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Osteoarthritis is one of the most commonly suffered arthritis afflictions among the adult population. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune process, osteoarthritis results from cartilage damage to the joints, primarily throughout the joints of the fingers, hips and spine. This cartilage damage can result from injury to the joint, such as a break or a sprain, or from repetitive physical movement, particularly that done on the job.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition; there is no known method of treatment for stopping the degenerative process, nor is there a method for reversing the damage suffered by the joint. The best that osteoarthritis sufferers can hope for is to master the inflammatory process and attempt to reduce the amount of pain they suffer on a daily basis. There are many ways to do this, and there are new methods being tested almost daily.Glucosamine is one of the new treatments found on the market today. Glucosamine supplements emulate one of the natural elements produced by the body, ensuring that the body is less likely to reject it. More traditional methods of fighting inflammation, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, carry with them often devastating side effects, particularly when used in the long term. Due to its close resemblance to elements naturally produced by the body glucosamine carries with it no such side effects unless used in extreme excess. There are many different forms of glucosamine on the market, and the type of glucosamine chose for treatment can have a great deal of impact on its effectiveness. Liquid glucosamine has been found to act with the greatest speed of all of the different forms on the market due to its ability to be quickly absorbed by the body and transported throughout the vascular system. IV and intramuscular glucosamine yield similar results; pills have not proven to be nearly as effective due to the difficulty in digesting the stabilizers that are necessary to produce the pills. Glucosamine cream has been prescribed by physicians to help treat osteoarthritis in the hope that it can be used as a localized treatment, thereby reducing the chance of side effects even further. Unfortunately, this has not proven to be an effective method of countering the unpleasant effects of arthritis, although further studies may result in a successful, topical treatment being produced later on. For those individuals who are unable to use the oral medications and must have the cream it is recommended that they purchase one with pain numbing medications such as menthol or camphor included. While glucosamine is proving to be a great leap in the field of arthritic treatment for those looking for a method of topical treatment glucosamine cream may not be the way to go. |
