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What You Should Know If You Suffer From Osteoarthritis

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Osteoarthritis is one of the ailments that typically will come about as individuals become advanced in years. It can be a painful condition to suffer from as it stems from inflammation of your joints, causing them to feel stiff and tender to the touch. However, a misconception some people have about osteoarthritis is that it can only be managed using strong pain medication. Read on to familiarise yourself with some little-known facts about this disease.

Osteoarthritis can be preventable

One little-known fact about osteoarthritis is that it is a preventable disease. If you are at risk of developing it due to genetic disposition, it would be advisable to take proactive measures in your lifestyle that could help in preventing it down the road. One of the steps that you can take is engaging in exercise on a day-to-day basis, as this will prevent your joints from stagnating. Additionally, routine physiotherapy would be an excellent way to prevent osteoarthritis, as it would promote mobility and flexibility in your joints. If you have sustained a joint injury that makes it difficult to engage in physical exercise, you should consider massage therapy to accelerate healing and reduce the chances of problems with that joint down the road.

Movements will dissipate symptoms of osteoarthritis

Another common misconception that some people have concerning osteoarthritis is that the more physical activity you engage in, the more exacerbated your symptoms become. In reality, exposing your body to a range of motion will work to make your joints feel limber. Thus, if you already have developed osteoarthritis, it would be in your best interests to engage in routine physic as this can help in decreasing the chances of your ailment flaring up.

Your diet can affect your osteoarthritis

Other than physical activity, your current diet can also play a role in how frequently you experience flare-ups of your osteoarthritis. Since this is an inflammatory ailment, switching to a diet that is primarily anti-inflammatory could help in managing your overall symptoms. For example, individuals who have diabetes are highly likely to develop osteoarthritis. The reason for this is because high levels of glucose in your system will accelerate the formation of compounds that stiffen your cartilage. The stiffening makes it harder to move your joints, accentuating the osteoarthritis. Therefore, whether you have diabetes or not, you may want to consider decreasing your sugar intake if you have already developed osteoarthritis.


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