How can diabetes cause joint pain?

From medicalnewstoday.com

Diabetes can cause joint pain in various ways, including by damaging the joints or nerves. It also has links with two types of arthritis.

Over time, uncontrolled diabetes can affect the muscles and skeleton, leading to joint pain, nerve damage, and other symptoms.
Also, according to the Arthritis Foundation, people with diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop arthritis.
Keep reading for more information about the links between diabetes, arthritis, and joint pain. We also describe tell-tale symptoms and the range of treatments.

How does diabetes cause joint pain?

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by problems with insulin and blood sugar, also known as blood glucose. Insulin is a hormone that delivers blood glucose into the body's cells.
If a person has high blood glucose levels too often, and they do not receive treatment, it can lead to a range of health conditions.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is an acquired condition. It causes the body to produce less insulin, and the hormone does not function effectively.
Below, we describe some ways that diabetes can cause joint pain.

Musculoskeletal problems

Over time, if a person does not receive effective treatment, diabetes can lead to the breakdown of the musculoskeletal system. This can involve joint damage and a limited range of joint movement.
Diabetes can also cause changes in nerves and small blood vessels. As a result, hand abnormalities are very common among people with the condition.
Certain joints conditions tend to develop in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The joint problems often correlate with the duration and control of diabetes.

These conditions include:

• carpal tunnel syndrome
• Dupuytren's contracture, or drawing up of the palms
• trigger finger

Some people with diabetes develop thickness of the skin on the fingers along with decreased mobility in the joint.
People may also experience shoulder pain, due to frozen shoulder or rotator cuff tendinitis.
When the joints are damaged, the cushioning no longer works as effectively. As a result, the bones can rub together, causing inflammation, stiffness, and pain. A person may experience limited joint mobility.

Charcot's joint

Charcot's joint, also called neuropathic arthropathy, results from nerve damage caused by diabetes. The medical term for diabetes-related nerve damage is diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetic neuropathy can cause numbness in the extremities, such as the feet and ankles. Over time, a person may come to feel little or no sensation in these areas. It can be easier to twist or break a foot, for example, without realizing the extent of the damage.
Small breaks and sprains can put pressure on the joints of the foot. Decreased blood supply and mechanical factors contribute, over time, to joint damage and physical deformities.
In some cases, a person may be able to help prevent this damage.
The following are some warning signs of Charcot's joint:

• redness or swelling
• numbness
• pain in the joints
• areas that feel hot to the touch
• changes in the appearance of the feet

If Charcot's joint, or neuropathic arthropathy, is causing pain, avoid using the affected foot until it heals.
If the feet are numb, consider using additional support, such as orthotics. Doctors usually treat Charcot's joint with a cast.

Links with arthritis

People with diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop arthritis. However, the risk of arthritis may differ, depending on whether a person has type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes
Both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and type 1 diabetes are autoimmune disorders. This means that, in both cases, the immune system is attacking an otherwise healthy part of the body.
In a person with RA, the immune system attacks tissues in the joints, causing swelling, pain, and deformities.
In a person with type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the pancreas, stopping the production of insulin.
Both RA and type 1 diabetes involve inflammation, and certain clinical signs of inflammation — including C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels — are consistently high in people who have either condition.
Having one autoimmune condition can increase the risk of developing a second. This helps explain why type 1 diabetes and RA can coexist.

Osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 is strongly associated with excess body weight. Being overweight or having obesity also increases a person's risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA), as the weight puts extra stress on the joints, particularly in the lower body.
A person can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and OA by maintaining a healthy weight, through a healthful diet and regular exercise.
If a person has either condition, or both, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight can improve their symptoms. According to the Arthritis Foundation, losing 15 pounds can significantly improve the level of knee pain in a person with OA, for example.
Also, in a person with type 2 diabetes, losing 5–10% of their total body weight can reduce their blood sugar levels significantly. As a result, they may need to take less medication for the condition.

Treatment and management

Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, can often reduce pain and swelling in the joints. Speak to a doctor about how much ibuprofen is too much in the short and long terms.

If joint pain and other symptoms persist, discuss treatment options with a doctor. Some people benefit from braces, orthotics, adjustments to their lifestyle or medication, or a combination.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes have different causes and treatments. People with type 1 diabetes usually need to take forms of insulin to control their blood sugar levels.
People with type 2 diabetes may also require insulin. Often, they only need to take medication that improves the response of their insulin to blood sugar.
People with either type of diabetes benefit from maintaining a healthful diet and level of exercise.

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight has additional benefits for people with type 2 diabetes.
Receiving treatment early can help a person avoid long term diabetes complications, such as joint damage and malformations.

Prediabetes and joint pain

Having excess weight puts a person at risk of both prediabetes and joint pain.
The weight can lead to higher levels of blood sugar, and the pancreas may be unable to produce enough insulin to keep up. This can cause a person to develop type 2 diabetes.
Carrying extra weight also puts stress on the joints, particularly in the lower body.
To reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and to limit stress on the joints, a person should maintain a healthy weight. Often, a person can do this by exercising regularly and eating a healthful diet, full of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins.

Summary

When a person does not receive effective treatment, diabetes can cause joint pain.
The pain can result from the effects of diabetes on the musculoskeletal or nervous systems. Joint pain can also occur if diabetes is causing arthritis, such as RA or OA.
In some people, over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications are enough to reduce joint pain. Others may need additional treatment.
Eating a healthful diet, getting regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight can help improve symptoms and prevent complications.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326191.php

Do You Need to Stop Exercising If You Have Arthritis?

From runnersworld.com

Conventional wisdom holds that rest is key. Here’s what research says.

A stubborn belief among arthritis sufferers—and even many practitioners—is that exercise is likely to exacerbate inflammation and pain, particularly in the knees. But new research adds to increasing evidence that the opposite is true.

In the meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sport Medicine, Scottish researchers examined 21 previous studies done across multiple countries, including the U.S., China, Brazil, and Sweden, all related to the impact of therapeutic exercise on knee joint health of people who either had osteoarthritis or were at high risk of developing it. In all, nearly 2,000 study participants were involved.

Exercise programs among the studies varied widely in terms of timeframe, frequency, and activity—ranging from four to 48 weeks, with exercise done from one to five times per week, and involved aquatic exercise, strength training, and aerobic activity. But all involved assessment of biomarkers related to osteoarthritis, such as cartilage thickness and volume as well as inflammation.

They found that exercise didn’t trigger either inflammatory reactions or cartilage damage.

The conclusion is that the perception about exercise being harmful for cartilage is based on misinformation, and highlights the need for better education, according to study author Alessio Bricca, Ph.D., of the Institute of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Aberdeen.

“People with knee osteoarthritis must be reassured that therapeutic exercise prescribed to prevent or treat symptomatic knee osteoarthritis is safe and, if anything, could improve cartilage composition,” he told Runner’s World. “Instead of rest and activity avoidance, these people should be encouraged, reassured, and supported to engage in physical activity.”

He added that exercise may temporarily cause pain flares when undertaken initially, but that those usually dissipate with time, especially if you’re careful to increase activity on a gradual basis.

This review of recent research underscores how much evidence is accumulating that exercise may do more good than harm when it comes to arthritis. For example, a study earlier this year in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage showed regular exercise minimizes inflammation and helps prevent cartilage damage related to osteoarthritis. More evidence: Another study found that the arthritis rate of active marathoners was actually below that of the general U.S. population.

But what about if you already have arthritis and it’s becoming a literal and figurative pain while running? One thing to keep in mind is that there are a number of advanced options, from synthetic to implants to regenerative injectables, considered more cutting-edge for the condition.

You can also try introducing cross-training, particularly activities like swimming or strength training, suggested Bricca, who added that the only option worth avoiding would be jumping, since it’s not well tolerated by people with arthritis.

So, maybe skip the box jumps and other plyo moves, but consider hitting the track and the pool instead.

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a28758913/exercise-and-arthritis-study/

How Massage Therapy Can Help Psoriatic Arthritis

From everydayhealth.com

Complementary techniques like shiatsu can reduce pain and relieve symptoms.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a serious condition that requires the attention of a medical doctor. However, used properly, complementary or integrative therapies such as massage can help relieve symptoms and alleviate discomfort caused by the disease.
Massage therapy involves manual manipulation of the soft tissues of the body — including muscles, tendons, and skin — to relieve muscle tightness, stress, or pain.

Massage therapy is one of the earliest tools people used to help a health condition or relieve pain, according to the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health. Different styles of massage therapy include sports massage, clinical massage, and shiatsu, a tradition derived from Eastern cultures.

Massage therapy involves manual manipulation of the body’s soft tissues to relieve muscle tightness or pain.   iStock

Jamie Bacharach, a licensed massage therapist and owner of Acupuncture Jerusalem in Israel, says massage can increase healthy circulation and stimulate the areas affected by psoriatic arthritis.
“Massage therapy can work away pain caused by psoriatic arthritis while relieving stress associated with the inflammatory condition,” says Bacharach. “Not only can massage therapy help to reduce inflammation caused by PsA, it can reduce stiffness and promote healthy circulation in areas that are not inflamed.”

Bacharach recommends shiatsu massage in particular for clients with psoriatic arthritis because it “has proven effective for relieving pain associated with arthritis.”
Shiatsu draws on the notion of chi, or energy that flows along meridians throughout the body. The sessions focus on relieving pain and helping the body rid itself of any toxins before they develop into illness.
“Shiatsu massage therapy targets the body as a whole with palms, thumbs, and forearms, and involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to create a healing flow of energy,” Bacharach says. “By targeting the body as a whole, rather than simply the affected areas, this massage reenergizes and enables those suffering from psoriatic arthritis to heal more quickly and completely.”

Acupressure and reflexology may also relieve symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Both techniques are similarly based on balancing and directing energy within the body for more comprehensive healing.
If you are thinking about adding massage to your psoriatic arthritis treatment regimen, talk to your doctor first and make sure you are cleared to receive massage. Make sure the massage therapist you choose is licensed and understands psoriatic arthritis.

When getting a massage, Bacharach says communication is key to avoid aggravating the skin. Many people with psoriatic arthritis also have psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that causes itchy or sore patches of skin.

Bacharach takes a number of precautions when treating a client with psoriatic arthritis.
“The visibly inflamed areas of the skin or areas that are hot to the touch must be avoided,” she says. “Also, patients should tell their massage therapist whenever a particular movement causes discomfort or if a certain area of the skin feels uncomfortable to touch. Lastly, it's critical to start the massage with low pressure and increase it if possible."

Finding the Right Massage Therapist

To find a licensed massage therapist, ask your primary care physician or rheumatologist. You can check with friends or seek local recommendations from the community. Therapists that are both capable and caring will generally have built up a reputation that precedes them...

Bacharach encourages clients to have an open and honest conversation with the massage therapist before committing to treatment in order to establish trust.
While insurance companies may pay for massage to treat psoriatic arthritis and other chronic diseases, it depends on your provider plan. The more debilitating or limiting your psoriatic arthritis is, the more likely your massage therapy will be covered.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/psoriatic-arthritis/how-massage-therapy-can-help-psoriatic-arthritis/

5 foods that reduce the symptoms of arthritis

From bhg.com.au

Arthritis affects people from all walks of life. Whether you’ve developed the condition after breaking a bone, an injury, due to an illness or simply due to age, arthritis can debilitatingly painful. The Arthritis Foundation reports that there are more than 100 types of the condition, and that symptoms can include pain, stiffness and reduced mobility.

In fact, according to Brendan Howell, Director of Arborvitae Health and Wellbeing, 15 per cent of Australian suffer with arthritis.

“15 percent is a huge number of people that suffer from arthritis. This means that millions of people are living with arthritis and looking for ways to reduce the pain and discomfort, and despite what people think, it is not just older Australians that experience arthritis, many people start feeling the effects from the age of 35,” says Brendan.
“While no food has been shown to cure arthritis, researchers have found a link between monounsaturated fats and reduced disease activity in arthritis.  Foods high in monounsaturated fats include vegetable oils, avocados and many nuts and seeds.”

5 foods that reduce arthritis symptoms

1. Fatty Fish

“Fatty such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, herring and trout are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.  Even just two servings of fish per week may assist in the alleviation of joint pain.”

2. Green Tea
“Drinking a hot or cold green tea at least once per day will really help alleviate joint pain and reduce inflammation. It’s important to drink tea using tea bags, rather than the powdered tea mixes. Tea bags are generally more natural and less processed. You probably also want to skip the decaffeinated version, which lacks some vital nutrients.”

3. Olive Oil

“Olive oil is known to have strong anti-inflammatory properties. It contains oleocanthal, which impedes the creation of enzymes involved in inflammation,” Howell said.

4. Garlic

“Garlic also has anti-inflammatory effects.  For sufferers of arthritis, adding garlic to your diet could do wonders for your health. One study of over one thousand twins found that those who ate high amounts of garlic had a reduced risk of osteoarthritis compared to their twin.”

5. Oranges

“Oranges contain Vitamin C and Vitamin C contains collagen, which cushions joints as they move. Vitamin C has also been found to be able to reduce the symptoms of colds and flu to just a day and a half.”

https://www.bhg.com.au/5-foods-reduce-the-symptoms-of-arthritis

Arthritis: One simple activity you can do at home to alleviate symptoms

From express.co.uk

ARTHRITIS is a widespread condition in the UK. More than 10 million people live with the condition. While there is no cure, measures can be taken to soothe and slow down symptoms, including a simple activity at home.

Arthritis causes pain and inflammation in a joint. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis. As the NHS explained, Osteoarthritis initially affects the smooth cartilage lining of the joint - this makes movement more difficult than usual, leading to pain and stiffness. In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's immune system targets affected joints, which leads to pain and swelling. While there is no cure for arthritis, lifestyle activities can go a long way to alleviating symptoms.

One simple activity people with arthritis can do at home is soaking in warm water. According to Bruce E. Becker, MD, director of the National Aquatics & Sports Medicine Institute at Washington State University in Spokane: “The research shows our ancestors got it right. It makes you feel better. It makes the joints looser. It reduces pain and it seems to have a somewhat prolonged effect that goes beyond the period of immersion.”

As the Arthritis Foundation explained, there are many reasons soaking in warm water does the trick. “It reduces the force of gravity that’s compressing the joint, offers 360-degree support for sore limbs, can decrease swelling and inflammation and increase circulation,” the health body said.
How long should a person soak? Based on the patients he’s studied, Dr. Becker says the optimal amount of time is around 20 minutes.

He also urges people to drink water before and afterward to stay well hydrated.

               Soaking in warm water can ease stiffness, aches and pains (Image: Getty Images )

People should soak in warm but not hot water, cautions the Arthritis Foundation: “Water temperatures between 92 and 100 degrees are a healthy range. If you have cardiovascular problems, beware of water that’s too hot because it can put stress on the heart.”
It is also important to keep moving in the bath, says the health body. “Warm water stimulates blood flow to stiff muscles and frozen joints, making a warm tub or pool an ideal place to do some gentle stretching.”

The benefits carry on after a person has got out of the bath, according to Ann Vincent, MD, medical director of the Mayo Clinic’s Fibromyalgia Clinic in Rochester, Minn: “Patients report that soaking in a warm bath and stretching after that seems to help.”
Evidence supports the health benefits of exercising in warm water to ease arthritis.
One study evaluated the therapeutic effects of hydrotherapy which combines elements of warm water immersion and exercise.

           The Arthritis Foundation also recommends bathing in magnesium-rich epsom salts                                                                          (Image: Getty Images )

One hundred thirty-nine patients with chronic rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to hydrotherapy, seated immersion, land exercise, or progressive relaxation.

Patients attended 30-minute sessions twice weekly for four weeks. Physical and psychological measures were completed before and after intervention, and at a three-month follow-up.
The findings were promising. All patients improved physically and emotionally, as assessed by the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 questionnaire.

Belief that pain was controlled by chance happenings decreased, signifying improvement.
In addition, hydrotherapy patients showed significantly greater improvement in joint tenderness and in knee range of movement (women only).
The Arthritis Foundation also recommends bathing in epsom salts. Epsom salts contain magnesium, a mineral that’s important for bone and heart health. Epsom salts can boost magnesium levels as much as 35 per cent, according to researchers at the University of Birmingham.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1162923/rheumatoid-arthritis-pain-symptoms-what-is-treatment-nhs-warm-water