Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, first surfaces as morning stiffness in the weight-bearing joints, in particular the lower back, hips, knees and feet. The disease destroys joint cartilage, limiting range of movement. Commonly associated with the wear and tear of aging, osteoarthritis also results from injury or infection.
Non-inflammatory, osteoarthritis sometimes causes bone spurs or swelling as worn cartilage abrades the fluid-producing synovial membranes surrounding the joints. (Reference 1)
Hot and Cold Treatments
A classic symptom of osteoarthritis is stiffening of your affected joints when you've been sleeping or sitting for an extended period. Although they'll loosen with activity, using heat on them can speed things along.
Keep a microwaveable heating pad at the office for relief during your coffee and lunch breaks. Heating a painful joint with a hot damp towel at home can be very comforting. For serious osteoarthritis, a home hot tub could bring unimaginable relief.
A tip for successful heat relief, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, is to put your heat source not on the joint itself, but on the surrounding muscles.
Just as heat will bring mobility back to stiff joints, cold brings relief by anesthetizing the sore tissues. Wrap some ice in a towel, or put a reuseable cold pack in the freezer for about 30 minutes before applying. (Reference 1)
For emergency relief, buy an instant cold pack. Squeeze it to release the ammonium nitrite or urea crystals it contains into the surrounding liquid. This will cause a chemical reaction, chilling it to about 35 degrees for up to 30 minutes.
These single-use packs are portable and ready in seconds, no matter where you are. Never refrigerate them, because the additional cold could cause frostbite. Keep all cold treatments from direct contact with your skin. (Reference 2)
Glucosamine Chondroitin
Your body naturally produces both glucosamine and chondroitin when it builds and repairs cartilage. Taking dietary glucosamine and chondroitin might, over time, alleviate some of the stiffness and discomfort of osteoarthritis. Studies of this treatment's effectiveness, however, have produced mixed results.
The American Hospital Dubai says to use glucosamine sulfate combined with chondroitin sulfate for maximum effectiveness. Avoid glucosamine hydrochloride. If you haven't experienced improvement after three months, discontinue them. (Reference 3)
If you're allergic to shellfish, let your doctor know because glucosamine is typically made from crab, shrimp, or lobster shells, although synthetic forms are available.
Stick with glucosamine chondroitin brands from well-known companies and take them only as directed.
Herbs
Take white willow bark in powdered capsule form or drink enough of it as a tea that you are getting 240 mg of its active compound salicine per day. The capsules and dried bark are available both at health food stores and online. To make tea, boil 1 to 2 tsps. of the dried bark in water for about 10 minutes. Let it soak for another 30 minutes before straining and drinking.
Use a topical cream with cayenne extract with between 0.025 and 0.075 percent purified capsaicin, not capsicum oleoresin. Apply it twice to four times daily for between two weeks and a month. After that, twice a day might be adequate. (Resource 1)
Capsaicin may reduce the effects of white willow bark, and cause serious side effects if you are taking blood thinners, ACE inhibitors, medicine for acid reflux, or asthma medications containing theophylline. (Reference 1)
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