5-16-05
Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems in the U.S. today.

Arthritis and chronic joint symptoms affect nearly 70 million Americans or about one in every three adults. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the disease, and one of the leading causes of disability says Dr. Mark Francis, associate professor and chief of rheumatology at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. He explains how the disease can affect people.

SOUND BITE: "Patients who have osteoarthritis have loss of the cartilage between their bones and this causes the normal glide that you have when your joints move to become more painful and become more stiff, so you are not able to function as quickly or as effectively as you might have done beforehand."

Osteoarthritis can affect most joints of a person's body, especially the knees, hips and big toe. The disease causes pain, loss of movement, swelling and sometimes warmth in the area. It also can cause stiffness, especially in the morning. Dr. Francis suggests that exercise, especially swimming, losing weight and using heat or cold therapies to a painful joint can lessen the symptoms.

SOUND BITE: "Sometimes using substances like topical aspirin or capsaicin cream can be very helpful for joints. A number of studies have shown that Acetaminophen, probably best known as Tylenol, can be as effective as other nonsteroidals, at least for some people with osteoarthritis as long as you take it at the doses recommended would be a safer medication to use. There are, of course, pros and cons of using the various nonsteroidals . . . "

Anyone experiencing symptoms of osteoarthritis should see their primary care physician for evaluation and possible treatment. If the condition is severe, they may be referred to a rheumatologist.