May is Arthritis Month

Michele Oseroff, RN, women’s health nurse navigator at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, talks about the two most common types of arthritis and what you can do to prevent them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, arthritis is the most common cause of disability, accounting for nearly 9 million of the 47.5 million people reporting disabilities.

Another way to put it is that nearly 1 in every 5 adults with a disability has arthritis.  Out of more than 100 forms of arthritis, the two that are the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is typically found in adults over 40.  This form of arthritis is caused by the degeneration of cartilage and the underlying bone within a joint causing pain and stiffness, usually in the knees, hips, hands or spine. Mornings tend to be most difficult.

Although an exact cause for the onset of osteoarthritis is unknown, there are a few ways to prevent it. Maintain an ideal weight, eat a healthy diet, do not smoke and, to keep your joints flexible, exercise regularly.

Swimming or water aerobics is a good choice of exercise because the buoyancy of the water reduces stress on weight-bearing joints. The slow, stretching movements associated with yoga and Tai Chi may also help improve joint flexibility and range of motion in people with osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually manifests itself within multiple joints in the body.  It primarily affects the lining of your body’s joints, which leads to erosion of the cartilage, bone, and can sometimes lead to joint deformity. 

Early symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, swelling, or redness in the joint area. As it progresses, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may feel like the flu with achiness, muscle pain and loss of appetite. Women are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis than men with symptoms and it usually appears after age 60.  

Early and effective rheumatoid arthritis treatment can improve the prognosis and may help prevent joint and bone destruction associated with RA.

To learn more about what you can do to about arthritis, call me at 443-777-4GPS (4477). 

I can connect you with a primary care provider, a health care specialist for pain management or any other type of care provider you or a family member may need.