Andrie Leday, III, dispelled myths about osteoarthritis during the Black Health Matters Harlem Week Health Summit. He refuted the belief that the condition is automatic. “We don’t have to hurt as we get older, we don’t have to become immobilized as we get older. That is not a natural part of the human design,” said Leday.
According to the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, “This silent condition frequently remains undiagnosed until complicated by fracture.” It impacts the joints.
Leday described the many unpleasant pathways osteoarthritis takes to interrupt one’s life.
“It’ll manifest in wear and tear in your joints and grinding away at your cartilage. You’re going to have symptoms like pain, stiffness, swelling,” he said. “You’re going to see changes that develop slowly, and they only get worse. It does not get better, so any type of joint change that you’re going to experience is typically irreversible. And often it goes undiagnosed. Until it progresses to a point where it’s much more difficult to manage.”
Leday noted that the condition goes further than the body by highlighting its emotional and mental consequences connected to the fact that “OA may result in impairment of social function.” Isolation and limitation can trigger anxiety and depression.
The Risks for Osteoarthritis That You Should Know About
The risks for osteoarthritis rise with age, but there are other factors to be mindful of, including genetic and lifestyle factors. Comorbidities enhance the chance of being impacted by osteoarthritis. Obesity is a significant risk factor, as added weight places stress on one’s joints. “Overweight women are four times more likely to have the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis,” said Leday.
“For those who suffer from diabetes, that prevalence is actually twofold,” he added. Osteoarthritis can also have an adverse effect on attempts to manage blood sugar in those dealing with type 2 diabetes.
Leday Explains Some of the Approaches to Osteoarthritis Treatment
Initial treatment typically begins with lifestyle changes, such as adopting an exercise routine. If that is not enough to keep symptoms at bay, osteoarthritis is treated with surgical intervention.
Leday explained that there are different levels of surgical intervention, from “a minimally invasive approach to relieve some of the strain of the osteoarthritis” to full-fledged replacement procedures.
He Also Mentioned When You Might Want to Consider Surgical Options
He identified major signs that you should consider surgical intervention. “Number one, if you can no longer complete your routine daily task without help. Number two is if you have significant pain, pain that keeps you awake at night, despite using medications, pain that keeps you from being able to walk or bend over, and pain that isn’t relieved by rest.”
Some studies have shown that Black patients face higher levels of severe pain and a higher disability rate.
Listen to Your Body and Talk to Your Doctor
Leday emphasized the importance of being honest with your healthcare providers about what you’re experiencing. “One of the key notes that I’ve heard throughout these conversations and presentations today is to listen to your body,” he said. It is not enough to listen to your body. You have to honor what it is saying at all times, even when it might feel slightly embarrassing or might make you feel like you’re being a bother. Keeping a journal might help you communicate about what you’re feeling to your doctor.
He warned against admitting “it hurts like the devil” at home and downplaying discomfort as “a little stiff but it’s all right, it’s not that bad” while talking to doctors. “Be honest with yourself and be honest with your provider when you go in,” Leday added.
Osteoarthritis is Degenerative: Seek treatment as soon as possible.
Seeking treatment for osteoarthritis symptoms as soon as possible is the only way to ensure the most positive outcomes. “It often provides pain relief and functional improvement, so early diagnosis and treatment are important,” he said. “Delaying surgery may lower your quality of life, as well as osteoarthritis is degenerative, so it won’t get better. It actually may get worse.”
Some people assume joints added through surgery are worn out quickly and will automatically have to be replaced. But he pointed out that things have changed.
“The advancements in implant technology have surpassed what they were many years ago, so the joints you have today will last much longer than previously understood,” he continued.
He shared that progress in surgical interventions can help patients reach their goals and live more fulfilling lives. “We literally just had someone just this past year with our joints in their body run the New York Marathon, so this is an opportunity to, again, extend life,” said Leday.
“This is an opportunity to keep it moving.”
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