How to Care for Your Joints? A Ready Reckoner for Patients With Joint Pain and Arthritis in India

People in India are yet to appreciate the common jointlesions are practiced by the author. Ligament injuries of
problems and their impact is rising day by day. Jointthe knee should be treated in symptomatic persons.
problems affect more than 400 million people worldIndividuals can postpone joint problems by regular
wide. Back ache is the commonest cause of sicknessexercise. Putting your joints through a full range of
absenteeism. Osteoarthritis is the commonest jointmovement each day is all that is needed. Weight gain
problem and the knee is the commonest joint affectedcan and should be avoided. Learn to differentiate
in India. A lot of women suffer from knee pain. Withbetween the pain of overuse and disease. Any joint
this in mind it is useful to draw the attention of the localpain lasting for more than one hour after exercise is
populace to caring for their joints.not overuse pain. Use the largest joint suitable for any
Pay attention to your symptoms and see the doctormuscular effort.
early.Start early
If you have pain swelling and stiffness around yourThe earlier the diagnosis is made the better are the
joints for more than two weeks, please see yourchances to keep the disease under check or offer
orthopedic surgeon. These symptoms can developadvice on mitigating its effect. This disease cannot be
suddenly or slowly. These symptoms could be arthritis.entirely cured but medicines and surgery can offer
"Arthritis" is not a single diagnosis. There are more thanlasting pain relief and improve the quality of life.
100 types of arthritis and only an Orthopaedic specialistProtect your joints
can make the diagnosis after examining you and doingExercise helps to relieve pain, improve circulation, tone
the necessary investigations.up your muscles and keep you fit. It improves the
What can be done to mitigate the disease load?overall sense of well being. Your Doctor can show
We can look at this from a large and microyou all the types of exercises that will be useful for
perspective.your specific condition.
While osteoarthritis is the bane of middle and late age,Eat and drink healthily
road traffic accidents and the resultant injuries &Cut down on fast foods which offer little nutrition. Fruits
fractures can be prevented by action at theand vegetables, whole grain cereals, milk, protect your
appropriate political level.muscles and joints.
Chronic painful arthritic joints need a joint replacementThere are no dietary restrictions for most form of
in the elderly age groups. The treatment of the youngarthritis.
individual is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. InThus simple measures within your reach can postpone
this group fall many women with anterior knee pain.the onset of arthritis. Earlier diagnosis, innovative
They need special attention and specially designedalternatives for joint replacement, can give you lasting
exercises. Surgical methods of treatment of cartilagerelief from inevitable joint pains and aches.