Osteoarthritis is a common disease affecting millions of people around the world each year and is one of the leading causes of disability. The prevalence of OA progressively increases with age; however, only 25-30 per cent of people are symptomatic!

WHAT IS OSTEOARTHRITIS?

PATHOLOGICALLY, IT MAY BE DEFINED AS A CONDITION OF SYNOVIAL JOINTS CHARACTERISED BY FOCAL LOSS OF ARTICULAR HYALINE CARTILAGE WITH PROLIFERATION OF NEW BONE AND REMODELLING OF JOINT CONTOUR. IT IS A DYNAMIC REPAIR PROCESS THAT MAY BE TRIGGERED BY A VARIETY OF INSULTS, SOME MAY RESULT IN SYMPTOMATIC ‘JOINT FAILURE’ IN LAY MAN’S TERMS, OA IS JOINT DEGENERATION AND CARTILAGE LOSS. IT IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON FORM OF ARTHRITIS.

RISK FACTORS

• GENETIC FACTORS
• OA KNEE PREVALENT IN ALL RACIAL GROUPS
• HIP, HAND AND GENERALIZED OA ARE PARTICULARLY PREVALENT IN CAUCASIONS
• MORE PREVALENT AND MORE COMMONLY SYMPTOMATIC IN WOMEN
  • EXCEPT AT THE HIP WHERE MEN ARE EQUALLY AFFECTED
• TRAUMA AND OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
  • EXAMPLE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WITH KNEE OA, FARMERS WITH HIP OA, ETC.
• AGING: LAXITY OF LIGAMENTS INCREASES WITH AGE
• OBESITY
• NEUROPATHY
• DEPOSITION DISEASES: ANY SUBSTANCE THAT SITS INSIDE THE JOINT FOR TOO LONG FORMS DEPOSITS EXAMPLE: URIC ACID (GOUT)

ETOLOGY AND PATHOGENISIS

CARTILAGE CHANGES: CHRONDROCYTES INCREASE PRODUCTION OF MATRIC COMPONENTS AND THE TURNOVER OF AGGRECAN COMPONENTS IS INCREASED BUT CONCENTRATION FALLS, LEADS TO INCREASED WATER AND SWELLING PRESSURE IN CARTILAGE, MAKING THE CARTILAGE VULNERABLE TO LOAD BEARING INJURY. FISSURING OF THE CARTILAGE SURFACE (‘FIBRILLATION’) EVENTUALLY OCCURS, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEEP VERTICAL CLEFS.

BONE CHANGES: THE SUBCHRONDRAL BONE SHOWS A MIXTURE OF OSTEOLYSIS AND OSTEOSCLEROSIS, WHICH REFLECTS HEALED TRABECULAR MICROFRACTURES. SUBCHRONDRAL ‘CYSTS’ DEVELOP AS THE RESULT OF SMALL AREAS OF OSTEONECROSIS CAUSED BY THE INCREASED PRESSURE IN BONE AS THE CARTILAGE FAILS. OSTEOPHYTES: RESULT FROM PRODUCTION OF NEW FIBROCARTILAGE AT THE JOINT MARGIN WHICH UNDERGOES ENDOCHONDRAL OSSIFICATION.

CLINICAL FEATURES OF KNEE OA: TARGETS THE PATELLO-FEMORAL AND MEDIAL SIDE OF THE KNEE. ISOLATED OR AS PART OF GENERALISED OA. MOSTLY BILATERAL AND SYMMETRICAL. TRAUMA IS AN IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR IN MEN.

TREATMENT

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO TO LITTLE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT ANY TREATMENT WILL RESTORE ANY DEGENERATION THAT HAS BEEN LOST DUE TO OA – THERE ARE TREATMENTS TO HELP WITH MANAGEMENT OF SYMPTOMS.

• FULL EXPLANATION OF THE CONDITION.
  • INCLUDE RELEVANT RISK FACTORS (OBESITY, HEREDITY, TRAUMA); THE FACT THAT PAIN AND FUNCTION CAN IMPROVE DESPITE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE; DISCUSSION OF PROGNOSIS (GOOD FOR NODAL HAND OA, MORE OPTIMISTIC FOR KNEE THAN HIP OA); AND THE FACT THAT APPROPRIATE ACTION CAN IMPROVE THE PROGNOSIS OF LARGE JOINT OA.
• EXERCISE. BOTH STRENGTHENING AND AEROBIC. -> AQUATIC EXERCISE IS THE BEST FORM!!!
  • I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY POOLS ARE CLOSED RIGHT NOW BUT IF YOU DO HAVE ACCESS TRY SWIMMING AND AQUATIC EXERCISE!
  • STAGE 1 KNEE OA THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE
    • https://theprehabguys.com/patient-portal/?playlist=S2EMIVX5
• REDUCTION OF ADVERSE MECHANICAL FACTORS.
• DRUG TREATMENT. (PARACETAMOL, NSAID OR OPIATES. INTRA-ARTICULAR CORTICOSTEROID INJECTION).
• SURGERY. OSTEOTOMY OR JOINT REPLACEMENT.
• NEUTRACEUTICALS
• MANUAL THERAPY – CHIROPRACTIC, OSTEOPATHY, MASSAGE THERAPY, ETC.
• PHYSIOTHERAPY MODALITIES
• WEIGHT LOSS
• JOINT SUPPORTS (ORTHOPEDIC BRACES)
• ACUPUNCTURE

NEUTRACEUTICALS AND NUTRITION FOR ALL AREAS OF OSTEOARTHRITIS

PROPER NUTRITION AND SUPPLEMENTATION FOR OA SHOULD BE BASED AROUND THE FOLLOWING: REDUCE PAIN, DECREASE INFLAMMATION, IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY, HELP REPAIR CARTILAGE, ACCELERATE HEALING PROCESS.

1. DECREASED SYNOVIAL FLUID

• SYMPTOMS
  • PAIN
  • JOINT STIFFNESS
  • LOSS OF FLEXIBILITY
  • CRACKING OR POPPING SOUND*
• DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
  • DRINK MORE THAN 3 LITERS A DAY!!! •REMEMBER, FOOD HAS WATER IN IT TOO!
  • GENERALIZED DAILY WATER INTAKE FORMULA
    • = 250ML X (BODY WEIGHT IN LBS. / 16) + 250ML (TOTAL MG OF CAFFEINE / 60MG) + TOTAL LBS. LOST DURING EXERCISE X 500ML
  • HYALURONIC ACID
    • TAKE 100 – 200MG PER DAY. •HELPS TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTION OF SYNOVIAL FLUID, IMPROVING JOINT FLEXIBILITY.

2. DECREASED CARTILAGE

NEUTRACEUTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• GLUCOSAMINE
  • SOURCES: MADE SYNTHETICALLY OR FROM SHELLS OF SHRIMP, CRAB, LOBSTER
  • REDUCES PAIN AND INFLAMMATION
  • HELPS TO REPAIR CARTILAGE AND INHIBITS JOINT DEGENERATION
  • DOSAGE: 1500 – 2000 MG/DAY FOR AT LEAST 6 WEEKS AT A TIME
  • SIDE EFFECTS: STOMACH DISTRESS, DIARRHEA, INSULIN RESISTANCE (BLOOD SUGAR RISES), NaCL (BLOOD PRESSURE AFFECTED), CAN THIN BLOOD
    • LESS EFFECTIVE IF TAKEN WITH TYLONEL
      • ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLONEL) METABOLIZES USING SULFATE, THUS REDUCING THE PAIN RELIEVING EFFECTS OF GLUCOSAMINE SYNTHESIS
  • REQUIRES A SULFUR BASE FOR REBUILDING AND REPAIRING CARTILAGE
  • WHEN COMBINED WITH CHRONDOITIN SULFATE, IT IS JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS CELEBREX MEDICATION.
• CHRONROITIN SULFATE
  • NATURALLY FOUND IN CARTILAGE AND TENDONS
  • DECREASES PAIN AND DECREASES INFLAMMATION
  • INHIBITS JOINT DEGRADATION (BREAKDOWN).
  • SOURCES: COW’S CARTILAGE AND SHARK’S CARTILAGE SIDE EFFECTS:  HIGH DOSES RESULT IN NAUSEA AND DIARRHEA (<10G)
  • DOSAGE: 1200 MG/DAY
• MSM (METHYLSULFONYLMETHANE)
  • NATURALLY FOUND IN THE BODY AND MANY FOODS, ESPECIALLY GREEN VEGETABLES
  • REDUCES INFLAMMATION AND PAIN
  • USE IN COMBINATION WITH GLUCOSAMINE.
  • GOOD SOURCE OF SULFUR
  • DOSAGE: 250 – 500MG /DAY
    • MAY TAKE UP TO 6000MG/ DAY
  • SIDE EFFECTS: MILD BLOOD-THINNING EFFECT
• CAPSAICIN
  • ACTIVE COMPONENT OF CHILI PEPPER
  • BLOCKS THE RELEASE OF SUBSTANCE – P
    • A NEUROPEPTIDE ACTING AS A NEUROTRANSMITTER AND NEUROMODULATOR FOR TERMINALS OF THE SENSORY NERVES ASSOCIATED WITH PAIN AND INFLAMMATION.
  • DOSAGE: APPLY TOPICAL CREAM SPARINGLY 3-4 TIMES PER DAY AS NEEDED.
    • NOT ROUTINELY USED IN THE TREATMENT OF OA
• L – PROLINE AND L – LYSINE
  • BOTH AMINO ACIDS
  • IMPROVE COLLAGEN PRODUCTION
  • L-LYSINE
    • INCREASES GH
    • HELPS REPAIR CARTILAGE IN OA
    • ALSO PREVENTS FROM COLD SORES
    • ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID
    • DOSAGE: 1000 – 1500 MG/ DAY
  • L-PROLINE
    • NON ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID
    • ALSO HELPS WITH TISSUE AND WOUND HEALING
    • DOSAGE: 500 – 1000 MG / DAY
• VITAMIN C
  • IMPORTANT IN THE CONVERSION OF PROLINE AND LYSINE TO HYDROXYPROLINE AND HYDROXYLYSINE, WHICH ARE THE KEY CONSTITUENTS OF COLLAGEN
  • DOSAGE: 2 – 3 GRAMS /DAY
• BOSWELLIA EXTRACT
  • IMPROVES BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE JOINT TISSUES AND REDUCES INFLAMMATION
  • HELPS PREVENT CARTILAGE LOSS
  • ANALGESIC PROPERTIES
  • DOSAGE: 1200MG / DAY
  • STUDIES SHOW SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES OA PAIN AND FUNCTION WITHIN 7 DAYS AND SLOWED CARTILAGE DAMAGE AFTER 3 MONTHS.
• CURCUMIN
  • IMPORTANT IN THE CONVERSION OF PROLINE AND LYSINE TO HYDROXYPROLINE AND HYDROXYLYSINE, WHICH ARE THE KEY CONSTITUENTS OF COLLAGEN
  • DOSAGE: 2 – 3 GRAMS /DAY

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BEFORE STARTING ANY DIET OR SUPPLEMENTS, THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SAFE FOR YOU TO DO SO BY TALKING WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AND START TAKING NEUTRACEUTICALS FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS OR ANY OTHER CONDITION, LET US KNOW AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU.

WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH “FULL SCRIPT” AND ARE ABLE TO PRESCRIBE CUSTOMIZED NEUTRACEUTICALS WHICH YOU CAN PURHCASE DIRECTLY FROM YOUR PERSONAL PORTAL ONCE WE’VE SENT YOU AN EMAIL PRESCRIPTION. THEY WILL DELIVER THEM TO YOUR HOUSE SO YOU CAN STILL KEEP IN CHECK WITH QUARENTINE REGULATIONS!

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS,PLEASE REACH OUT TO US!