Volume 2 - Issue 1

The Exercise Component of Healing Osteoarthritis

When we experience pain, it is nature’s way of telling us that something is wrong with our body. Pain comes in two different forms: Acute pain is that which generally lasts less than 5-6 weeks. Chronic pain is the kind that seems to go on forever and is the most typical for those suffering from osteoarthritis.

Every mammal on this earth has pain receptors in their body. Our bodies respond to pain by releasing natural painkillers called endorphins. The release of these ‘endorphins’ is what allows us to continue with our daily lives even when we are living in pain.

For arthritis sufferers, there is an unfortunate cycle of inactivity that begins. Once you begin to experience pain, you tend to limit your activity. Probably, most of us are conditioned to feel that rest is important in overcoming pain. As well, (and let’s face facts) when you don’t feel well as a result of being in pain, you don’t really feel like doing much of anything. Let me tell you, it is absolutely the wrong approach to handling your arthritis pain.

When the body is active, it produces the endorphins. These natural opiates not only assist in the pain-healing process, the exercise serves to strengthen the muscles around injured joints. In addition, exercise usually means weight loss that also assists in defeating osteoarthritis.

Let’s talk about strengthening the muscles around damaged joints. What happens with exercise is that the muscles that surround an injured joint become stronger. In turn, this both stabilizes and supports the affected area. It also serves to continue the strengthening of bones, increase circulation, build synovial fluid in your cartilage, and help deliver nutrients to that damaged cartilage. Of course, exercise leads to weight loss and where load-bearing joints are concerned, this is extremely important in reducing pain and additional damage.

In summary, taking the initiative to exercise is going to go a long way towards accelerating the healing process.

Hip Dysplasia: Is Your Pet Suffering?

What is hip dysplasia?
Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a genetic, painful, crippling disease that causes a dog's hip to weaken, deteriorate, and become arthritic. It is a congenital condition and is the leading cause of lameness occurring in the rear legs of dogs. CHD is common in dogs, particularly in certain large and giant breeds, although smaller dogs and cats can suffer from the condition as well. Hip dysplasia is usually a genetically transferred or inherited trait. However, it can occur in dogs whose parents do not have Canine hip dysplasia.

The signs of Canine Hip Dysplasia

• Difficulty getting up from a lying or sitting position or in climbing stairs
• Moving both rear legs together while walking
• A painful reaction to extension of the rear legs
• Dropping of pelvis after pushing on rump
• A stilted gait or pelvic swing while walking
• An aversion to touch
• A change in behavior
• Whining
• Reluctance to walk, climb stairs, jump, or play
• Lameness after strenuous exercise
• Hunching of back to avoid extending the hips when standing

Literally, hip dysplasia means "badly formed hip". In order to understand this complex problem it is first necessary to understand the anatomy of the canine hip. This ball and socket joint consists of two basic parts - the acetabulum and the femur. The femur, or thigh bone, consists of the head (the ball) and the neck (the part of the femur that joins the long shaft of the bone to the head). The acetabulum forms the socket part of the joint and it is into this socket that the head of the femur rests.

In unaffected dogs there is a good fit between ball and socket. However, if ligaments fail to hold the round knob at the head of the thighbone in place in the hip socket the result is a loose, unstable joint, in which the ball of the femur slides free of the hip socket. Swelling, fraying and rupture of the round ligament follows. This laxity causes excessive wear on the cartilage in the hip joint, eventually resulting in arthritis.

The Treatments for Hip Dysplasia
If you have a pet with hip dysplasia, there is hope. There are many treatments. However, you must be careful which treatments you use. Many treatments can actually do more harm than good for your pet.

Upon a visit to a veterinarian and a diagnosis of hip dysplasia, the first thing recommended is often painkillers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While these do reduce pain, they do nothing to assist with the underlying disease. Furthermore, they have very severe side effects ranging from liver and kidney failure to gastrointestinal bleeding. In addition, new research done on NSAIDs has shown that they can actually slow cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction.

In severe cases, a vet may recommend surgery for your pet. However, surgery is a very expensive and dramatic procedure, and your pet, while his or her pain may be reduced, will never be able to play and jump like they used to.

There is an alternative to these dangerous painkillers and surgery, however.

Recommended Treatments
More progressive veterinarians who are knowledgeable about recent studies, clinical trials, and overwhelmingly positive patient response will know that glucosamine is very beneficial in the treatment for hip dysplasia.

Glucosamine is an over-the-counter dietary supplement that has been shown to be effective in dealing with hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis, and joint pain in both pets and humans. Glucosamine stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAG's), important proteins found in cartilage and proteoglycans, the water holding molecules that make up the cartilage.

Used in the correct form and quality, glucosamine has been shown to not only ease pain, but also assist in rehabilitating damaged cartilage. Furthermore, glucosamine is safe to use and does not have the side effects associated with NSAIDs.

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A Guide to Glucosamine Products

Glucosamine is very effective in the treatment for arthritis and is backed by numerous double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. In these studies, glucosamine has been shown to rehabilitate cartilage, reduce the progression of osteoarthritis, and significantly lessen pain from arthritis. However, one glucosamine product can be very different from another. When your pain relief and health is at stake, you need to know how to choose between competing products and see through the marketing hype. There are six factors that you need to take into your decision before purchasing any glucosamine product. These are:

• Amount of glucosamine per daily dose
• Type of Glucosamine
• Quality of Ingredients
• Delivery System
• Synergistic Ingredients
• Price Per Day

Capsules or Liquid?
Did you know that the absorption rate and bio-availability of the glucosamine in pills is significantly less than that when glucosamine is delivered in liquid form? The "claimed fact" that pills are the only and best way to obtain glucosamine is simply not true.

Glucosamine provided in liquid form is absorbed more quickly, much more fully, and provides greater and longer lasting relief.

(This product guide was prepared by the makers of Syn-flex)

"The Arthritis Cure"

The Arthritis Cure and Maximizing the Arthritis Cure
Jason Theodosakis, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., Brenda
Adderly, M.H.A. & Barry Fox, PhD.

Undoubtedly, this is the most widely read book on the market today for osteoarthritis sufferers. It is easy to see why.

This book does its best to explain what is a fairly complicated medical issue in straightforward terms. For that reason, it makes it much easier for the reader to get some understanding of not only what their illness is all about, but as well it explains the significance of glucosamine and its role as a pain reducing agent and ability to rehabilitate damaged cartilage.

Learn more about The Arthritis Cure for Pets

Arthritis Message Boards

We invite you to participate in our Arthritis Message Board Community. You can learn about arthritis, ask questions, get feedback, make friends, and build a support network of fellow arthritis sufferers. Visit the Arthritis Message Boards today!

8 Tips to Control Arthritic Pain

This Arthritis Course is packed with quality information on what you should know before you talk to your doctor, the arthritis diagnosis, treatment options, treatment side effects, glucosamine, tips on proper diets and exercise, weight management, alternative options, and an easy to understand explanation of what exactly arthritis is, how it occurs, and the effect on cartilage including a discussion of chondrocytes, collagen, proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, and synovial fluid.

If you are committed to taking the right steps towards effectively easing arthritis pain and knowing all your options, then this course will be extremely helpful to you.

The course is spread out over an eight day period and a new part of the course is sent each day right to your email inbox.

Once you begin your course above, you will receive one article each day delivered right to your email inbox. The daily topics are:

1. The Arthritis Diagnosis
2. Osteoarthritis Explained
3. Exercise, Diet, and Weight
4. Cox-II Inhibitors and NSAIDs
5. So What is Glucosamine?
6. How to Evaluate Glucosamine Products
7. Alternative Arthritis Methods
8. Your New Arthritis Plan

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See You Next Month

This concludes the January Issue of The Arthritis Chronicle. Look for the next issue in your inbox on February 1st! Please forward to any friends you know who have arthritis and would be interested.

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Have a great January from the Arthritis Chronicle
See you next month!

Please note:
As readers of this Chronicle are aware, prudent exercise benefits those who suffer from arthritis. Most of the exercise recommendations made here are low impact in nature and designed to assist those who suffer from arthritis. Nonetheless, we always recommend that you consult with your physician before engaging in any type of exercise program.