Is Osteoarthritis Inflammatory & Can You Reverse It Naturally?

Osteoarthritis is a common type of arthritis. A few of the people refer to it as a degenerative joint disorder or wear and tear type of arthritis. This condition takes place frequently in knees, hips, and hands. With the condition of osteoarthritis, cartilage present in a joint starts breaking down and the underlying bone starts to change. These changes develop gradually to make the condition of patients worse with time. Osteoarthritis may cause stiffness, pain, and swelling. In some cases, Osteoarthritis also causes reduced physical function and disability. A few people even fail to perform their daily tasks. Ache or pain, stiffness, reduction in motion ranges i.e. flexibility and swelling in the affected joints are few of the common symptoms related to osteoarthritis.⁽¹⁾

Is Osteoarthritis Inflammatory?

Osteoarthritis or degenerative type of joint disorder mainly takes place from the cartilage breakdown i.e. the type of cartilage covering the bones’ ends in a joint. With time, many adults develop painful osteoarthritis in some form in a single joint or multiple joints, like hips, knees, hand, or spine. Even though pain is common in osteoarthritis, inflammation i.e. swelling and redness are primary symptoms related to different types of arthritis.

With the progression of osteoarthritis, inflammation takes place across the affected joint/joints. Inflammation mainly takes place because of cartilage fragments, which break off and cause irritation of the synovium i.e. smooth linings present in a joint. Besides, MRIs conducted during the osteoarthritis initial phases sometimes detect the inflammation of synovitis even if the joint cartilage seems to be normal. This implies the involvement of various other joint structures to trigger the problem of inflammation.

Before the evidence of synovitis or joint degeneration, inflammation level increases in the joint fluid and the blood. Here, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein i.e. CRP are the two inflammatory cytokines present in synovial fluid. In essence, inflammation takes place early during osteoarthritis and it mainly results in the progression of Osteoarthritis symptoms.⁽²⁾

Can You Reverse It Naturally?

According to experts, neither via medical treatments nor natural remedies may cure osteoarthritis. However, you may do many things to slow the progression of your Osteoarthritis symptoms, reduce your pain and inflammation, while improve/maintain your body functions. Especially, exercise to lose your body weight helps you a lot if you are an overweight individual. You may manage or temporarily relieve your pain by the intake of OTC analgesics i.e. acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen. Besides, the application of splints, canes, and braces are essential to protect your joints from future injuries.

Regular exercise may even strengthen your muscles and improves physical balance as well as flexibility. Thus, exercise not only eases your Osteoarthritis stiffness and pain but also gives you overall health benefits. It is also beneficial for your mood and to starve off several other health conditions, which are prevalent in people during old age.

Exercise is also an integral part associated with the treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis, especially in people higher than 65 years age. Research studies have revealed that women may prevent the pain associated with osteoarthritis by one or two hours of moderate exercise/physical activity weekly. Lack of enough exercise may contribute towards Osteoarthritis symptoms, especially when it causes the atrophy of shock-absorbing and supportive muscles, especially the ones surrounding your knees. Exercise to manage Osteoarthritis symptoms should include the ones, which intend to improve muscular strength, flexibility, and endurance, while exercise should be tailor-made to avoid aggravation and injuries.⁽³⁾

Conclusion

To conclude, we should say that osteoarthritis not only involves pain but also inflammation in the form of swelling and redness both. Moreover, osteoarthritis does not involve any cure. Instead, you may follow certain natural remedies to manage your symptoms or reduce your pain and inflammation.

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Is Osteoarthritis Inflammatory & Can You Reverse It Naturally?