Osteo-arthritis of the knee

Yaks...the pain is undescribable..sharp and lingering.
That's what my knee felt like last Friday. Suddenly I couldn't move.
Thank God for my colleague who whisked me to the hospital..got immmediate treatment, a jab to the butt!. even then tat was temporary relief. back home later, the pain came back and has been lingering since then...went to the doctor again this morning...got a couple of days off from work...still I doubt I can drive come Wednesday.
I've been reading articles on arthritis n treatments and diets...well exercise is what I can do at the moment. For a while at least, the pain seems intent to stay. Now not only the knee but the pain has travelled down to the calves...thank God my sister provided some calve stockings and that has brought relief at least when I seleep.Well here' some more reading on arthritis...


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!

Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article64143.html