Osteoarthritis treatment

Osteoarthritis treatment involves awareness accompanied by certain lifestyle changes.

• Providing information to patients about how to make their bones and joints strong and ways to make the muscles healthy would help in preventing the disease.
• Early diagnosis would be helpful, any day.
• Various organisations and websites give away vital methods on prevention and further care.
• Since osteoarthritis pertains to the bones, joints and muscles, a low body weight would be helpful since it reduces the pressure on the prone areas.
• Mild exercise, such as aerobics, to strengthen the muscles, bones and cartilage growth in the body always proves useful.
• A healthy diet forms a major factor in the treatment. Antioxidant vitamins as C (as in citrus fruits) and E (in nuts, green leafy vegetables, papayas, etc.) protect the areas where the disease is likely to affect.
• Also, vitamin D (exposure to the sun being a major source here) and calcium (found in milk products) are very important components, though here, the intake should be regulated and moderate.     
• Over the counter medicines are also available to treat the condition.
• Various devices are used as corrective measures for body alignment, for example, crutches, splints, walkers.
• Soaking the affected part of the body in hot water or warm paraffin wax might be relieving.