My Own RealAge Test + Osteoarthritis Test Results

I know my RealAge. Do you know yours?
Yes, you DO have control of your lifespan, your quality of life, the unfolding of your future, the quality of life on your street...planet. You don't have to feel paralyzed and out-of-control, not of your health, your lifestyle, your world. I took this test over 2 years ago and was physically older than my actual age.

I just finished the RealAge test:
My calendar age is 51.7, my new RealAge is 46.3 -->
I'm 5.4 years younger and I FEEL at least that much younger, but I still ACT like a kid.
hugs,
annemieke

About The RealAge Test:
You have been invited to join the 10 million-plus women and men who have already taken the RealAge test. Is your biological age older or younger than your calendar age? Discover your RealAge today, and you'll also receive personalized recommendations on looking, feeling and actually becoming younger.

My Test Results from RealAge Health Assessments ~ Osteoarthritis
Recommendations
You have indicated that your joint pain is made worse by inflammation. Usually, inflammation is not part of osteoarthritis, but there can be flare-ups due to inflammation. If your joint pain has become worse because of inflammation, see your doctor immediately to find out what may have caused the inflammation and to determine the most appropriate treatment.
Ask your doctor if you should stay on your present treatment and wait for the pain to get better or take a new medication to fight the inflammation. Often, the inflammation is short-lived and will go away by itself.
Your doctor may suggest that you take an NSAID. medication for a few weeks or months. These medications can upset your stomach. Make sure that you understand both the benefits and side effects of the NSAID that you are taking.
The following may increase the risk of side effects from taking NSAIDs. Be sure to tell your doctor that you:

• have had past bleeding or ulcer experience
• have had gastrointestinal side effects (e.g., heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting) when taking NSAIDs.
• drink alcohol

Things You Are Doing Right
You did the right thing(s) by:

• seeing a doctor—There are many effective treatments for diseases that affect the joints and cause pain and disability. Because there also are very many joint diseases, it is very important to get a proper diagnosis to select the best treatments.
• attending an arthritis self-help class or course—A number of studies demonstrated both short- and long-term benefits, including reduced pain.
• participating in an exercise program—Moderate physical activity within the limits of comfort and with normal motions has many benefits. People with osteoarthritis have experienced considerable improvements in their ability to move around, depression, anxiety, ability to take care of daily chores, and reduction of pain. Keep exercising regularly, every day.
• exercising on your own—Aerobic exercise improves the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Aquatics and walking especially help with your ability to move around, to take care of daily chores, to help reduce pain, and to reduce the risk of depression and anxiety. Strength exercises are an excellent way of coping with osteoarthritis. For example, the stronger the quadriceps muscle, the lower the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis. Range of motion and flexibility exercises can improve your ability to reach, grasp, and move around. Try to move as far as your joint lets you and stretch just slightly beyond the point where you feel initial tension. Keep exercising regularly, every day.
• using heat to relieve pain and stiffness—Warming up joints can give temporary relief. Heat applied to the aching joint often relieves the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis. You can use heat in many ways, and you need not use wax or paraffin baths to benefit from heat. Simply make sure your heat sources are safe and will not cause burns or scalding.
• taking nonprescription (over-the-counter) pain relievers—It is always a good idea to start with the lowest dose of pain medication that gives you relief. Effective pain relief is not only valuable in its own right, but also helps you move about and exercise, which then helps relieve pain further.
• using prescription medications—Using prescription medication is often necessary to control pain and allow you to move your joints. It is a good idea to use times of effective pain relief to do regular daily exercise. Make sure you do low- or nonimpact exercises and do not otherwise damage your joints. Low-impact endurance plus strength and flexibility exercise can give you additional pain relief.
• reducing your weight—Lower weight reduces the stress that you put on leg joints and reduces the chances that osteoarthritis will progress in general. For example, when you step down stairs, your knees are stressed with twice to five times your body weight. So, losing even a couple of pounds may reduce the force on your knees by 10 pounds every time you step down.
• using heat and cold treatment—Heat and cold can help reduce pain. Cold packs can reduce pain and swelling especially if you have an inflammatory flareup. Make sure that you do not use cold for more than about 20 minutes at a time. Following up with heat treatment supports blood flow and relaxes your muscles.
• using helpful devices such as shoe inserts, canes, braces, crutches, or walkers—There are many products that you can use to distribute weight and properly align joints. Keep using the ones that work best for you.

Treatment Choices
Treatments for osteoarthritis mostly aim at controlling pain, improving the ability to work and take care of normal life, and maintaining quality of life.
Go to Managing Osteoarthritis in "Topics" to see detailed descriptions of each treatment. Be sure to see your doctor before trying any treatment.
Select a treatment type and a treatment to see a description:

1. Lifestyle and Self-Care—Learning About Osteoarthritis
Because there are many ways to reduce the pain and impairment from osteoarthritis, and perhaps even slow its progression, it is important to know about the nature of the disease and what can be done about it.
Go to Resources to see links to scientific papers, books, and Web sites.
2. Lifestyle and Self-Care—Self-Care Courses
The Arthritis Foundation sponsors an Arthritis Self-Help Course that teaches proper use of exercise, medications, and other pain management techniques.

What To Expect From Your Doctor ~ During a Medical Examination
Generally it is not difficult to tell if a person has osteoarthritis. There is, however, no test for the condition, so it is diagnosed based on symptoms and physical examination.
Symptoms are:

• swollen joints
• a joint that looks red, feels hot, or is tender to the touch
• joint pain that is bothersome and increasing in spite of self-care
• decreased joint mobility
• morning stiffness in one or more joints

When you see your doctor, the medical examination will probably include the following:

• your medical history — symptoms, description of pain, stiffness and joint function; how your symptoms are affecting your work and daily life; other medical conditions; and whether you are taking any medications and nutritional supplements
• physical examination—general health, restricted movement, joint swelling, tenderness over the joint, any thinning of muscles; and excess fluid or instability in the joints
• x-ray—sometimes used to confirm that joint problems are due to osteoarthritis and not some other form of arthritis
• laboratory tests—no blood tests for osteoarthritis; but your doctor can rule out other types of arthritis
• tests of joint fluid—sometimes used to check for particles that may cause pain

"comic relief " - james browne, artist