Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - North Mississippi - (Page 16)

You really do have a chance to make an impact even after your diagnosis. David G. Borenstein, M.D. Q DEFINING OSTEOARTHRITIS What is arthritis? Borenstein: There are more than 100 types of arthritis, but OA is the most common, and it’s essentially an inflammation inside the joint. Q is a slow-onset problem. People may start noticing that they’re doing a certain activity and their knee starts to bother them, or they use their hand a certain way and it gets a little stiff or achy. Zimmerman: My first symptoms came when I was jogging and I was having pain in my knees and legs. My arthritis pain hasn’t been debilitating, but it’s something I live with daily. When I get up, my joints are stiff until I get moving around. I have to work the stiffness out, but once I do, I’m OK. How is OA diagnosed? If you have OA in one joint, does that mean you are more prone to get it in another? Borenstein: Once you have the disease, you are more liable to get the problem in another location than someone who does not have any arthritis. But which joint and in what time frame are not known. Zimmerman: Mine started in my lower body, but within the last two years, I’ve begun having problems with my hands, too. Q Borenstein: We look for characteristics like joints that get worse as you use them. Arthritic joints may also make noise, grinding like sandpaper because cartilage is no longer smooth, or there can be a bony enlargement on the joint or fluid present. X-rays can be helpful, but there’s more to it. Pain is also a factor, and pain and joint changes can differ for each person. Q TREATING OA What does OA treatment typically involve? Q What causes OA? Borenstein: Understanding exactly where OA comes from is a hot topic in the rheumatology world right now, but the general thought is that it comes through wear and tear, but not necessarily just age. OA is a wearing away of the joint structures and the body’s response to this. Obesity is a risk factor for OA, particularly in women, as is overuse of the joints and weakness of the muscles that surround them. Q 16 Vim & Vigor • Sum m er 2 012 DIAGNOSING OA Q Borenstein: Physical therapy can help to improve function. But first, most people need to have their pain addressed. They generally start with acetaminophen (Tylenol). Sometimes that’s adequate for them to get around and feel that their joint is doing better. Others may find nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen (Advil and Aleve) helpful. Physical therapists can provide passive therapies such as hot packs, and, as the individual improves, he or she can move to active therapy, working at getting stronger. photography by dreamstime When might joint surgery make sense for someone who has OA? What are the signs and symptoms? Borenstein: Characteristically, this Borenstein: If you have pain that keeps you up at night, even though you’re taking medicine and trying other therapies, it

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Big Gifts Come in Small Packages
A Voice of Experience
The Breakfast Club
Arthritis Answers
A TV Guide to Radiology
Take Aim
It Might NOT Be Cancer
Colin Firth
Step Up to the Plate
Life After Cancer
Get Dad to the Doc
Virtual Health
Point, Click, Discover
Ready to Serve
A Unique Kind of Doctor
Barbershop Talk
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - North Mississippi