Many already know that being overweight or obese is a condition that tends to be more susceptible to various diseases, ranging from diabetes, high cholesterol, to high blood pressure. However, apart from these diseases, it turns out that there are other health problems that are no less dangerous for sufferers, such as calcification of joints and bones.
Calcification of the joints is medically known as osteoarthritis. Areas commonly affected by this disease include hands, knees, hips, and spine. But do not rule out that other joints can be affected by the disease. The risk of developing osteoarthritis is greater for people who are overweight because people with excess weight tend to have an additional burden on their hips and knees. According to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center , every 10 pounds of excess weight can increase the load on the knee joint by 30-60 pounds with each step. If this continues for years, the burden continues to crush the cartilage that serves as the joint cushion so that the joint becomes eroded and breaks down more quickly. This condition speeds up the process of developing osteoarthritis with painful and swollen joints. Apart from feeling pain and stiffness in the joint area, there are also several other symptoms that can be felt, such as decreased joint flexibility, as well as an uncomfortable sensation and a scraping sound in the joint when moved.
The researchers also showed that there is a relationship between obesity and the causes of calcification of the bones. Research shows that excess fatty tissue in the body produces chemicals, such as cytokines, which cause inflammation and can damage joints.
If you experience bone calcification due to obesity, there are several steps you can take to overcome them, such as the following steps.
Make Weight Loss Efforts
For obese people, weight loss is needed so that the pressure load on the joints is reduced and does not worsen the condition of osteoarthritis. Weight loss for obese people should be done with the guidance of a nutritionist so that the weight loss program can be carried out effectively and safely. In this weight loss program, usually obese people will be advised to reduce their calorie intake and adopt healthier eating habits.
The recommended daily calorie intake for women is around 1400 calories, while for men it is around 1900 calories. The best way to adopt a healthy diet for weight loss is to replace high-calorie foods or drinks with choices of foods that contain lots of fiber, such as vegetables and fruit, and avoid foods with high levels of salt and sugar.
Exercise regularly
Apart from losing weight by changing your diet, you are also advised to do regular exercise in order to prevent weight gain and maintain safe weight loss.
Regular exercise is very important to increase flexibility and strengthen the muscles around the joints that are experiencing calcification. This activity will make the joints more stable so that it can reduce the severity of osteoarthritis. However, make sure that the exercise is not excessive because strenuous exercise tends to exacerbate the problem. You can choose a light type of exercise, such as exercising on a static bicycle, swimming or walking.
In addition to adopting a healthy diet and active exercise, osteoarthritis sufferers are also advised to do Pulsed Radiofrequency (PRF) therapy so that the calcification condition can be overcome completely. Pulsed Radiofrequency (PRF) itself is a technique used to relieve pain by manipulating the part of the nerve that functions in sending pain signals with the help of an electric field from RF electrodes.
Pulsed Radiofrequency is often used for cases of chronic pain or pain that lasts more than three months, such as cases of pain in the spinal area (neck, back and waist) and facet joints as well as pain in the discs that affect the spinal discs.
If you or someone close to you has calcification of the bones, get treatment immediately through the Pulsed Radiofrequency procedure at the EMC Pain Management Center so that your joints can heal more quickly. PRF therapy lasts approximately 30 minutes to one hour by administering local anesthetic before injection to provide comfort when the radiofrequency needle is injected.
The doctor will use a fluoroscopy (x-ray) tool to position the RF electrode as close to the nerve as possible. Once the electrodes are in the right position, the PRF procedure will be performed. In general, Pulsed Radio Frequency therapy does not have serious side effects, only temporary pain or changes in skin color at the injection site which will disappear as the body recovers. Don't let the calcification of the joints get worse, treat it immediately with a healthy lifestyle and PRF therapy that will get you back to enjoying a quality life. #LiveExcellently