from bone fractures
4.  Pain at joints
5. Difficulty in walking etc.,

Drug approaches for Osteoarthritis:
1. NSAIDs
2. Analgesics
3. Calcium supplements etc.,

Recent studies told that the drug approaches to osteoarthritis does not show satisfactory results and the patients are not comfort with drug therapy because of most osteoarthritis patients are geriatrics.
So, we have to search for non drug approaches for osteoarthritis.
Here are some ways for that,
1. Follow strict diet to avoid obesity
2. Monitor for other underlying diseases
3. Simple body exercises at home with physician advice
4. Good social habitats(quit alcohol and smoking)
5. Maintain hygienic life style.


Quit alcohol and smoking

Control your weight



By following these simple advices one can come out from the symptoms of OA to some extent and may help the patients to extend their healthy life span.

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