Osteoarthritis, a frequent type of arthritis, develops as the cartilage, the protective cushion between the bones, wears away over time. The joints become swollen and uncomfortable. Osteoarthritis develops gradually and is most common in middle age.
A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. Some joints are immovable, e.g., those that connect the bones of the skull, which are separated merely by short, tough fibres of cartilage. Movable joints are found for the most part in the limbs. Simple hinge joints provide a forward and backward motion like your elbow and knee joints. Ball-and-socket joints, like those at the hip and shoulder, allow the greatest range of movement as the rounded end of one bone fits into the hollow or socket of another bone, separated by elastic cartilage.
Because of the enormous range of motion a ball and socket joint is capable of, it is also one of the most prone to giving you many potential problems. Shoulder joints are typical, there is such an incredible wide range of motion possible it is no wonder that so many people who specialise in working on people’s bodies end up treating upper back, neck and specifically shoulder strain. Frozen shoulder is a condition which is relatively common with those over 40 years of age.
Joints are complex tissue structures of your body, and something has to hold them in place. Strong ligaments fastened to the bones above and below the joint hold a joint in place and are prone to wear and tear and injury in particular. Joints are often subject to sprains and dislocations but they are also affected by infections and disorders caused by diseases as the various forms of arthritis. The use of artificial joints has become increasingly common, particularly in hip and knee replacement. Many orthopaedic surgeons now perform such operations of this sort, and in many instances a hip joint replacement can make such an improvement to the quality of one’s life.
Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation, and there are two common forms of arthritis I see in the clinic – rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints. Auto-immune arthritic diseases include rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and the more common osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease.
Arthritis can have many and varied causes from strains and injuries caused by repetitive motion, sports, over exertion, and falls. Arthritic joints can be sensitive to weather and barometric pressure changes.
A top quality glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and ginger product can often be of much relief. A course of a good joint supplement formulation for 3 months can bring about a marked improvement with osteoarthritis. For rheumatoid arthritis I tend to assess the person carefully and treat the underlying digestive system first. This is particularly so after the patient has been on pain relief medication for some time.