Arthritis is a disease of epidemic proportions, thought to affect more than 50 million Americans alone. It has been said that if you get together with seven of your friends, chances are very good that at least one of you will have (or will develop in your lifetime) some form of arthritis. It is a disease characterized by pain, stiffness, and sometimes swelling in or around joints. Although some forms of arthritis occur more often as a person gets older, it can affect people of any gender and any age, from young children to the elderly.

      Arthritis most often affects the joints, parts of the body where bones meet. The ends of the bones are covered by cartilage, a spongy material that acts as a protective cushion to keep the bones from rubbing together. Joints are enclosed in a capsule lined with tissue called the synovium, which releases synovial fluid, a slippery compound that helps joints move smoothly and easily. Different types of arthritis affect one or more parts of the joint. Osteoarthritis, the most common type of the disease, is often called degenerative arthritis because it involves the breakdown of the cartilage, resulting in the joint pain and stiffness common with this condition.
      Arthritis is a far more complex disease than is generally known. Experts agree that there are at least 100 different types of arthritis and related diseases. In addition to osteoarthritis, other types include rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, lupus, gout, bursitis, tendinitis, scleroderma, ankylosing spondylitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and psoriatic arthritis, to name a few. The cause of most of these is unknown, but since there are so many different types of arthritis, it is likely that there are many different causes. A few areas being studied currently include the genetic makeup you inherit from your parents, significant life events, and other lifestyle factors. The importance of these lifestyle factors varies for the different types of arthritis.

      The question is often asked regarding whether there is anything you can do to prevent arthritis. There are steps you can take related to lifestyle factors which may reduce your risk of getting certain types of arthritis or to reduce the degree of disability you experience if you already have arthritis.
      People who are overweight have a greater likelihood of getting osteoarthritis, especially in the knees, and possibly also in the hips and hands. Women are at a higher risk for this than men, who actually have an increased risk of developing gout if they're overweight. Maintaining your recommended weight, especially as you get older, is the single most important thing you can do to reduce your chances of getting arthritis or to reduce the risk of an existing condition becoming worse.
      One of the best ways to lose or maintain weight is to exercise. In addition to helping with weight control, exercise can help keep the muscles around joints strong, especially the knee, which may reduce the risk of wear on the joints and help prevent injury. This is important since joint injuries caused by accidents or overuse also increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Exercise also helps reduce the pain and fatigue associated with many different types of arthritis. So a regular exercise program is important to help keep you moving and performing daily activities if you already have some type of arthritis condition.

      Arthritis is considered a chronic disease, meaning it usually lasts a long time. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for arthritis as yet. Instead, current treatment is aimed at reducing the pain and discomfort, and hopefully preventing further disability. Traditional forms of treatment involve the use of painkillers, either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, or the more potent corticosteroids. A relatively new and currently very popular category of NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex and Vioxx) offers the pain relief and anti-inflammatory power of traditional NSAIDs, but with fewer side effects.

      For those interested in further reducing or eliminating the potential side effects of conventional drug treatments, a number of alternatives have been shown to have a positive effect in managing arthritis symptoms. In addition to dietary adjustments, massage therapy, and acupuncture, to name a few, dietary supplements have become quite popular for relieving pain and aiding the healing of aching joints, especially for those afflicted with osteoarthritis.
      Glucosamine is a natural substance which plays a major role in the normal production and maintenance of cartilage. As a dietary supplement, glucosamine has been shown in recent studies to stop or reverse the degeneration of joints by inhibiting the enzymes that break down cartilage, as well as stimulating the repair of this connective tissue. These research findings can only lead to greater acceptance of glucosamine supplementation as a safe and reasonable treatment for osteoarthritis.
      Given the prevalence of arthritis in our society, and the fact that it is generally considered to be the leading cause of movement limitation and disability, it is no surprise that it receives a great deal of attention in the scientific community. Recent research involving a natural substance known as cetyl myristoleate has resulted in some significant findings in terms of potential benefits for restoring joint health. This relatively unknown substance is now showing promise of making a major contribution in the treatment of some types of arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and providing some hope that we may no longer have to accept this degenerative disease as a normal part of aging.

      Additional information on joint health supplements...