Are there any well studied evidence based lifestyle changes that can help prevent arthritis, especially in the hands?
Everyone in my family has it when they are over 70 and it freaks me out.
I've read some vague stuff about "hand exercises" and "don't let your hands get cold ever" but is there anything that's understood better like, for example, reducing sodium, and getting regular exercise for your heart?
nothing specific i'm aware of. eat healthy, don't smoke, keep hydrated. dùzhòng is a herb that's used for treating inflammation and strengthening the bones in tcm
@myrmepropagandist It's degenerative, so no. Now that I've hit 73, I'm getting it in multiple joints and it's debilitating. You're supposed to stay active in your old age but that's one huge roadblock to activity.
arthritis can be caused by inflammation. Anti inflammatory drugs help mine. I'm not a doctor so check with your doctor and see what she or he says about it. It doesn't help my mother's osteoporosis at all
Taking a supplement with glucosamine and chondroitin can help sometimes, as can turmeric and vitamin D. This is a decent article you might already have found, but I'll vouch for it. webmd.com/arthritis/arthritis-…
Depends on the kind of arthritis but the root cause is usually an autoimmune disorder, not wear-based mechanical failure. So keep your immune system happy, hope that your body doesn't decide it's the enemy, and if you do get it, know what the drug protocols are. I had to fail out of the basic drugs with horrible side effects to get the good ones that actually work without making you want to die. Getting good insurance while you qualify helps.
If you’ve got autoimmune arthritis, get it treated to prevent more extensive damage.
I’m curious to hear from an expert on advice for the general public, like does taking anti inflammatories when you have an overuse injury prevent it?
In my 20s I injured my wrist at work with overuse and didn’t treat it several month later at a drs appointment the dr said if I’d taken ibuprofen and iced it I might have avoided long term damage,😟😣
I have rheumatoid & osteo, sometimes gout; but there are loads of others. Other than dos/don'ts for not making it worse I don't know of anything to prevent it.
Basically cartilage degradation / excessive inflammation of the joints. If there's something that can stop that I think they'd be making a fortune from it.
Just watch your weight, exercise sensibly and avoid any activities that will do damage. Easy to say, hard to do.
When you're over 70 it's just kinda normal to develop arthritis, as you get older your body stops making collagen properly which is why skin gets thin and delicate and saggy and your joints get arthritis
Not me tho, I got arthritis from my immune system deciding to eat my knees when I was 30.
A speaking relative of mine taught in a school for the Deaf, and she was told by her ASL teacher that as she fingerspelled, her hands were too tense, and it would give her arthritis. Well, she didn't change her ways and now she has arthritis.
Do you put your stress in your hands? Do the other women in your family? Yarn stores have been getting complaints from knitters because their stress is affecting the knit and frequently they need bigger needles.
Try consciously making all the little muscles in your hands relax. Does it feel any different? If not, just ignore me 😀
my beloved swears by her daily use of glucosamine with chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. All in tablet/capsule form as a means of controlling hand pain/arthritis.
you could check out the archives at @STAT - they're pretty reliable. Also, your library might get you access to some of the journals in rheumatology, etc.
I worked with a physical therapist but she seemed a bit clueless and didn't have any suggestions. Our choices are limited for practitioners, but you probably have a lot more in the city.
As others have mentioned, inflammation is the big thing to watch. Take ibuprofen as your default pain-killer if it doesn't disagree with you, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and get comfortable with cannabis products. Reducing sugar intake might also help.
And of course if you can figure out how to reduce stress and still exist in the world, a) that'll help reduce inflammation, and b) please share your magic with the rest of us.
I had arthritic hips when eventually lead to a double hip replacement. What I learned from the entire, awful experience is that arthritis is most often idiopathic - medical science can't explain the root causes. In my case, it was initially assumed my habit of running 45 mile per week for about 40 years was the problem, but a half dozen or so MRI/x-rays convince the surgeons that exercise was not the problem. I had lots of tests for the most common arthritis causes, I had none of those either. So meh. Maybe the best thing to do is just enjoy the use of your feel good body as long as possible. Old age comes for all of us, in different ways. Best to not worry about it.
Weight loss for hip and knee is the first thing that comes to mind, and I would guess without evidence that it's also helpful for spine, particularly lumbar spine. I am not aware of evidence for preventing osteoarthritis in other joints, but am also not a joint expert.
James
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
iirc i do not think there is much you can do to prevent it (plenty of people in my family have it too)
but keeping your weight low and eating the good stuff and not smoking and regular exercising all go a long way
woe platinum
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
Radio Free Trumpistan
in reply to myrmepropagandist • •It's degenerative, so no. Now that I've hit 73, I'm getting it in multiple joints and it's debilitating. You're supposed to stay active in your old age but that's one huge roadblock to activity.
like this
aprilfollies and myrmepropagandist like this.
Lenora
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
spiegelmama
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webmd.com/arthritis/arthritis-…
That’s a moray
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Radio Free Trumpistan likes this.
MCDuncanLab
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
If you’ve got autoimmune arthritis, get it treated to prevent more extensive damage.
I’m curious to hear from an expert on advice for the general public, like does taking anti inflammatories when you have an overuse injury prevent it?
In my 20s I injured my wrist at work with overuse and didn’t treat it several month later at a drs appointment the dr said if I’d taken ibuprofen and iced it I might have avoided long term damage,😟😣
Lea
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
myrmepropagandist
in reply to Lea • • •Sensitive content
@leadore
IDK there are a lot of people here 20 years older than me. If there is something effective sounding I can check it out.
It's doing a search that I find fraught with pitfalls as of late.
Angua
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
I have rheumatoid & osteo, sometimes gout; but there are loads of others.
Other than dos/don'ts for not making it worse I don't know of anything to prevent it.
Basically cartilage degradation / excessive inflammation of the joints.
If there's something that can stop that I think they'd be making a fortune from it.
Just watch your weight, exercise sensibly and avoid any activities that will do damage.
Easy to say, hard to do.
A cool crab wearing shades
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
When you're over 70 it's just kinda normal to develop arthritis, as you get older your body stops making collagen properly which is why skin gets thin and delicate and saggy and your joints get arthritis
Not me tho, I got arthritis from my immune system deciding to eat my knees when I was 30.
Keeper of the orb
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
G1itchbit
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •I have some anecdotal evidence.
A speaking relative of mine taught in a school for the Deaf, and she was told by her ASL teacher that as she fingerspelled, her hands were too tense, and it would give her arthritis. Well, she didn't change her ways and now she has arthritis.
Do you put your stress in your hands? Do the other women in your family? Yarn stores have been getting complaints from knitters because their stress is affecting the knit and frequently they need bigger needles.
Try consciously making all the little muscles in your hands relax. Does it feel any different? If not, just ignore me 😀
Chris Mills
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
Fuzzyspoon
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
🕯️Curious Magpie 🕯️
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
you could check out the archives at @STAT - they're pretty reliable. Also, your library might get you access to some of the journals in rheumatology, etc.
I worked with a physical therapist but she seemed a bit clueless and didn't have any suggestions. Our choices are limited for practitioners, but you probably have a lot more in the city.
itselinor
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
this one’s easy and at least delicious, whether or not it pays the specific dividends you’re looking for
arthritis.org/health-wellness/…
australopithecus
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •As others have mentioned, inflammation is the big thing to watch. Take ibuprofen as your default pain-killer if it doesn't disagree with you, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and get comfortable with cannabis products. Reducing sugar intake might also help.
And of course if you can figure out how to reduce stress and still exist in the world, a) that'll help reduce inflammation, and b) please share your magic with the rest of us.
gbsills
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
Wharrrrrrgarbl
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content
nature.com/articles/s41366-024…
Weight loss for hip and knee is the first thing that comes to mind, and I would guess without evidence that it's also helpful for spine, particularly lumbar spine. I am not aware of evidence for preventing osteoarthritis in other joints, but am also not a joint expert.
Leonardo Ferreira Fontenelle
in reply to myrmepropagandist • • •Sensitive content