No, arthritis isn’t just an old person’s problem: Five common myths busted

From stuff.co.nz

More than 850,000 New Zealanders live with arthritis, but despite how common it is, plenty of myths and misconceptions remain.

We asked Arthritis New Zealand Mateponapona Aotearoa to bust five of the most common myths it hears every day.

                                                                                                                     Photo: 123rf

Myth 1: Arthritis is just part of getting older

False.

‘Oh, arthritis? That’s just something only old people get’ – right? Wrong, and I should know. In my early 40s (shut up, that’s not old), I got a severe form of reactive arthritis from a food bug. You can read about my ‘fun’ journey here.

Sure, osteoarthritis becomes more common as we age, but there are more than 140 types of arthritis, including mine. Arthritis affects people of all ages, including children, teenagers and young adults.

Bottom line: Arthritis can affect anyone, regardless of age.

Myth 2: If my X-ray shows arthritis, that's why I'm in pain

Not necessarily.

An X-ray gives you a snapshot of what the bones in your joints look like, but it doesn’t necessarily show the whole picture.

Arthritis NZ says that in some cases, people can have significant changes on an X-ray but experience very little pain, while in others, there may be severe pain despite only minor changes showing up on an X-ray.

X-rays are a piece of the puzzle, but healthcare professionals look at the person and their symptoms as a whole, rather than relying on an X-ray alone.

Bottom line: Treat the person, not just the X-ray.

Myth 3: Gout is caused by eating rich food and drinking too much alcohol

False.

Not everyone will know that gout is a form of arthritis. It develops when too much uric acid builds up in the blood and forms crystals in the joints, often because the kidneys aren't removing enough uric acid from the body. Genetics also play a major role.

While certain foods and alcohol can trigger attacks – such as beer, sugary food and drinks, liver, some meats and seafood – they aren't usually the underlying cause.

Thankfully, gout, although painful, is also highly treatable. Urate-lowering medication can help prevent attacks and protect the joints.

Bottom line: Gout can be effectively managed.

Myth 4: Exercise wears out your joints if you have arthritis

False.

A particularly bad bout of reactive arthritis for me came during Christmas one year. I could hardly walk without screaming in pain, but my partner, later husband, decided to buy me a Fitbit. The irony was dripping as I put it on my wrist.

But he was actually right – appropriate exercise can reduce pain, strengthen muscles and help maintain joint function.

Don’t push through pain, but find movement that works for you. Long-term inactivity won't help – it can lead to weaker muscles, stiffer joints and potentially more pain.

Bottom line: Movement can be one of the best ways to manage arthritis.

Myth 5: Osteoarthritis is just 'wear and tear'

Not anymore.

In the past, osteoarthritis was described as joints simply wearing out with age and use. Not now – we know it’s more complex than that.

Arthritis NZ describes it as a “whole-joint condition involving cartilage, bone, muscles and inflammation”.

“While age and previous injury can increase the risk, staying active, strengthening muscles and managing symptoms early can help people continue living well with osteoarthritis.”

Bottom line: Osteoarthritis is more complicated than simply "worn-out" joints.

Bonus: Cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis

False.

The cracking sound comes from changes involving gas within the fluid that lubricates your joints. There's no evidence that regularly cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/health/361010099/no-arthritis-isnt-just-old-persons-problem-five-common-myths-busted 

A gut health supplement found in common vegetables may reduce knee arthritis pain in six weeks, study finds

From economictimes.indiatimes.com

Synopsis

New research suggests a daily gut health supplement may reduce knee arthritis pain. Inulin, a prebiotic fibre, significantly lowered pain and improved grip strength in participants. This dietary change also reduced pain sensitivity and increased a key gut hormone. The supplement proved easier for participants to adhere to compared to physiotherapy.

A daily gut health supplement may do more than improve digestion. New research suggests it could also help reduce knee arthritis pain, improve strength, and even change how the body processes pain. Researchers found that inulin, a naturally occurring prebiotic fibre found in foods such as “chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes and other vegetables,” significantly reduced pain and improved grip strength in people with knee osteoarthritis after just six weeks.

The findings suggest that targeting gut bacteria could become a valuable addition to existing arthritis treatments, though the researchers stress that larger studies are still needed before the supplement can be recommended routinely.

What did the study investigate?

The study, published in Nutrients, titled "Effect of Prebiotic Supplementation With and Without Physiotherapy on Pain and Pain Sensitivity in People with Knee Osteoarthritis," was conducted by researchers from the University of Nottingham and collaborators.

It examined whether improving gut health through a prebiotic supplement could reduce pain associated with knee osteoarthritis, either alone or alongside physiotherapy.

The researchers recruited 117 adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and randomly assigned them to one of four groups:

• Inulin supplementation
  
• Physiotherapy-supported exercise
  
• A combination of inulin and physiotherapy
  
• Placebo
• 
  
• Participants followed their assigned treatment for six weeks, after which researchers assessed changes in pain, physical function, pain sensitivity, and biological markers linked to gut health and inflammation.

                                                                                                                         (Representative image)

• 
  
• The supplement reduced pain and improved strength

Compared with those receiving the placebo, participants taking inulin experienced:

• Reduced knee pain
  
• Improved grip strength
  
• Lower pain sensitivity
  
• Increased levels of GLP-1, a gut hormone linked to pain regulation and muscle function
  

Interestingly, while exercise also helped reduce knee pain, it did not improve grip strength or pain sensitivity to the same extent as the prebiotic supplement.

According to the researchers, the findings suggest that altering the gut microbiome may influence not only inflammation but also the nervous system's response to pain.

“This study raises the exciting possibility that a simple dietary change - adding a fibre supplement to your breakfast or yogurt - could meaningfully reduce pain and improve physical function." Afroditi Kouraki, lead author of the study said.

How can a gut supplement affect arthritis?

Unlike probiotics, which introduce beneficial bacteria into the digestive system, prebiotics serve as food for the beneficial bacteria already living in the gut. When gut microbes ferment inulin, they produce short-chain fatty acids, including butyrate, which are known to influence immune function, inflammation, and communication between the gut and the brain.

The researchers propose that these biological changes may partly explain why participants reported less pain and showed reduced pain sensitivity after supplementation. Higher GLP-1 levels were also associated with stronger grip strength, suggesting a possible connection between gut health, muscle function, and pain perception.

Participants found the supplement easier to stick with

The study also highlighted an important practical advantage. Only 3.6% of participants receiving the inulin supplement dropped out of the trial, compared with 21% of those assigned to physiotherapy-supported exercise.

Not a cure for arthritis

Despite the encouraging results, the authors caution against viewing inulin as a cure. The trial lasted only six weeks and involved a relatively small group of participants with knee osteoarthritis. The findings cannot yet be applied to other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and longer-term studies involving larger populations will be needed to confirm the benefits and determine the optimal dosage.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/us/news/a-gut-health-supplement-found-in-common-vegetables-may-reduce-knee-arthritis-pain-in-six-weeks-study-finds/articleshow/132656329.cms?from=mdr

Suffering From Arthritis? Here Are Seven Things You Need To Know

 From dailyvoice.com

Many newly diagnosed arthritis patients find themselves filled with questions and misconceptions about the painful condition. In honour of Arthritis Awareness Month, and to help set the record straight, Dr. Oliver Kurucz, chief of rheumatology at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, discussed the most common questions he hears from newly-diagnosed patients

Q: What is arthritis?

A: The word “arthritis” means joint inflammation. In fact, there are more than 100 kinds of arthritis and related diseases, osteoarthritis being the most common. Symptoms include achy joints after physical work or exercise as well as joint swelling and bony enlargement of the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing swelling and pain in and around the joints. It most often affects the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles.

An arthritis diagnosis is often mistakenly filled with misinformation and fear, says Dr. Oliver Kurucz.

Photo Credit: Montefiore Nyack Hospital

Q: Is arthritis more likely to develop as a person ages? Are women more likely to develop it?

A: It depends on the type of arthritis. About 80 percent of people over age 50 have some form of osteoarthritis, and it is equally common in men and women. Rheumatoid arthritis is most common in people between the ages of 30 and 50 and occurs more often in women.

Q: Can arthritis be treated through diet?

A: Eating a so-called “anti-inflammatory” diet, also known as a Mediterranean diet, can help reduce inflammation associated with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This diet includes fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans. Other anti-inflammatory foods include avocado and dark chocolate. 

Q: Will exercise make my arthritis worse?

A: No -- exercise can improve arthritis symptoms. Strengthening exercises help support muscles around affected joints, easing the burden on those joints and reducing pain.

Q: Should I take glucosamine/chondroitin for my arthritis?

A: Glucosamine and chondroitin are popular supplements used to treat the pain and loss of function associated with osteoarthritis. My recommendation to patients who ask about these supplements is to try them for three months and see if it helps. If you don’t notice a benefit in that time, it’s probably not worth your money.

Q: Are there any medications that can cure arthritis?

A: There are currently no treatments that can cure osteoarthritis. Treatment generally starts with diet, exercise, physical therapy and weight loss, and then moves to pain relievers if non-drug treatments are not effective. 

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and naproxen sodium to relieve pain and inflammation, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or biologic agents to slow or stop the progression of the disease and damage to the joints.

Q: Does my arthritis need to be treated by a rheumatologist, or can I be treated by my internist?

A: Many people with osteoarthritis can be successfully treated by their internist. If you have an inflammatory type of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, I would recommend treatment by a rheumatologist.

https://dailyvoice.com/article/suffering-from-arthritis-here-are-seven-things-you-need-to-know/ 

Why joint pain may worsen before it rains

From indianexpress.com

Can rainy weather make joint pain worse? A doctor explains how changes in barometric pressure, cold weather and a sensitised nervous system may influence chronic pain and arthritis symptoms

Many people with arthritis, old injuries, or chronic pain say they can predict changes in the weather before the first raindrops fall. In an Instagram video, US-based doctor and content creator Dr Kunal Sood addressed this commonly discussed issue. He said, “Can joint pain or chronic pain really flare when it rains? For some people, the answer comes down to how sensitive the nervous system and irritated tissues have become. After an injury, surgery, or an inflammatory pain condition, the affected area can become more reactive than before. Weather changes can add another layer.” Explaining a possible mechanism, he added, “Before rain, barometric pressure can shift, and that may slightly change pressure around already sensitive joints, tendons, or nerves. Cold weather can also reduce local blood flow and make muscles, tendons, and connected tissue feel stiffer. This can happen with arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve pain, recent inflammation, or pain after surgery.”

Dr Sood also emphasised that worsening pain during rainy weather does not necessarily indicate that the underlying condition has deteriorated. He explained, “That doesn’t always mean new damage is happening. It may mean the pain system is more sensitive to changes the body used to ignore. That is why some people can feel pain flare before or during rainy weather, even when nothing new has happened structurally.” Summing up, he said, “The weather may not be creating the pain from scratch, but it can amplify pain signals in a body that is already sensitised.” His explanation raises broader questions about the relationship between weather, the nervous system and chronic pain. We asked an expert to explain what current evidence shows.

                                                                Dr Kunal Sood discusses joint pain | Source: Canva

Weather and chronic pain

Dr P C Jagadeesh, senior orthopaedic surgeon at Kauvery Hospital, tells indianexpress.com, “While many patients report worsening pain before or during rainy weather, scientific evidence remains mixed. Some studies have found an association between changes in barometric pressure and increased joint discomfort, particularly in individuals with osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis, while others have shown only a weak correlation. Clinically, however, it is common to hear patients describe weather-related fluctuations in pain. Conditions most frequently associated with this phenomenon include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, old fractures or ligament injuries, chronic back pain, and fibromyalgia. Some individuals with nerve-related pain may also report increased sensitivity during periods of weather change.”

Managing weather-related joint and muscle pain

Maintaining regular movement is one of the most effective ways to manage weather-related pain. Dr Jagadeesh suggests that gentle stretching, strengthening exercises, walking and physiotherapy-guided routines help keep joints mobile and muscles conditioned. Applying heat, staying physically active indoors, maintaining a healthy weight and ensuring good sleep can also reduce symptom severity. Patients should avoid becoming sedentary during painful periods, as inactivity often worsens stiffness and discomfort.

“Medical evaluation is important if the pain becomes progressively worse, starts interfering significantly with daily activities, is associated with swelling, redness, warmth, weakness or loss of function, or if there is a sudden change in symptoms. Persistent worsening pain may indicate progression of arthritis, a new injury, nerve involvement or another underlying condition that requires proper assessment and treatment,” concludes Dr Jagadeesh.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/doctor-joint-pain-rainy-weather-barometric-pressure-10793509/

 

Painful Hand Arthritis May Start With A Change In Saliva

From studyfinds.com

In A Nutshell

• People with painful, symptomatic hand arthritis have a noticeably different mix of bacteria in their saliva than people without the condition.
• One bacterial genus, Trichococcus, showed up far more often in arthritis patients and tracked with worse symptoms, including more affected joints and higher pain scores.
• The usual connection between mouth bacteria and gut bacteria appeared weaker and less coordinated in people with arthritis.
• The study is observational, so it can’t prove the bacteria cause arthritis, only that the two are linked.

For millions of people, the pain and stiffness of hand arthritis is just a fact of aging, something to manage, but rarely something doctors can explain at the root level. Now, a new study is pointing scientists toward an unexpected place: the mouth.

People with painful, symptomatic hand arthritis have a noticeably different mix of bacteria living in their saliva than people without the condition, and the usual back-and-forth between mouth bacteria and gut bacteria seems to break down in those same people.

Hand osteoarthritis affects more than 142 million people worldwide, according to the paper, a figure that includes people with joint damage who have few or no symptoms. This study zeroes in on the painful kind, where people have joint damage confirmed by X-ray and hand pain they actually feel day to day. Scientists have already tied gut bacteria to this type of arthritis, but the mouth has largely been ignored.

Drawing on data from the Xiangya Osteoarthritis Study, a large community-based research project in rural China, researchers went looking for that missing piece. What they found, published in the journal RMD Open, suggests the mouth and gut may be tangled up with joint health in ways nobody expected, though whether one drives the other is still a mystery.

It’s not as strange as it sounds. Scientists have long suspected that bacteria in the mouth can slip into the bloodstream and stir up inflammation elsewhere in the body, and the pattern in this study fits that idea, though it wasn’t tested directly here.

                                                                                            (© ashtproductions - stock.adobe.com)

One Bacterial Genus Kept Showing Up in Arthritis Patients

Researchers analysed saliva from 764 adults aged 50 and older, all part of the Xiangya Osteoarthritis Study in Longshan County, Hunan Province. Of those, 52 had symptomatic hand osteoarthritis, meaning joint damage on X-ray plus real hand pain, while 712 did not. A smaller slice of that group, 563 people (37 with arthritis, 526 without), also gave stool samples, which let researchers compare mouth bacteria against gut bacteria directly.

Saliva was collected first thing in the morning, before brushing or mouthwash could skew the results, then frozen right away. Stool samples came in during the same visit. From there, genetic sequencing sorted out which bacteria were present and in what amounts.

People with arthritis had fewer types of bacteria in their saliva overall, and the mix looked different from what showed up in people without the condition. One genus in particular, called Trichococcus, turned up far more often in the arthritis group.

More of This One Bacterium, Worse Arthritis Symptoms

More Trichococcus in someone’s saliva tracked with worse arthritis. People with more of it were more likely to have arthritis in more joints, higher pain scores, and more visible damage on X-ray. That kind of dose-response pattern makes the finding harder to write off as a coincidence, though it still doesn’t prove the bacterium is actually causing anything.

Researchers also used the bacterial data to estimate which biological processes might be more or less active in each group, without measuring those processes directly. Two such processes, both involved in making certain chemical compounds, appeared to be running lower in people with arthritis. What that means for joint health, if anything, isn’t clear yet.

The Mouth-Gut Line of Communication Breaks Down

Perhaps the most telling result came from comparing mouth and gut bacteria side by side in that smaller group of 563 people. In those without arthritis, the two microbial communities were tightly linked, with many bacterial groups in the mouth tracking bacterial groups in the gut. In people with arthritis, that web of connections shrank noticeably, and each bacterial group had fewer ties to the others.

Trichococcus also lined up with a gut process that earlier research from the same team had already connected to hand arthritis. That overlap hints that whatever is happening in the mouth might be echoing something happening in the gut, and that both could be tangled up with the condition.

Why This Isn’t Proof, Just a Lead Worth Following

This is an observational study, meaning researchers tracked patterns rather than testing a cause, so it can’t say the bacteria are causing the arthritis. It’s just as possible that arthritis, or the lifestyle changes that come with it, is reshaping the bacteria instead. Because everything was measured at a single point in time, there’s no way to know which came first.

A fairly small arthritis group, all from one rural part of China, means the results may not hold up elsewhere. And the sequencing method used can say which bacteria are present without capturing what they’re actually doing in the body.

Bigger, longer studies are needed to confirm this, the researchers said, and figuring out the biology behind any mouth-gut-joint link will take more targeted work.

Hand arthritis affects hundreds of millions of people and still isn’t well understood biologically. If a bacterial fingerprint in saliva turns out to be part of the story, it could one day help flag the condition earlier, though that’s still a long way off. For now, the mouth looks like a research lead worth pursuing.

Disclaimer: This article summarizes findings from a single observational study and is intended for general informational purposes. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or manage any health condition. Anyone with questions about hand arthritis or oral and gut health should speak with a qualified healthcare provider.

https://studyfinds.com/hand-arthritis-may-start-saliva/

7 Top Tips for Explaining Rheumatoid Arthritis to Friends and Family

From everydayhealth.com

When you live with a chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis, having friends and family members who don’t seem to understand your condition and how it affects you can be trying. But there are ways to tailor your message so your listeners will get a better sense of what you’re dealing with.

“It can feel frustrating when family and friends sometimes make assumptions, believe they understand fully, or fail to understand nuances. This usually leaves the patient in the position of needing to educate,” says Alicia Rozycki, PhD, a health psychologist who lives with RA herself in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

There are lots of simple strategies that can help you do just that, experts say. Here are seven approaches that can help you and your loved ones get on the same page about your RA.

Getty Images

1. Keep It Simple

Take the person’s knowledge of health, generally, into consideration when explaining your situation. Unless you know the person you’re speaking to is familiar with medical jargon, look for simpler ways to say what RA is and how it affects you, recommends Dr. Rozycki.

For instance, instead of saying that your RA is a systemic autoimmune disease, you could say that your RA is a disease where your immune system attacks the joints throughout your entire body. If you’re talking about your symptoms, you can say something straightforward like, “My hands are swollen and I need to take a break”’ or “I need to stop and rest my feet for a bit,” Rozycki adds.

2. Use Analogies

“As a therapist working with patients with chronic diseases like RA, I have learned that the major challenge isn’t the disease itself, it’s managing other people’s expectations,” says Janee Young, a licensed marriage and family therapist and the clinical director of Wellness Detox of LA in Los Angeles. To help people better understand what you’re experiencing, analogies can help.

Explaining fatigue in RA can be difficult; it can be hard for the person to understand why you don’t have the capacity to do a certain activity or need certain accommodations. The deep fatigue that about 1 in 6 people with RA experience is very different from the kind of tiredness someone might feel after a stressful day or a night of poor sleep. Fatigue is also linked to increased disease activity.

Comparing your fatigue to something familiar that the person has been through — a virus like the flu, for instance — may help them understand the intensity of your symptoms. To convey what stiffness and soreness feels like, you might say that you woke up feeling the way someone does after overdoing it at the gym — or use a different analogy that feels true to your level of pain and stiffness.

3. Describe the Functional Effects of Your Symptoms

It may be hard to describe your level of pain to another person, but it is possible to say how your pain limits your function, Rozycki says. For example, “The joints in my fingers hurt so much I can’t open a jar or carry a bag in my hand.”

On the other hand, it’s not always necessary to share tons of details, especially with people you don’t know that well. “If it’s a situation where the RA patient is around people who do not know about the disease, they can just as easily say, ‘I can’t get this jar. Can you give it a try?’ without having to launch into an explanation of their private health information,” says Rozycki. In most cases, the person will be understanding and willing to help.

4. Ask for Specific Accommodations

Even with thoughtful explanations, it may still be hard for some people to grasp what life with RA is actually like. Rather than asking loved ones to understand your experience, which can feel abstract, try managing their expectations by asking them for specific behaviours, Young suggests.

In practice, that might mean telling them things like, “It makes things easier for me if plans are flexible,” or “I appreciate advance notice when planning events,” she recommends. Those are things most people will want to accommodate, even if they can’t fully understand why flexible plans or advance notice is so important for you.

5. Talk About the Difference Between Good and Bad Days

RA symptoms aren’t static. Rheumatoid arthritis flares, during which pain and swelling or functional limitations happen, have been shown to be linked with changes in sleep patterns, emotional distress, or changing or discontinuing a medication. If you’re able to be very active or do all of your typical activities when your RA is well-controlled, family members or friends may hold up these days as examples of what you’re able to accomplish — even though your capacity on bad days can be very different.

“It may be confusing to family and friends when they see you can tolerate 20-mile bike rides, but then at other times, during flares, struggle to walk from the driveway to the house,” Rozycki says.

This disconnect can be frustrating for everyone, so it’s worth addressing with loved ones. “I tell my clients to explain that a good day does not mean that RA has left them forever; rather it is just another data point in an ever-changing continuum,” Young says.

6. Let Them Know How They Can Help

Help can come in many forms. It could be taking on certain household chores, making the effort to learn more about RA, or accompanying you to a healthcare appointment, for instance. That said, your loved ones can’t read your mind — so you’ll have to ask for what you need.

Asking for help isn’t always easy, but it really is one of the best ways to give your loved one a sense of how RA impacts you. “In my experience, the best conversations with loved ones aren't necessarily about educating them about how hard RA is to live with. Rather they're about showing them ways in which they can function well as part of a team that supports someone whose condition changes each day,” Young says.

7. Give Them Updates When Things Change

While treatment can lead to remission for some people, in others, RA can worsen over time. Adapting to new limitations can be a learning curve for you, and it can take even longer for family and friends to catch up. In the meantime, they may still relate to the person you were when your symptoms were milder, Young says.

“That means that you may need to point out when someone’s expectations aren’t matching up with your current abilities. I frequently remind my clients to tell them, ‘The way you were supporting me two years ago may not be the same kind of support I need today,’” says Young.

The Takeaway

• Communicating openly and using relatable examples can help friends and family better understand how your RA affects your daily life and how they can support you.
• Explaining the practical impact of your symptoms may be more meaningful than trying to describe pain or fatigue alone.
• Because RA symptoms and support needs can change over time, keeping loved ones updated and asking for specific forms of help can make navigating the condition easier for everyone.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/tips-explaining-rheumatoid-arthritis-to-loved-ones/