From 1990-2019, the number of people around the globe who suffer from the most common form of arthritis — osteoarthritis — increased by 113%.
We usually associate osteoarthritis (aka wear-and-tear arthritis) with aging, but it can also strike anyone of any age who suffers an injury or repeatedly makes the same high-velocity movements for work or play.
Another 18 million people around the globe suffer from an autoimmune disease known as rheumatoid arthritis. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks the tissues that protect your joints, such as the cartilage and bursa.
In Bowie, Maryland, Kimberly Bolling, MD, is well known as an expert in arthritis diagnosis and treatment. If you or someone you love has arthritis, you may feel overwhelmed by the diagnosis. You may also believe some common myths that could affect your disease outcome.
What are these myths about arthritis, and how can you get the facts, instead? As part of Arthritis Awareness Month, we present a few of the most common myths, which Dr. Bolling debunks.
FACT: Although genetics does influence your joint health, there’s no guarantee that you’ll develop arthritis if one or both of your parents had it. Because it’s an autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more strongly associated with a genetic risk than is osteoarthritis (OA).
However, even in the case of wear-and-tear OA, your genes may play a role. You may have inherited mutations that affect the health of collagen, which helps protect your joints and makes supporting tissues stronger.
That doesn’t mean, however, that you’re doomed to get arthritis. If you control other risk factors — such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and a pro-inflammatory diet — you may avoid your parents’ fate.
FACT: We consider certain foods, especially our Westernized diet, as pro-inflammatory. That means they exacerbate any inflammation that’s already present in your tissues and may be the trigger in the first place.
Dr. Bolling encourages all of her patients to switch from a standard American diet (i.e., high in processed foods) to a daily dietary plan that includes plenty of fresh, whole foods. First, she recommends cutting out pro-inflammatory and non-nourishing items, such as:
Simultaneously, she encourages you to “eat the rainbow” of fresh fruits and vegetables, both cooked and raw. She also recommends that you prioritize healthy proteins, such as grass-fed and finished meats or wild-caught fish, that help keep your muscles, bones, and cartilage strong.
FACT: Any extreme temperature can affect your arthritis pain. However, not everyone responds to weather in the same way. You may find that your pain is worse during the summer, due to high humidity. Your cousin or friend may have more trouble in the winter, thanks to chilling winds and bitter cold.
The one weather-related factor that seems to affect almost anyone is barometric pressure. On low-pressure days, the tissues of your joints expand, which may make them tender and inflamed. Keep track of pressure here.
FACT: Exercise helps keep your joints healthy and lessens arthritis pain over time. You may feel some pain and stiffness when you first start a movement or exercise routine. However, moving your joints releases a special lubrication called synovial fluid.
Synovial fluid helps your joint bones glide over one another with a minimum of friction to reduce pain and stiffness. Exercise also strengthens the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that keep your joints stable.
FACT: While you may not be able to fully reverse arthritis, you may be able to halt or slow its progress and control your pain via lifestyle modifications. Dr. Bolling recommends adopting the following changes:
Dr. Bolling and our entire team are committed to helping you on your health journey. If you’re overweight or obese, she helps you shed those excess pounds that put extra stress on your joints through medically supervised weight loss and management.
In addition, Dr. Bolling may prescribe medications to help your joints. If you have RA, you may need immunosuppressive drugs to stop the attack on your joint tissues. Corticosteroids and topical analgesics can help RA and OA pain, especially as you transition into a more active lifestyle.
Don’t fall for the internet myths about arthritis: Get the guidance and help you need by phoning our helpful staff for arthritis care today. You can also request an appointment online.
