Do knee pain and aging really come together as a package? We often hear our folks complaining about a pain on their knee and often, they associate it with their advancing age. We assume that knee or joint pain is just a normal part of growing old and that we just have to accept it, but that is not true, you shouldn’t just wait for your pain to pass, you also need to do something about it because it might already be something serious. There are now a lot of treatment options that you can choose from.
When you feel pain, especially when it lasts for a very long time, it will start to affect different aspects of your life. We have been so used of our body healing itself naturally so that is what we always expect to happen, but we should know when it is already time to start seeing the doctor because you might already have arthritis. It is also important to know that there are different kinds of arthritis and it is essential that you know the most common forms.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
In this type of arthritis, the inflammation of the joints occurs on both sides of your body, the symmetry is what helps distinguish it from the other types of arthritis. Some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are fatigue, joint pain, swelling in the affected areas and joint stiffness. This could be a very dangerous disease and an early diagnosis and an aggressive treatment can help you prevent disability, maintain the joint’s function and improve the chance of survival.
Osteoarthritis
This is often referred to as degenerative joint disease and this is the most common type of arthritis in people who are older than 50 years old, basically, this is the kind of arthritis that comes with old age. As we become older, the rubbery cartilage that often serves as the shock absorber of our joint becomes stiff, causing it to lose its elasticity and become more at risk of developing further damage. As the cartilage starts to wear out, the tendons and the ligaments stretch, and that’s what causes the pain.
The most common reported symptoms include joint aches, pain and the feeling of being sore. Pain relievers and other kinds of medications may help alleviate the pain but lifestyle changes is also very important in this condition, you will need to lose weight in order to reduce pressure on your weight bearing joints.