Joints & Mobility

Arthritis Supplement
Arthritis is a name given to a range of conditions that affect the bones. The arthritis that you get as you age: aches and pains and creaking bones is called osteoarthritis. Most people over the age of 70 suffer from this to a degree, depending on the wear and tear on their bones from their work, lifestyle or sporting activities.

When a bone meets another bone, such as in a joint, friction and rubbing can wear away the cartilage that acts as a cushion to prevent the bones grating against each other. When the cartilage is worn away the bones start wearing away each other, causing pain, swelling and further joint damage. This often causes the affected joints to become enlarged or swollen, hot and inflamed.

Most people take painkillers called anti-inflammatories which help to relieve the swelling and pain of this joint disease. Many are available over the counter, as well as on prescription from your doctor, but need to be taken regularly to have an effect. They do not affect the condition or prevent it developing, but can help to prevent the joints becoming more damaged and painful.

Recently, more people have been taking supplements to help treat and prevent the pain and joint damage of osteoarthritis. Their use is still not proven in all cases, but many patients say they feel a difference when they stop taking the supplements.
Fish oils that contain omega-3 fatty acids have been said to be helpful in reducing inflammation in inflamed joints, decreasing the need for pain relieving medicines.

Capsaicin containing creams and ointments can be applied to relieve the pain and swelling of osteoarthritis affected joints. This is the substance that occurs in capsicum, or bell peppers, and is reported to have a direct effect on joint swelling, as well as soothing by heating the joint, as it is related to the chilli.

Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance found in some shellfish, so should definitely not be taken by those that have an allergy to shellfish. Clinical trials have shown that glucosamine is helpful in regenerating cartilage in knee joints if taken in the right dose for a reasonable period of time. If after three months of 1500mg per day there has been no improvement then it is unlikely to improve joint function, and should be discontinued.

Chondroitin and glucosamine are often combined together in supplements for joint conditions. Chondroitin is poorly absorbed compared to glucosamine and the evidence for this supplement is not yet as clear as the evidence for glucosamine, but reports of the combination being helpful remain in the literature.

There are many supplements available that are reported to help with osteoarthritis and painful joints. Your community pharmacist will be able to advise you as to the supplements that you could try to see if your pain and inflammation could be relieved. Always seek advice before starting on any dietary supplement, and ensure that you continue to take any medications that your doctor has prescribed. If you have doubts and concerns about arthritis, talk to your local pharmacist.

Sprains and Strains

The terms sprain and strain are often used interchangeably when discussing a painful injury to an area near a bone. However, they are different and are caused by different types of injury to different types of tissue.

A strain is caused by an injury to a muscle or tendon from overuse, causing chronic strains, or from a twist to that area causing an acute strain. Common chronic strains are back injuries and tennis elbow. An acute strain is often caused by twisting or a blow to that area, such as a hamstring strain. Most minor strains heal within two weeks, but moderate to severe strains may take some months to heal the damage to ruptured muscle fibres.

A sprain is an injury to a ligament, commonly from overstretching the ankles or wrists after a fall. Sprains may be mild with a little pain on movement of the area and no long term effects. Moderate to severe sprains result in tears to the ligament with bruising, swelling and difficulty putting weight or pressure on that area because of the pain. The pain from a severe sprain may be similar to that of broken bones, so for these injuries an X-ray should always be taken to prevent untreated fractures.

All moderate to severe injuries should be checked by a doctor, physiotherapist or emergency clinic. If it is too painful to put any weight or pressure on an injured area, or there is pronounced swelling, bleeding or bruising, then prompt medical treatment is a priority.

Treating mild sprains and strains is largely about reducing the damage, swelling and pain. Standard treatment for both is the same and is usually referred to as RICE – Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

Rest – try to reduce any weight or exercise to that area, especially for the first 48 hours.

Ice – use an icepack, or unopened packed of frozen vegetables, wrapped in a dry cloth, for up to 20 minutes every two or three hours while pain and swelling is present.

Compression – use elastic bandages or joint supports to support the injured area and wear them whenever the area is painful.

Elevation – raising the injured area above the level of the heart for the first 24 to 48 hours will help to decrease swelling to the area.

Your community pharmacy has many different types of supports and elastic wraps to support injuries to different areas. If you are using a supporting wrap it is important to get advice regarding the correct size for your body and injury.

Pharmacists can help you treat and prevent sprains and strains. They can provide good advice about the best compression product to ease injuries, as well as the right pain relieving treatments to ensure that you can recover from your injury and rehabilitate the injured area to prevent further sprains and strains in the future. If you have an injury, such as a sprain or strain, consult your community pharmacist as they will refer you for further medical help if needed, or provide you with what you need to help you recover.

Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
Tennis elbow is a term used to describe what happens when you overuse your arm and the elbow joint in a way that causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow generally causes pain on the inside of the elbow. Both are caused by the tendons and muscles becoming strained by being used repetitively by sporting activities such as tennis and golf, as well as occupational causes such as gardening, cutting meat, plumbing and painting. Both men and women may develop these conditions, but generally those affected are aged over 30. It has been suggested that tendons heal more easily when you are younger, preventing on-going damage.

Activities that are likely to cause damage to your elbow area are those which require repetitively using tools that weigh more than one kilogram, lifting weights frequently each day, or any activity using one or both arms for two hours or more each day. Most people only suffer from tennis or golfer’s elbow in the arm that they use the most, but either or both may be affected.

With tennis and golfer’s elbow, the tendons and muscles around the elbow become torn and then inflamed and swollen. When you attempt to use the arm, such as by picking up a teacup, pain occurs, and care is needed to prevent the pain from limiting what you can do both at work and at home.

The best treatment for soft tissue injuries is always rest. Try not to do any activity that causes pain, as this will hasten healing and a return to pain free movement in your arm. If the injury is recent or the pain very sharp, then ice packs are helpful. Pain relieving medications and rubs help to relieve the pain of these conditions, but should not be used to allow you to work despite the pain. Pain is a message that tells you whatever you have been doing is causing an injury, so you should stop doing whatever is causing the problem.

Consult your community pharmacist for advice and help with treating pain that you believe may be tennis or golfer’s elbow. They are able to supply medicines to treat this painful condition, as well as advise you about elbow supports and splints that may help to relieve the pain of this condition.

Your pharmacist can also refer you to a physiotherapist or doctor if you need exercises or prescription medicines to help your elbow heal. You will need to persevere with treatment as it generally takes between six months to a year for tennis or golfer’s elbow to recover and allow you to use your arm without pain.