Winter 2006	Keep Your Joints Limber
Can supplements help? Glucosamine and chondroitin have earned a reputation for arthritis relief, but do they really help? According to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, when taken together, the supplements offered relief for moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis sufferers. However, patients with mild pain reported no improvement from the treatment. Other studies suggest the pair may slow the breakdown of cartilage and reduce the inflammation of osteoarthritis. There’s some indication that glucosamine raises blood sugar levels, so check with your doctor first. Get a grip on arthritis pain One in five adults lives with arthritis, a generic term for more than 100 different diseases. The most common forms are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), painful and chronic conditions that affect millions of Americans. OA is a progressive disease that begins when cartilage, the soft connective tissue that cushions joints, starts to break down from simple use.Without the proper cushioning, joint movement becomes painful, and bones compensate for cartilage loss by growing bony lumps or spurs, called osteophytes, along the sides. RA is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to turn on itself, attacking not only the joints, but sometimes the heart, lungs and eyes as well. Most sufferers are stricken between ages 25 and 50. Women are about three times more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis. While there’s no cure for arthritis, you can take steps to ease the discomfort: Keep active. Stretching and muscle-strengthening exercises can help restore range of motion. Swimming and other water exercises are especially helpful since they provide non-weight-bearing activity. Use heat or cold therapy. Hot compresses, warm baths, heated pools and heating pads help relax muscles and stimulate circulation. Cold packs, on the other hand, numb hot, swollen joints during acute attacks. Get a massage. A massage therapist can ease joint pain and stiffness by kneading or stroking the affected area. Regular massages can improve sleep and boost your body’s production of natural painkilling hormones called endorphins. Eat fish. Studies show adding omega-3 fats to your diet may ease arthritis symptoms. These fats can be found in cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines; flaxseed, olive and canola oils; and fish oil supplements. Try over-the-counter remedies. Acetaminophen can usually reduce the pain of OA. Doctors commonly recommend non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and others — to block pain and swelling of other types of arthritis. Analgesic rubs and creams can also bring relief.
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