| Treating Osteoarthritis is a joint venture between the | | | | treatment early. Specific exercises such as swimming, |
| patient and their physician that takes into account the | | | | walking, aerobics, and aquatic exercises slow down |
| patient's personal needs and medical condition. The | | | | osteoarthritis by maintaining motion and movement of |
| conditions that could affect treatment are cardiac | | | | joints. |
| disease, hypertension, peptic ulcers, or renal disease. | | | | There are days when self medication helps relieve |
| Standard treatment involves pain killers, physiotherapy, | | | | pain and swelling. Hot water bottles, electric heating |
| exercises, and diet control. A physician initially advices | | | | pads, rubbing ointments, and creams have the desired |
| physiotherapy sessions along with diet control. To help | | | | effect. Folk remedies such as mud baths, wearing |
| movement, a physiotherapist may suggest certain aids | | | | copper bracelets, and herbal medicines are short term |
| and appliances for use at home and workplace. These | | | | treatments, but if pain and swelling persist, an injection |
| can be walking canes, rails near bath areas, additions | | | | is probably a safer option. In acute cases, a surgical |
| to taps and electrical plugs, and walking crutches. | | | | procedure for joint replacement is the best treatment. |
| Another important area of treatment is weight control. | | | | Before going in for either hip or knee replacement, it is |
| Obesity increases the risk of osteoarthritis by | | | | advisable to discuss the implications with physician and |
| impacting knee and hip joints. Obese women are | | | | the specialist recommended. The reason is that |
| susceptible to hip osteoarthritis due to housework, and | | | | replacements wear out fast, limiting further surgery. |
| posture and weight control has to be worked on from | | | | Whatever line of treatment is followed, the objective |
| young age. The reason for this is that once fat | | | | should be an improvement in condition of the joints and |
| accumulates it is difficult to reduce. Instead of waiting | | | | the ability to carry on with everyday life activities. |
| for disease to take root, it is advisable to seek medical | | | | |