Living with Knee Arthritis
There are many forms of arthritis affecting people of every age, especially people over the age of 50, and all are bound to make basic tasks such as walking or writing a letter uncomfortable at best and unbearably painful at worst. Arthritis is an inflammation of bone joints that slowly wears down cartilage, creating inflammation and soreness at the affected joint. One particular form of arthritis that makes moving around difficult is knee arthritis. As the name implies, knee arthritis affects one or both knees, making any sort of pressure or movement on the knee sore or even painful.
Causes
Knee arthritis in itself is not a disease - rather, it's used to describe the area where any type of arthritis occurs. This illness can be caused by a bacterial infection or fungus, as in the case of septic arthritis, or osteoarthritis, which is caused by bone trauma or old age. Left alone, knee arthritis will worsen and make walking around almost impossible to bear. Firstly, any extended soreness or inflammation of the knee may be a symptom of this illness. If you suspect that you are suffering from knee arthritis, seek a doctor immediately. They may choose several options to diagnose the problem, including but not limited to an X-ray, tissue or blood sample, or a complete physical examination. Within a few days the results from the tests should be analyzed, and then if you do have knee arthritis, the doctor may direct you to a physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon to help formulate a plan to combat the illness.
Treatments
Don't worry too much about knee arthritis. If left untreated for a long period of time, it can be debilitating to the point where a patient becomes legally disabled, but many treatments exist to help make sure that this never becomes a reality. Many treatments include exercising as a key component to reducing the pain and swelling and healing the joint. Some of the most popular exercises include gentle swimming motions and walking, and classes exist to help you maximize the potential from each type of exercise. Also, medications can help reduce the pain, not by deadening nerves, but by actually working to reduce the swelling and inflammation in the joint. Sometimes, fluid will also be extracted from the joint to decrease pressure and consequently pain.
Just because you have knee arthritis does not mean you will not be able to live out your life to the fullest. Millions of people have knee arthritis, and with treatment, they are able to live as they always have, driving and walking wherever they please. If they so choose, they can even play sports!
