As the human body ages, most people assume that “wear and tear” will take over and deplete their health. This isn’t always true, and it’s important to separate fact from fiction when discussing joint health problems.
Osteoarthritis is a painful, inflammatory joint condition that can make it difficult to function. Some folks refer to it as “just” arthritis, but this minimizes the incredible discomfort and damage it causes. Living with this condition can feel impossible at times.
You don’t have to sit back and let joint health problems take over your life as you age. Learn more about osteoarthritis so you can make the best decisions for your health and pain management.
Developing Osteoarthritis: What’s Happening to Your Joints?
Before you can appropriately manage this condition, you must learn what’s happening in your joints. Developing osteoarthritis is not inevitable, but unfortunately, it is common, especially in aging adults.
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory joint condition that occurs when the cartilage that supports and connects your bones wears away. As a result, your bones grind together, and the spaces around your joints become inflamed and tender.
Is This Condition Inevitable?
No. Osteoarthritis is not just a “normal” part of aging, nor is it inevitable. As science and research advance, it’s becoming more obvious that osteoarthritis is the result of many risk factors interacting with each other.
Certain risk factors make it more likely that you’ll develop osteoarthritis. Many of them are preventable through lifestyle changes and a proactive approach to protecting your joints.
Who Gets Osteoarthritis?
Age is a big risk factor for osteoarthritis, but again, this condition is not inevitable. Here are some of the risk factors for developing osteoarthritis.
Stress, Strain, and Injury
Any type of strain or stress on your joints can lead to osteoarthritis later in life. Even if your joints feel fine when you’re younger, you’re still at risk if you’ve experienced harsh impacts or prolonged joint strain.
Sports injuries, obesity or being overweight, and physically demanding jobs all put you at a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis. All these risk factors slowly degrade the cartilage between your bones. These tissues can only support lots of impact, weight, or use for so long.
Genetics and Sex
Your genetics play a role in whether you develop joint health problems. Having a family history of osteoarthritis raises your chances of dealing with the same condition.
An estimated 60% of osteoarthritis patients are women. This means that if you were assigned female at birth, you’re at a slightly increased risk of developing osteoarthritis. However, through a healthy lifestyle, you may be able to prevent it.
The Silent Pain of Living with Arthritis
To the outside world, you might appear healthy and fully capable of living your daily life as normal. However, arthritis pain can stop you in your tracks. It can be intense or even disabling.
If your condition gets bad enough, you might find yourself unable to walk around, twist, or pick things up. Osteoarthritis pain is not something to ignore or minimize.
Swelling and Inflammation
The inflammation doesn’t just happen inside your body. Sometimes, your joints may become swollen, tender, and visibly inflamed. When this happens, chances are you can’t move the affected joints much. Any impact, no matter how slight, may throw you into a pain flare.
Crepitus
Some osteoarthritis patients experience a crunching or grinding sensation (crepitus) when moving the affected joints. This can be terrifying and uncomfortable, leading to increased mental stress and physical pain.
Weakness and Limited Mobility
Osteoarthritis causes muscle weakness, fatigue, and limited mobility. You might not be able to move your body in ways that feel good to you or allow you to keep up with others anymore. These limitations not only affect you physically, but they also come with a mental price tag as well.
Stigma and Shame Around Aging
Some people might feel like their osteoarthritis symptoms mean they’re “getting old.” While there should be no shame in aging, social stigmas suggest otherwise. Experiencing these symptoms might make you feel embarrassed about your age.
If you struggle with joint pain, others might not see what you go through. You might feel pressured to “just get over it” or take pain medication to keep up with everyone else. This can also create feelings of shame and contribute to a poor stigma around joint health problems.
Treating Osteoarthritis: Enjoy a Better Quality of Life
Getting an osteoarthritis diagnosis doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to enjoy life and movement again. With the proper therapies, especially early treatment, you can improve your comfort and quality of life. Here are some of the best options for treating osteoarthritis pain and inflammation.
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cells are at the forefront of regenerative medicine. These cells, also known as “blank” or “programmable” cells, can develop into specialized tissues, like cartilage. This makes them useful for regenerating and healing wounds, damaged tissues, and inflamed areas of your body.
One advantage of stem cell therapy is that it’s drug-free and comes with almost no risks to your health.
Stem cell therapy may also reduce your pain and increase your mobility. It gets to the root cause of your joint problems instead of covering up the symptoms.
Exercise and Physical Therapy
Getting more movement in your day may help reduce the severity of your osteoarthritis symptoms. Regular physical activity prevents the painful stiffness that osteoarthritis patients often experience.
Exercise also assists in weight management, which is key to reducing your joint pain. Every extra pound of body fat adds about four times the amount of pressure onto your joints.
Whether you (gently) exercise on your own or enlist the help of a physical therapist, your joints will thank you for it.
Get the Proper Support for Your Osteoarthritis
Living with osteoarthritis can be challenging, but you’re not alone. There are steps you can take to improve your quality of life with this condition. Evaluate your treatment options to find what works best for you. Visit our website to learn more about osteoarthritis pain.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder that can affect all of your body systems. People suffering from MS often report neurological, muscular, and skin problems as the disease progresses. If you have MS, you may develop puzzling skin symptoms and conditions that need to be addressed.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it may need extra support if you have multiple sclerosis. Learn how MS symptoms and medications can affect your skin in your daily life.
Why MS Causes Skin Problems
Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative condition that leads to increasing nerve damage over time. As a result, the ways your body experiences pain and physical sensations will change.
Nerve Degeneration
Some of this is purely neurological. As your nerves experience damage from this condition, they may misfire pain or sensitivity signals within your skin. You could have odd sensations, sensitivity to cold and light touch, and other skin problems.
Medication Side Effects
Additionally, Multiple sclerosis medications can lead to negative effects on your skin. Some of these prescriptions may irritate or inflame soft tissues in your body. As a result, you may experience infections, lesions, and rashes.
Common Neurological Skin Symptoms and Problems
When your nerves aren’t working properly, the way your body senses and responds to external stimuli (like touch) changes. These symptoms are what’s known as neurological skin problems. They don’t directly affect the appearance or texture of your skin, but these issues do impair your daily life.
Paresthesia
One of the earliest symptoms of Multiple sclerosis is paresthesia. This broad skin sensation can manifest in many different ways. Not everyone who experiences paresthesia has MS, but most MS patients deal with paresthesia at some point.
Some symptoms of paresthesia include:
Numbness
Tingling
Prickling sensations
Burning
“Pins and needles”
Tickling sensations
Feeling like your skin is “crawling”
These symptoms show up even when nothing is physically touching your skin. Paresthesia is most common in your extremities — fingers, toes, hands, feet, legs, and arms. However, you may experience paresthesia in different spots on your body over time.
Neuropathic Itch
This skin problem is slightly different from paresthesia. When you develop neuropathic itch, it may feel like nothing will relieve the deep burning itch. Many MS patients struggle with this, and it doesn’t always involve external touches or stimuli.
Another name for neuropathic itch is pruritus. Even if there’s nothing physical causing the itch, it’s still a real sensation. It can be frustrating when the itch won’t resolve, even if you’ve scratched your skin excessively.
Skin Sensitivity: Cold, Touch, and More
MS patients experience extreme sensitivity to heat, cold, and touch due to nerve damage. This means even the lightest touch or slightest change in temperature can trigger a strong reaction in your body.
This makes everyday life difficult for obvious reasons. When you feel extreme pain and aversion to light touch or mild temperatures, it can be difficult to complete tasks and participate in society.
MS Medication and Skin Problems
Many MS patients have medications prescribed from their physician. However, the side effects aren’t always pleasant, particularly when it comes to your skin.
There are a wide variety of prescription drugs used to treat MS, so your specific symptoms will depend on what you’re taking. For example, monoclonal antibodies target certain immune cells to reduce the neurodegenerative and inflammatory effects of MS. However, this can irritate your skin and cause other unwanted side effects.
Here are some of the skin symptoms you may notice after taking MS medications.
Hives and Rashes
Patchy, itchy spots and raised hives can both stem from MS medications. This is because MS prescriptions deal with your immune system, inflammatory responses, and other bodily processes. These systems can and do interact with your skin, and sometimes, it responds by breaking out in hives or rashes.
Redness and Flushing
Some oral MS medications cause hot flashes, which make your skin look red and flushed. This is similar to the temporary skin sensations caused by exercise or anxiety. Most flushing sensations go away within 30 minutes of taking your medication, but they can still be a nuisance.
Skin Lesions
Some injections and infusions that treat MS can lead to skin lesions, which can affect your confidence and comfort. You may notice large or small skin lesions, with some being discolored or bruised.
Secondary Infections
When you have MS, your immune system constantly works overtime. This can weaken your defenses against secondary infections, like skin infections.
Scratching weakens your skin barrier, which can allow bacteria to enter your skin matrix and cause infections. If you’re dealing with neuropathic itch, you’re especially at risk.
Certain MS medications also make you more susceptible to skin infections. Injectable prescriptions carry the risk of exposing bacteria to different layers of your skin. Improper needle use and poor needle hygiene can both result in skin infections.
You’ll need antibiotic treatments for secondary skin infections, as these are bacterial and won’t go away on their own. Always consult your doctor for help with skin infections.
Care for Your Body to Reduce Your Skin’s Risk
Having MS is exhausting and can be debilitating. However, practicing physical and emotional self-care whenever possible can be beneficial. Caring for your overall health can reduce the impact MS has on your skin, making it less susceptible to infections and unpleasant symptoms.
Some forms of self-care for MS patients include:
Getting plenty of rest
Exercising regularly
Journaling
Meditating
Eating a nutritious diet
Doing yoga
Spending time in MS support groups
Talk therapy
These are all wonderful strategies for supporting your psychological and physical health when you have MS.
Be Prepared: Know the Most Common MS-Related Skin Symptoms
You can prepare yourself by learning about what you can expect after an MS diagnosis. MS has many detrimental effects on the body, but you can reduce some of these effects through stress relief and self-care. As you improve your overall well-being, you may notice skin improvements as well.
Your muscles contract and relax throughout the day. These natural muscle movements assist in musculoskeletal control, but what happens when there’s too much tension in your muscles? Extreme muscle contractions can lead to neck and shoulder pain, especially if you’re under a lot of stress. If you can feel a hard, inflamed spot in your shoulders, you may be dealing with a painful shoulder knot. Here’s what you can do to relieve that bothersome muscle tension.
Relieve Your Shoulder Knot with a Deep Tissue Massage
Massage therapists are trained in releasing tight muscle knots. If you’re dealing with a persistent shoulder knot, consider getting a deep tissue massage. It can be difficult to reach your shoulders by yourself at the depths you need, so going to a licensed massage therapist is best.
Deep tissue massages relax the deepest layers of your muscles. They may feel uncomfortable in the moment, but afterward, you’ll experience intense muscle relaxation.
Self-Massage Techniques
If you can’t get to a massage therapist, use a hard ball (like a baseball) to work the tension out of your shoulders. You can do this by placing the ball between your shoulders and a wall and pressing into the ball with your body weight.
Alternatively, you can use a vibrating massage tool to work the tension out of your shoulders. Ask a friend or partner for help if you can’t reach the knot with the instrument.
Alternate Hot and Cold to Reduce Inflammation
Tense shoulder knots are usually inflamed, which leads to redness and soreness in the area. To relieve inflammation, alternate between hot and cold exposure. Use a heating pad for 10 to 20 minutes, then replace it with an ice pack for the same amount of time.
Alternating between heat and cold reduces swelling in your body. When you apply heat, your muscles relax, and blood flows to the area. After you apply a cold compress, your blood vessels constrict, which helps relieve painful inflammation in your shoulders.
You may find that this releases the shoulder knot on its own. However, most people must try other therapies to fully get rid of tense muscle knots.
Reduce Stress and Clear Your Mind
It might sound counterproductive to focus on your mental health while you’re experiencing physical pain. However, shoulder knots often form because of stress. If you carry psychological stress in your neck and shoulders, your muscles are more likely to tense up and create knots.
Try different stress relief techniques to reduce tension and allow your muscles to fully relax. You can try a hot bath, journaling, meditation, and yoga.
Stretch Your Shoulders and Neck
As you’re doing yoga to try to relax, opt for some deep neck and shoulder stretches. Always pay attention to your comfort levels as you do this. Stretches shouldn’t hurt, although you may experience mild soreness from the shoulder knot.
Use a yoga block if you need extra support, relax your muscles, and allow the stretches to gently pull your shoulder muscles out of the painful knot.
Trigger Point Therapy
Your body has specific spots that carry muscle tension and tightness. These are called trigger points. Pressing on trigger points may relax the muscles that are creating your shoulder knot. You can visit an acupuncturist or press your trigger points yourself.
Everyone’s body is different, but there are some widely recognized trigger points along your back and neck. Pressing these may relax your shoulder muscles and get rid of the inflamed knot.
The back of your neck and several spots along your spine contain trigger points. Experiment with safe amounts of pressure to see which ones feel relaxing to your shoulder muscles. You may need a friend or partner to help you press these trigger points.
Another way to put pressure on trigger points is to use an acupressure mat. These mats contain small plastic spikes that press into your muscles and relieve tension over time. Laying on an acupressure mat can produce similar benefits to acupuncture and trigger point therapy.
Medication: Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
If you’ve tried everything and your shoulder knot is still causing you pain, you can try over-the-counter medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are affordable and work to reduce inflammation throughout your body. With less inflammation in your shoulders, you could experience blissful pain relief.
The downside to this method is that the pain relief is temporary. Once the over-the-counter medication wears off, you’ll have to take another dose to experience relief. Medication can help for short periods, but it’s best to address the underlying cause of your muscle knots to get rid of them for good.
Reduce Inflammation and Muscular Pain With Stem Cell Treatments
Sports injuries, orthopedic problems, and musculoskeletal conditions can all lead to muscle knots and pain. Stem cell therapy assists in reducing inflammation and relieving discomfort so you can experience a better quality of life.
Stem cells can form into almost any type of specialized body cell. This adaptability means they play a key role in regenerating damaged tissues, which can help people with sports injuries and other muscular problems.
If you experience chronic inflammation and pain, stem cell therapy offers a drug-free alternative for you to try. These treatments often use your own stem cells, so there’s minimal risk of adverse side effects. Alternatively, you may use donor stem cells.
Prevent and Treat Shoulder Knots and Muscle Tension
Your muscles can form knots for many different reasons. What’s important is addressing the root causes of your chronic inflammation and muscle pain.
No matter what path you choose, it’s important to reduce mental stress and keep your body healthy. Gentle physical activity can improve your mobility and reduce your chances of developing muscle knots in the future.
If at-home techniques and treatments aren’t working, you may need a more advanced solution, like regenerative medicine. Consider what works best for you and work toward a pain-free life.
Parkinson’s disease causes nervous system complications. If you know someone who has struggled with this disease, you know how debilitating it can be. Parkinson’s affects mood, memory, cognition, and movement.
Fortunately, science is always advancing, and experts are learning more about Parkinson’s disease. Here are seven ways to help prevent Parkinson’s disease that are backed by scientific research.
1. Do Cardio Regularly
Cardiovascular exercise is linked to many other health benefits, but one of the most notable is reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease. Aerobic exercise, even in mild forms like walking or jogging, boosts your brain health. This improves and protects your memory, concentration, mood, and cognitive abilities as you age.
Cardio has an anti-inflammatory effect on your entire body. This is significant because researchers believe that Parkinson’s is the result of excess inflammation, among other factors. By getting a moderate to high amount of aerobic exercise each week, you can help protect yourself from developing this debilitating disease.
2. Relieve Stress in Healthy Ways
Psychological stress can be just as harmful as physical stress. Between the demands of work, family life, social circles, and hobbies, many modern Americans are more stressed than ever before.
It’s essential to reduce stress to stay healthy throughout your lifetime. Chronic high stress levels can contribute to whole-body inflammation, which is a serious risk factor for Parkinson’s disease.
Stress also reduces the volume of brain matter in areas that control memory, cognition, and movement, which are all negatively affected by Parkinson’s disease. By regularly combating stress, you can protect your brain and reduce your chances of developing this problematic condition.
Some healthy forms of stress relief include:
Exercise
Journaling
Meditation
Yoga
Self-care days
Getting at least eight hours of sleep at night
Spending time outdoors
Engaging in hobbies
These activities help you stay well-adjusted and free of stress, which weighs down your mental and physical health over time. Consider making changes in your life that cut out large sources of stress whenever possible.
3. Fill Your Plate with Veggies
Most people know that vegetables are extremely healthy. If you struggle to get your daily servings of veggies in, this information might make you reconsider your habits.
Vegetables naturally contain antioxidants, which are anti-inflammatory compounds that protect against aging and tissue damage. Filling your plate with vegetables increases your intake of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. All of these micronutrients contribute to better brain health and anti-aging.
When it comes to Parkinson’s prevention, this is one of the most effective steps you can take. If taste is an issue, consider adding more flavors to your meals to offset the taste of vegetables. You can also add seasoning and heart-healthy oils to make vegetables taste better.
4. Avoid Pesticides and Other Harsh Chemicals
Modern agriculture has changed a lot as humanity has progressed past the hunter-gatherer days. This means that crop growers are using more chemical pesticides than ever before. The long-term effects of these chemicals on human health are overwhelmingly negative.
Some studies have linked higher rates of Parkinson’s disease with high exposure to pesticides in farmers. The harsh chemicals used in large-scale agriculture are designed to keep bugs away from crops, but they can harm your brain health in the process.
To avoid this problem, shop organic and local whenever possible. Be mindful that many organic products can still contain certain pesticides. It’s best to shop at your local farmer’s markets and small grocery stores rather than chains.
These steps will help you access high-quality produce without exposing yourself to harsh, damaging chemicals.
5. Increase Your Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D is incredibly important for immunity, mood, bone health, and brain health. Research has shown strong connections between Parkinson’s disease and low vitamin D levels. Now more than ever, getting enough vitamin D in your diet is essential.
You get some vitamin D from sunlight. The sun’s rays boost the amount of vitamin D in your bloodstream through chemical changes.
However, too much sun exposure is linked to skin cancer and other serious health problems. You should always wear sunscreen while spending extended amounts of time outdoors, and this can reduce the amount of vitamin D you get from the sun.
You should aim to get most of your vitamin D from your diet and supplements. Healthy sources of animal fat naturally contain lots of vitamin D. Opt for meats and dairy products that have “grass-fed” or “free-range” on the labels. These animals and their products are healthier and richer in vitamin D than factory-farmed animals.
If you struggle to get enough vitamin D in your diet, work with your doctor to find an appropriate supplement. Always consult a medical professional before starting a new medication or supplement.
6. Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is the most restorative and reparative process your body undergoes. Without enough sleep, your brain health is sure to suffer. Your memory, cognition, mood, and physical performance all rely on an adequate amount of sleep.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, so it makes sense that chronic lack of sleep can raise your chances of developing it.
Healthy adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Your sleep needs may be slightly different from the recommended range. It’s important to pay attention to how you feel when you wake up.
If you wake up groggy, tired, and sluggish even after eight hours of sleep, chances are you need more. On the other hand, some people can thrive on seven to eight hours of sleep with no problems.
Sleep will protect your brain health and fight inflammation that can lead to Parkinson’s disease. Make getting plenty of shut-eye a strong priority in your life — your brain will thank you later.
7. Drink Coffee or Green Tea
Caffeine seems to have a protective effect against developing Parkinson’s disease. It’s important to get high-quality sources of caffeine. Otherwise, you may notice sleep disturbances and cardiovascular side effects. Avoid sugary, caffeinated beverages like energy drinks and soda.
Green tea and coffee both have antioxidants, which reduce inflammation and promote better brain health. You don’t have to give up your daily fix to fight Parkinson’s — in fact, it may help!
Know the Facts About Parkinson’s Disease
Stay updated on the latest information about Parkinson’s disease to reduce your risk of developing it. If you or a loved one are already struggling with Parkinson’s, therapeutic treatments like stem cell therapy may help. Ultimately, knowledge is power when it comes to fighting neurodegenerative diseases.
The National Library of Medicine states that 10% of people over 55 in the United States have disabling knee osteoarthritis. If you are one of these people, finding the right treatment can be challenging, especially if you don’t want to become dependent on pain medications or go through an invasive knee surgery.
For some, surgery can be the only option, but for many others, some management strategies and less invasive options could offer relief from symptoms.
What Is Knee Osteoarthritis? Understanding the Symptoms and Causes
Osteoarthritis of the knee occurs when the cartilage in your knee joint starts to break down. This causes the bones to rub together, leading to stiffness, swelling, and pain that can interfere with your life.
Women are more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis, as are people over the age of 40, but genetics and other factors can cause it in younger people.
Pain is the most common symptom of this condition, but there are other signs, including:
A puffy or swollen knee
Hearing a grinding or cracking noise when you move
Knee stiffness
Knee that locks up or feels stuck
Knee that feels wobbly
There can be many causes of knee osteoarthritis. Having a body mass index of 30 or more puts pressure on your knees and can cause inflammation. This inflammation can lead to arthritis or make existing arthritis worse.
You can also develop this condition if you suffer a knee injury or have a prior knee injury. If you have close relatives who’ve had knee osteoarthritis, you’re also more likely to struggle with this problem.
If you frequently put stress on your knees, whether by playing sports or as a result of your job, you can also develop osteoarthritis in your knee.
Treating Knee Osteoarthritis
If you have signs of osteoarthritis, there are a number of treatment options you can talk to your doctor about.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
If you have risk factors that can increase your chances of developing knee osteoarthritis or if you already have the condition, ensuring your weight is healthy is vital. The Arthritis Foundation states that being just 10 pounds overweight can put 15 to 50 pounds of extra weight on your knees. That makes the development of osteoarthritis more likely.
Losing weight allows you to reduce some of that strain on your knee joints. Aside from that, losing weight also helps reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can help with arthritis.
Getting Regular Exercise
Those who have knee osteoarthritis can also benefit from getting regular exercise. It can help you lose weight, increase your mobility, and build up muscle strength to support your knee joints.
It is important to choose low-impact aerobics options that are suitable for your health level. These can include:
Swimming
Cycling
Yoga
Stretching
Walking
Riding a stationary bike can be very helpful for maintaining strength in the hamstring muscle groups without putting extra pressure on your knee. It’s best to have a doctor or physical therapist at your side to help you put together an exercise plan.
Using Medications for Pain and Swelling Relief
For people who are dealing with a lot of pain and swelling, one option is to turn to medications. Over-the-counter painkillers are one option, and many of them offer anti-inflammatory properties that help with the swelling that might be impeding you from moving freely.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, as well as acetaminophen for those who can’t take NSAIDs, can be helpful for osteoarthritis pain.
If these aren’t effective, there are prescription options your doctor could recommend. These may include opioids and even injectable steroids for people with severe inflammation.
Prescription medications can cause side effects. Because they don’t actually do anything to heal your body and only help you manage the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, the moment you stop taking them, the pain and inflammation will usually return.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses the platelets in your blood, which have clotting abilities and can stimulate many healing processes.
By separating the platelets from the other components in your blood, like white blood cells, red blood cells, and more, and concentrating them in the liquid portion of your blood, you can give the treatment area a boost of growth factors. These growth factors encourage the healing process.
Stem cell therapy uses stem cells gathered from your fat or bone marrow to stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissue. Stem cells have endless regenerative powers, and they’re able to transform into the exact type of cells you need.
Regenerative medicine offers the chance to decrease inflammation in the area, allowing blood to flow more freely and bring with it oxygen and nutrients. Less inflammation can also mean less pain because you aren’t putting as much pressure on nearby nerves.
Another benefit of regenerative medicine is that it is minimally invasive, so you don’t have to worry about a long recovery period. Most people are good candidates for this type of procedure as well.
Choosing Surgery
In severe cases, surgery may be the only way to treat knee osteoarthritis. You can get arthroscopic surgery, which is less invasive because it uses an arthroscope. This is a small camera that guides the surgeon in repairing the damaged area.
A total knee replacement can be another option. It can be done as minimally invasive or open surgery, depending on your overall health.
Stem cell therapy can still apply as a post-surgery option to help speed up recovery and manage inflammation and pain during the healing process.
Getting Relief from Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms
If you are struggling with knee osteoarthritis, getting relief from the inflammation and pain can mean considering all available treatment options. By turning to your doctor, you can make sure you have the best chance of achieving the help you deserve.
In the United States, about 30 million men have some form of erectile dysfunction, according to research conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Erectile dysfunction can occur in men of any age, though it’s most common in those who are older. Despite this, it’s not a normal part of aging. There are many causes of erectile dysfunction, from emotional to physical. However, most people are unaware of a few risk factors that could affect your chances of developing this condition.
Understanding Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is a condition in which you are not able to get or maintain an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. It can be a long-term or short-term problem.
There are a few types of erectile dysfunction. One type is vascular erectile dysfunction, which results from issues with the blood vessels that send blood to the penis or the valves that hold blood. This is the most common form of erectile dysfunction.
Neurogenic erectile dysfunction occurs as a result of nerve problems that stop signals from traveling from your brain to your penis. It can occur after trauma, radiation therapy, or conditions like spinal stenosis and multiple sclerosis.
Hormonal erectile dysfunction occurs when you experience testosterone deficiencies, while psychogenic erectile dysfunction involves psychological causes.
Surprising Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction
Most men are aware that blood pressure issues, antidepressants, and even drinking alcohol can cause erectile dysfunction. Still, there are some surprising factors that can make your chances of dealing with this problem more likely.
1. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing stops and restarts many times as you sleep. This irregularity leads to poor rest. Scientists have noticed that men who have sleep apnea have a higher risk of developing erectile dysfunction.
The reason is not entirely clear, but it could be because the lack of sleep leads to dips in testosterone levels. Sleep apnea also restricts oxygen. Testosterone and oxygen are both crucial for maintaining healthy erections.
Sleep apnea also leads to fatigue and potentially higher stress levels, all of which impact sexual function. Scientists have found that treating obstructive sleep apnea can also help erectile dysfunction symptoms.
2. High Cholesterol
Having high blood cholesterol levels could also put you at a higher risk of developing erectile dysfunction. Perhaps the most common cause is the narrowing of blood vessels, also called atherosclerosis. High cholesterol levels can make this more likely to occur.
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in the blood that your cell membranes need and that helps produce certain hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D. At high levels, however, cholesterol builds up in artery walls and causes plaque, which narrows them.
When that occurs, your penis doesn’t receive the amount of blood it needs to get and maintain an erection.
3. Cycling
Although maintaining an active lifestyle tends to help with erectile dysfunction, cycling could be causing more harm than good.
Hard bicycle seats often press on the perineum, which is the area between the scrotum and the anus, causing a compression of blood vessels. The compression makes it more difficult for the penis to get the needed blood flow.
Scientists recommend using a softer seat or taking shorter rides to prevent the problem. Make sure to speak with your doctor about this if you suspect cycling could be causing erectile dysfunction issues.
4. Canned Foods
Perhaps one of the most surprising risk factors of erectile dysfunction is the frequent eating of canned foods. Cans that hold food often contain the chemical bisphenol-A, also called BPA. BPA can affect your hormones, stimulating the production of female sex hormones and suppressing male sex hormones.
5. Certain Medications
Lots of medications have the potential to affect sexual function, especially in men. This is because they can interfere with hormone pathways.
One of these types of medications is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications are antidepressants that function by increasing the levels of serotonin in the body, elevating your mood. The problem is that serotonin decreases sex drive.
Blood pressure medications may also affect sexual function. Diuretics or ACE inhibitors decrease the blood flow that reaches the penis, making an erection more difficult to achieve.
Other medications that could affect sexual function are those that treat Parkinson’s disease, antihistamines, and even non-steroidal anti-inflammatory disease. It is always a good idea to speak with your doctor about the side effects of any medications you take and to work with them to find alternatives.
6. Leading a Sedentary Lifestyle
Another factor that can put you at risk of developing erectile dysfunction is leading a sedentary lifestyle. Being sedentary can cause decreased blood flow. Not leading an active life also makes it harder for your heart to function at its best.
Even moderate exercise stimulates your body to produce nitric oxide, which is a short-lasting chemical that keeps your arteries open, including the ones that allow blood to flow into your penis.
A sedentary lifestyle is associated with higher levels of fat in the body. The more fat you have, the more estrogen your body is likely to produce, which means your testosterone levels dip. It can also lead to a higher risk of developing diabetes, which impacts insulin resistance and makes the development of erectile dysfunction more likely.
Treating Erectile Dysfunction
Struggling with erectile dysfunction can affect your self-esteem, moods, and relationships. If you are dealing with this issue, it’s essential to reach out to your doctor for help.
One option that offers the chance to get relief from erectile dysfunction is regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine treatments like stem cell therapy focus on doing more than just treating the symptoms of the condition: they can help to treat the underlying problem that led to erectile dysfunction issues in the first place.
If you are dealing with erectile dysfunction, consider asking your doctor about regenerative medicine. With these minimally invasive treatments, you could allow your body to start healing itself.
This website and its contents are not intended to treat, cure, diagnose, or prevent any disease. Stemedix, Inc. shall not be held liable for the medical claims made by patient testimonials or videos. They are not to be viewed as a guarantee for each individual. The efficacy for some products presented have not been confirmed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
Thanks for your interest!
Request Information Packet
We'll send your FREE information packet that outlines our entire personalized, stress-free stem cell treatment process!
St. Petersburg, Florida
