I’ve Just Been Diagnosed with Osteoarthritis, Now What?

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diagnoses in older adults but many are left without a clear plan to treat their arthritis pain, outside of using medications. Taking steps early on to be informed about how to improve your osteoarthritis and what lifestyle changes can have a profound effect on the severity and progression of your osteoarthritis is so important.

THE DREADED DIAGNOSIS

Over the past several months you’ve noticed that you’ve been having some nagging joint pain, right? Stairs aren’t quite as easy as they used to be, and you need a little extra time in the morning to work out the stiffness that seems to set in overnight. After going to see your doctor, trying over the counter pain medications, and having x-rays done, you finally get an answer: osteoarthritis. 

This leaves you with a host of questions: Can arthritis be cured? What is the treatment for arthritis? Can I control arthritis without treatment? Are there alternative treatments for arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is estimated to be present in about 1 in 4 U.S. adults, with it being more common in women (23.5%) than in men (18.1%). With a diagnosis that is so commonly given to older adults, it can be surprisingly hard to figure out exactly how to treat this condition. 

Most people are told by their doctors that eventually they’ll need to have their joint replaced, the timeline of that depending on the speed of their arthritis progression. Fortunately for you, there are many different ways to manage arthritis pain naturally, with lifestyle changes, that can extend the time before you require a joint replacement, or potentially, avoid one entirely. 

WHERE TO START

It’s important to remember that arthritis generally progresses slowly over time and that many people have arthritis and aren’t even aware of it. Not all arthritis is created equal, but there are steps to maintaining joint health and reducing joint pain. Here are my top suggestions for what to do after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis. 

1. Be well informed. Osteoarthritis is a common diagnosis and what that means for you is that there is plenty of information available to help you understand what it means to have arthritis. Understanding what is going on in your arthritic joint takes away some of the anxiety around this diagnosis.

2. Determine if body weight is an issue. Frequently, excess body weight is coupled with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, but not always. It’s important to determine if your weight is contributing to some of your arthritis symptoms. It’s estimated that being overweight by only 10 pounds increases the force going through the knee by 30-60 pounds with each step. One easy way to determine if you are considered overweight is to calculate your BMI or body mass index. Here is an easy tool to do that.

3. Incorporate daily movement. As a physical therapist, the evidence here is clear, movement is good for arthritis joints in almost all cases. Especially if you’ve just been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, the best thing you can do is make sure to get daily exercise. Even if this is walking around the block twice a day, prioritizing movement early on will help you tremendously in the long run. 

4. Focus on hydration. Our bodies are about 60% water and joint pain can be greatly affected by dehydration. Dehydration affects nearly all our body systems and decreases the amount of lubrication in our joints which can in turn increase joint pain and dysfunction. So carry that water bottle with you to work, and keep it close by at home as well; your joints will thank you.

5. Take a look at what’s on your plate. The importance of a healthy diet shouldn’t be understated with any chronic health condition, osteoarthritis included. Food is medicine. Try to cut back on processed foods and fast foods as much as you can. Fill your plate mostly with what comes out of the fresh produce section and see how your joints respond. 

IT’S ABOUT LIFESTYLE, NOT A PRESCRIPTION

What’s the most important thing to know after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis? Don’t play the short game. Yes, it can be tempting to get the prescription for pain medication and call it a day. In general, people want to feel better and they want to do so quickly. In this instance though, it’s paramount to consider osteoarthritis management a long game. 

Prioritize movement and strong joints. Pay attention to what you are putting in your body. Understand the process of what’s going on in your joints. All these elements will enable you to be a well-informed patient and be able to manage your osteoarthritis naturally without the need of pain medication. As we well know, prescription pain medication can cause a whole host of issues on its own, which are too numerous to unpack in this article.

YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT PATH

The fact that you are reading this article and doing your own research right now means that you are on the right path! You are already taking proactive steps to manage your osteoarthritis and be well informed. 

One tool that I like to suggest is a daily journal or symptom tracker. This allows you to take a big picture look at your lifestyle choices and your daily symptoms so that you can identify your pain patterns. I’ve put together a free Daily Arthritis Journal for you to use which you can download here. 

Stay strong, stay positive, and always be learning!

Not a Substitute for Medical Advice. The information provided in this blog, website, webinars, documents, audio, videos, and associated products is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Dr. Lowry provides training, educational, coaching and learning opportunities for her clients. Dr. Lowry and her clients are advised to seek the advice of a medical or mental health provider, dietician or other health care provider prior to starting or making a change in diet, exercise, lifestyle, medications or nutritional supplementation.