Bone, Joint & Muscle Health Archive

First-line gout treatment focuses on reducing pain and inflammation. Ideally, treatment should begin within 24 hours of the start of the gout attack. Treatment is stopped once the attack is over, and symptoms have gone away.

If you experience gout symptoms, it's important to visit a doctor to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Life would be extremely difficult for humans if we didn't have elbows, yet when it comes to joints we hear very little about them. So let's consider what the elbows do for us and why we should do all we can to protect them.

There are three main causes of high levels of uric acid that can lead to gout.

Gout is a painful but common type of inflammatory arthritis. It's caused by the crystallization of uric acid within the joints.

A 2022 study found that people with sleep apnea are more likely to have low bone density. Apnea may trigger low oxygen levels and inflammation that impair the body's continuous bone renewal process.

Staying active when knee osteoarthritis flares helps the joint stay flexible. But activity should be modified to take pressure off the knee. That could mean walking instead of running, or playing pickleball instead of tennis. Other activities that are easy on the joint include riding a stationary bike, using an elliptical machine, practicing yoga, swimming, walking pain-free distances on flat terrain, doing upper body strength training, or core strengthening. Warming up before activity helps to loosen stiff knee joints.

A 2022 study found that vitamin D deficiency significantly increases the likelihood of age-related loss of muscle strength, known as dynapenia, a major risk factor for falls.

People with knee arthritis who don't feel ready for joint replacement can take a number of steps as they ponder the possibility. These include getting knee injections or wearing a brace to reduce pain, modifying activities (such as exercise) that aggravate knee pain, losing weight to take pressure off the knee joint, exercising more to help with weight control, seeking physical therapy, getting underlying health conditions under control, doing research about knee replacement, and talking to an orthopedic surgeon.

Pain in the shoulder, elbow, or wrist without obvious injury is common. Possible causes include arthritis, bursitis, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tear, tendinitis, or nerve compression in the carpal tunnel or the cubital tunnel. Home remedies include rest, ice, compression, or elevation; over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers; and devices such as a splint or brace. Other treatments include physical therapy or steroid injections. Surgery is usually a last resort.