Friday July 15, 2011
Most aging dogs, cats, and other animals develop osteoarthritis. It's hard to watch your beloved pet struggle with pain. You may be tempted to share your human arthritis medications with your pet. Not only would it offer quick relief, you would save on the time and expense of consulting with a veterinarian.
But here's the problem with sharing your medications -- it is ill-advised and just plain not safe for your pet. Animals do not metabolize medications the same way as humans. It's a bad idea to guess at a dose adjustment, too, based on their size or weight. You would risk serious and possibly fatal consequences by doing so. Learn more in Human Arthritis Medications Not Appropriate for Pets.
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Wednesday July 13, 2011
Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) was originally FDA-approved 7 years ago (in 2004) for major depressive disorder. The oral drug, which is manufactured by Lilly, has since been approved for other conditions -- mostly related to mental health. In 2010, the indications expanded for Cymbalta when the FDA approved it as a treatment for chronic musculoskeletal pain, including osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain.
Learn how Cymbalta works for osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal pain and learn more about side effects, possible drug interactions, and special warnings in Cymbalta for Osteoarthritis - What You Need to Know.
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Sunday July 10, 2011
Loss of knee motion following reconstructive anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery appears to increase the risk of osteoarthritis, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine which was held July 7-10, 2011. The study assessed 780 patients who were 5 years or more post-op following ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon graft. Patients were evaluated for range of motion in their knee and x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis.
Researchers found that 71% of patients who had normal range of motion in the knee had no evidence of arthritic changes on x-ray. Of patients with limited range of motion in the knee, 55% had no evidence of arthritis on x-ray. It was also determined that of patients who had meniscus removal, evidence of osteoarthritis was found more in patients with limited motion. Following ACL surgery, rehabilitation that focuses on full range of motion is essential to decrease the risk of osteoarthritis.
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Saturday July 9, 2011
Study results published online July 8, 2011 in Arthritis & Rheumatism point out that men who smoke have less risk of undergoing joint replacement surgery of the hip or knee than men who never smoked. Researchers studied whether smoking, body mass index, and physical activity were linked to the risk of joint replacement surgery in men.
The analysis revealed that being overweight increased the risk of total joint replacement. Vigorous exercise also was associated with a higher risk of joint replacement surgery. While neither of those results seems particularly surprising, the fact that smoking was linked with a lower risk of joint replacement surgery is surprising. The lower risk was most evident after 23 years of smoking -- and men who smoked 48 years or more were up to 51% less likely to have joint replacement surgery than men who never smoked.
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