Breaking Arthritis Myths

1. Breaking Arthritis Myths As arthritis is becoming an increasingly common condition, there have been a lot of myths and misconceptions revolving the disease through some years. It’s time to break those myths and learn the truth. Myth: Any pain in the joints is Arthritis. Fact:There are many types of arthritis and having an achy swollen joint doesn’t confirm arthritis. Other conditions like bursitis, tendonitis or other soft-tissue injuries could also cause joint pain. Visit your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Myth: Popping and cracking knuckles cause arthritis.

2. Fact: No studies have proved that cracking joints and knuckles can cause arthritis. Popping knuckles is only a vacuum phenomenon that makes the excess nitrogen gas, which was dissolved in your blood, makes a popping noise. Myth: Exercise aggravates arthritis. Fact: This is the biggest myth most people are living with. They think that movement of joints can cause pain. Exercise benefits everyone with or without arthritis. It enhances your strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain and helps fight fatigue. It also helps you control your weight and maintain bone health. In fact, inactivity can make the sufferer’s joints continue to deteriorate. If in pain, switch to some low-impact range of motion based exercises like water aerobics, yoga or walking on a level surface that are less strenuous for the joints. Visit your doctor/ physiotherapist/ health care company for a guided exercise plan. Myth: Diet can be a factor in curing arthritis. Fact: Diet has not been shown to cure or prevent arthritis. However, having a healthy diet is important in managing arthritis as your overall health is very crucial. Lifestyle changes and medication can effectively help you manage the symptoms and allow normal activity. Eating calcium rich foods such as dairy products (cheese, milk, and yoghurt), nuts, seeds and fish like sardines will help develop strong bones. Myth: Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis are same. Fact: It is one of the most common myths. Osteoarthritis and RA are two different diseases. Osteoarthritis involves larger joints such as knee, hip, shoulder etc. while Rheumatoid arthritis involves the smaller joints such as fingers, wrist, toes etc. of the body. Both the diseases affect joints and involve pain and disability, however, they both differ in terms of the cause of joint pain. In osteoarthritis, joint pain is caused by wear and tear of aging joints and mostly affects middle aged and old aged people. While RA is a disease that can affect any person at any age. Joint pain results from an inflammatory autoimmune process, in which the immune system breaks down and turns against the body’s own healthy tissue causing inflammation and damage. Myth: Taking glucosamine supplements will benefit anyone with arthritis.

3. Fact: Glucosamine, which is a natural compound found in your joints and the cartilage around them, does not rebuild joints. Although this supplement is widely available but it doesn’t do what most people think it does. According to a study, glucosamine is found to reduce stiffness, swelling in joints, osteoarthritis-related pain, improve function in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis and continue to provide relief symptoms up to 3 months after patients stopped treatment. Treatment The treatment of arthritis depends on the type of arthritis present, which can only be identified by an accurate diagnosis. The options of treatment available include surgical care, physical therapy, splinting, paraffin wax dips, home remedies and medications like pain medications, biologic medications, immune-altering medications and anti-inflammatory medications. World Arthritis Day, observed on 12th Oct, aims at raising awareness of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and encouraging people suffering from RMDs, their families, carers and the general public to take action and make a difference to the quality of life of people with RMDs.