Word: jointing
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...much emphasis on drug treatments for osteoarthritis. "It's clear that there are other things that can improve symptoms as much as pills," says Indiana University's Brandt. Losing as little as 10 lbs. can make a difference, for example, as can strengthening the muscles that surround a joint. Certain exercises, such as tracing circles in the air with the arms, have also proved helpful at keeping the joints from stiffening and losing mobility. That's not to say that Brandt discounts the benefits of drugs altogether. But they're more effective, he argues, when combined with lifestyle changes...
Although their symptoms can be similar, the two diseases are very different. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is focused on a particular joint, rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease--an autoimmune disorder in which the body's defense system attacks the joints by way of the thin layer of cells called the synovium that line and lubricate the joints. The runaway immune response clogs the synovium with infection-fighting cells that release proteins called cytokines. These are compounds that fuel inflammation. The synovium becomes engorged with new blood vessels and begins to grow, kudzu-like, penetrating and further damaging cartilage and bone...
CORTICOSTEROIDS: Shots of steroids, which reduce inflammation, can provide a short-term fix for joint pain. Continued injections, however, can worsen a damaged joint by masking discomfort and enabling you to continue destructive activities. Because their pain is limited to specific joints, osteoarthritis sufferers don't need the wider-ranging effects of corticosteroid pills...
ARTHROSCOPY: In this minimally invasive procedure, doctors clear away dying cartilage and smooth out rough joint connections through slit-size incisions. A recent study suggested that in some cases, arthroscopic surgery was no better than sham surgery; it seems to work best when the joint is still mechanically sound...
BONE FUSION: Fusing bones together with pins or plates can eliminate the pain caused by a badly damaged joint; the joint, however, will never bend again...