Did you know vitamin D can help improve arthritis symptoms? Here’s another fact: if someone does not already have arthritis, they may be able to avoid it by getting enough vitamin D.

Vitamin D is critical for overall health. For one, it helps with calcium absorption, which in turn helps the body develop and maintain healthy bones. It also reduces inflammation and plays a role in regulating the immune system, so the body is better able to ward off sickness and disease, including arthritis.

Getting the recommended allowance of vitamin D (800-1,000 IUs daily) can be challenging. In fact, an estimated three-fourths of Americans don’t get enough of it. Vitamin D deficiency symptoms include chronic pain, digestive issues, frequent infections and depression.

Vitamin D Impacts Arthritis

Researchers have different theories as to how vitamin D impacts arthritis. For instance, some think it has a direct impact on the joints, while others believe it is more about its effect on the immune system. A few others are still not convinced there is a solid link between the two.

Regardless of these differing opinions, many researchers agree that there is a connection between vitamin D and arthritis. There is substantial evidence to back up their claims. For example:

• One study showed that patients with knee osteoarthritis had low blood levels of vitamin D.
• Another study found that women who had the high levels of vitamin D were 30 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than women with low levels.
• A third study found that taking a medication such as an oral steroid — which is often prescribed to patients with arthritis — can cause a vitamin D deficiency. So, if you take an oral steroid, make sure your doctor checks your vitamin D levels regularly.

How to Boost Vitamin D Intake

Even though it can be hard to get enough vitamin D, the good news is there are three ways you can get it: through your skin, from certain foods and from supplements.

Whether you already have arthritis and want to reduce your symptoms or you want to take steps to prevent arthritis, here are some ways you can get more vitamin D:

• Consume foods high in vitamin D. Vitamin D does not occur naturally in many foods. One exception is certain types of fish such as salmon and mackerel. Many foods are fortified with vitamin D, including breakfast cereals and milk. Just make sure to look for cereals low in sugar and high in fiber and choose low fat or skim milk instead of whole milk.
• Expose your skin to small doses of sunlight. Our bodies naturally produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. It doesn’t take much sun to reap the health benefits of this phenomenon. Try to get a few minutes of exposure every day, but do not stay out too long. If you do, be sure to apply sunscreen to any exposed skin.
• Consider a vitamin supplement. Check with your doctor about adding a supplement to boost your vitamin D levels. If you take a multivitamin, it may contain enough vitamin D, so check the label before you purchase anything new.

Why not move towards better health right now by getting your daily dose of vitamin D-induced sunshine, followed by a salmon dinner, with a side of your favorite vegetable? Next, make an appointment to talk with your doctor about whether a vitamin D supplement might be right for you.

Knee arthroscopy — sometimes called knee scoping — is a minimally invasive medical procedure used on the knee joint to diagnose and treat knee conditions or injuries. It’s performed using an arthroscope, which is a tiny surgical instrument with a light and camera at the end that is inserted into the knee.

A doctor may recommend knee scoping if a patient has a painful condition that is not responding to a nonsurgical treatment such as medication, cortisone injection or physical therapy.  In particular, knee arthroscopy is often successful in helping reduce or eliminate pain associated with cartilage damage or soft tissue damage.

Many doctors and patients prefer knee scoping to other procedures. That’s because the orthopedic knee surgeon only needs to make a tiny incision to use the arthroscope. There is usually less knee pain, less joint stiffness and easier recovery than with other procedures.

When Knee Arthroscopy Is Performed

Knee arthroscopy can be used when making or confirming a diagnosis and performing surgery:

• Making a Diagnosis: If a patient has knee pain, a doctor may order an X-ray or other imaging tests. However, the provider might need more information before moving forward with a treatment like surgery. In this instance, the doctor can use knee scoping for a diagnosis or to confirm treatment. To do this, a doctor makes a single small incision, then inserts the tiny arthroscope into the knee, and the images can be viewed on a video screen. An example of how this might be used is when a surgeon wants to view a meniscus tear to assess the extent of the damage.
• Performing Surgery: If arthroscopy is being used for surgery, small incisions are made at different points around the knee joint, in addition to the opening that’s made for the arthroscope. These additional openings allow the doctor to insert tiny surgical tools into the area as needed. Using the images from the arthroscope as a guide, the surgeon can repair torn ligaments, remove a torn or damaged meniscus, remove loose bone fragments or perform other treatments.

More on Knee Scope Surgery=

Unless a patient has another medical issue, knee arthroscopy may performed in an outpatient setting, so the patient will not need to stay overnight at a hospital.

Knee surgery using an arthroscope can take 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the extent of the damage. When using knee arthroscopy for diagnosis only, the time could be even shorter.

Before knee arthroscopy, a patient will have some type of anesthesia. The doctor and patient will determine whether local (numbing knee only), regional (numbing from waist down) or general anesthesia (putting patient to sleep) is best.

After Knee Surgery

After the procedure, the surgeon will close the incision. Sometimes, only small strips of adhesive tape are needed. Other times, one or two small stitches will be required.

Next, the patient rests in a recovery room for several hours. At home, the patient will follow the doctor’s instructions, which may include taking certain medications, elevating the knee, getting plenty of rest and eventually, exercising. Usually, a patient can return to light activity within a few weeks, although every patient is different.

Learn more about knee arthroscopy from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Many people think arthritis is a single, chronic disease. Actually, arthritis refers to more than one hundred different conditions, some of which are acute and temporary while others are chronic. Various types of arthritis cause symptoms such as stiff, swollen or achy joints. Other arthritic conditions have wide-ranging symptoms and causes.

Understanding the types of arthritis and common symptoms allows patients to get treatment sooner, and therefore, avoid worse pain and further joint damage. In some cases, patients can avoid surgery if arthritis is diagnosed early.

Here are some common types of arthritis and symptoms:

• Ankylosing spondylitis: A chronic condition that affects joints near the center of the body, often the spine and sacroiliac joints (found at the base of the spine). People often experience back pain and stiffness, as well as buttock pain.
• Bursitis: Bursitis occurs when the fluid-filled sacs in the joints (bursae) become inflamed, achy or stiff. Bursitis most commonly occurs in the elbow, shoulder, hip and knee, and often, the area becomes swollen, red and tender.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome: A repetitive stress injury that causes tingling and numbness in the thumb, first finger and middle finger. Patients may experience hand weakness or shooting pain.
• DeQuervain’s tendinitis: A condition that causes pain on the side of the wrist and the base of the thumb.
• Dupuytren’s contracture: This form of arthritis causes the tissue beneath the hand to develop nodules in the fingers and palms. These lumps can cause the fingers to stick in place.
• Gout: Gout typically attacks one joint at a time, often the joint of the big toe. Gout usually causes sudden, severe pain and swelling.
• Infectious arthritis (septic arthritis): If an infection gets into the bloodstream, it can cause the tissues and fluid in the joints to become infected as well. Infectious arthritis causes the joints to appear red and feel warm and may also result in fever and chills.
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: This is a term used to describe several conditions that affect children younger than 16. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can cause joint pain, stiffness, swelling, skin rashes and eye pain.
• Lupus arthritis (systemic lupus erythematous): A condition in which the immune system attacks the tissues of the body. Symptoms can be mild to severe and can include joint stiffness and a butterfly-shaped rash on the face.
• Osteoarthritis: One of the most common forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis results from a breakdown in cartilage. This causes bone to rub against bone, resulting in pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion in the joint.
• Osteoporosis: This condition causes the bones to become fragile. Common symptoms include a decrease in height, a stooped over appearance and back pain.
• Polymyalgia rheumatica: This form of arthritis happens only in the shoulder, causing stiffness and achiness.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: This is a condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s tissues in error. Rheumatoid arthritis causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.
• Spinal stenosis: This is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal. When this happens, it can compress the nerves and spinal cord which can cause numbness, tingling and weakness.
• Traumatic arthritis: Traumatic arthritis develops after an injury or physical trauma. Swelling and joint pain are common.

For More Information

For an A-Z listing of all forms of arthritis, visit the Arthritis Foundation.