Online Chat Discussing Osteoarthritis & RA
May 14, 2009
In May the nationally ranked Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases are presenting two free live online health chats to the public. Both web chats will feature Cleveland Clinic physicians and will last for 60 minutes. They will allow users to submit questions to the doctors to get answers during the event.
On Tuesday, May, 19, at noon (EST) Elaine Husni, MD, MPH, will discuss diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
On Thursday, May 28, at noon (EST) Peter Brooks, MD, and Viktor Krebs, MD, will discuss joint replacement and resurfacing options in the knee and hip.
To see a complete list of all upcoming online health chats from Cleveland Clinic, please visit us at
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/webchats
Don’t miss these free live chat events with specialists in arthritis and joint replacement options
Temporary Relief for Arthritis Joint Pain
April 28, 2009
In addition to medications and supplements there are many methods to provide temporary or short term relief for joint pain flare ups. These methods also help make it easier to exercise. Discuss these methods with your doctor before starting.
- Moist Heat - Use hot packs, warm towels, a bath or shower for 15 to 20 minutes three times a day. Talk to your doctor or therapist about deep heat from short waves and ultrasound. Deep heat can not be used however can not be used on acutely inflamed joints.
- Cold - Try a bag of ice or even a frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel to reduce swelling for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Caution, people with Raynaud’s phenomenon should not use this method.
- Hydrotherapy - Exercise in a pool can decrease the pain and stiffness because it takes the weight off your joints. Some people find that the heat and gentle movement of whirlpools are good at relieving joint pain.
- Mobilization Therapies - These include traction (gentle, steady pulling), manipulation (using the hands to restore normal movement to stiff joints) and massage. When done by a professional physical therapist or massage therapist these can help control joint pain add joint motion and provide muscle and tendon flexibility.
- TENS - In TENS (trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), electrodes are placed on the skin and an electrical shock is transmitted through them. These machines can be costly, ranging from $80 to $800. The treatment is time consuming, yet the unit can be worn throughout the day and turned on and off during the day.
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Doctors Recommend Trying Arthritis Supplements First
February 18, 2009
Arthritis can either be a minor nuisance for some or completely debilitating for others. Whether it’s Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis or one of the hundred other types, arthritis effects people in the joints. It could be as minor as tenderness or stiffness of the joints or complete inflammation and eventual deterioration of the cartilage, bone and ligaments.
If your Arthritis is minor many doctors will recommend starting out with a natural supplement. Supplements can help treat your Arthritis with out all the harsh side effects that come along with Arthritis medication. For instance, NSAID (Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs), can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, fluid retention, ulcers, or in extreme cases kidney or liver failure. Elderly patients are at greater risk. Common NSAIDs include brand names like Aspirin, Aleve, Motrin, Relafen, Celebrex, and Voltaren.
At Medicinenet.com, Dr. William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR, wrote about trying out a supplement for two months before trying other treatments. Notable arthritis supplements with glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oils and/or omega-3 have all been shown to relieve pain, decrease stiffness and reduce inflammation. Another less know supplement ingredient, Cetyl Myristoleate, has been shown to lubricate joints and therefore reduce stiffness and pain. Supplements can be a great alternative to harsh medications and are worth testing out first. For those who have tried medications and don’t like the results or side effects, supplements can be an option since they are all-natural products.
