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What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (AH-stee-oh-ar-THREYE-tis) is the most common
form of arthritis, with rheumatoid arthritis in a distant
second. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint
disease, OA, or osteoarthrosis. It is what people generally
think of when they think of arthritis, as it commonly affects
middle aged to elderly individuals but it can strike almost
any age or as a result of injury.
Is there a cure for arthritis?
At the current time, there is no cure for arthritis.
What causes the pain?
Joints consist of bones, with various types of sockets or
connections that link one bone end to another. Some bones
just slide across each other, while others like the hip joint
use a ball and socket. Between the bone ends there is a protective,
slippery layer known as cartilage (KAR-til-uj). Whenever
you move a joint, bones rub together with the cartilage padding
the between. For people without arthritis, the cartilage's
job is to protect the bones when they rub against each other
by acting as a shock absorber or cushion. Think of it as
a thick Teflon (Teflon is a registered trademark of DuPont)
coating for the joints. In osteoarthritis, that coating breaks
down over and wears away. When the cartilage is thin or gone,
bones can rub directly together.
What are the results?
While bones can break, most of the time they are very strong
and rigid. When they rub together directly on each other,
the immediate result is pain, swelling, and a loss of mobility.
If this continues, the ends of the bone may even lose their
original shape, causing deformities. Bone spurs (osteophytes) – small
growths on the bone that make the surface even less smooth – can
grow. Small pieces of bone or cartilage can break off and
float around inside the joint, further causing pain and inflammation.
In severe cases of osteoarthritis, you can sometimes even
hear the bones making a grinding noise as they rub together.
As you can see, osteoarthritis is one of the worst forms
of arthritis due to the continual effects it has on people's
joints.
How can I tell if I have osteoarthritis?
Only your doctor can make an accurate diagnosis of osteoarthritis,
but some warning signs may include pain in weight bearing
joints such as the knee or hip, pain during joint movement,
swelling of the joints or even pain in your joints during
strenuous activities. An X-ray will generally confirm the
presence of osteoarthritis. Most people over the age of 60
will have radiographic (x-ray) evidence of the disease. Roughly
one third will have active symptoms.
Who is at risk?
Anybody over the age of 45 is in the greatest risk range
for developing osteoarthritis. Women are slightly more at
risk than men, for reasons that we do not fully understand
yet.
How can I deal with it?
If you are experiencing decreased flexibility, you should
strongly consider trying liquid glucosamine Flexicose. Glucosamine
is not a treatment for arthritis, but it has been clinically
shown to ease joint discomfort, increase flexibility, and
promote healthy cartilage. Flexicose contains 1,500 mg of
superior-quality liquid glucosamine per 1/4 oz serving. Unlike
most other glucosamine products out there, Flexicose also
contains 12 other joint discomfort easing ingredients such
as Chondroitin, MSM, Omega 3, Manganese and Niacinamide.
Flexicose is affordable and backed by a 90 day money back
guarantee. Learn more about Flexicose now or simply order
now and get free shipping to the United States.
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