| When there is no balance between destruction and | | | | that many professional athlete's careers end before |
| construction, the cartilage lining the joints becomes | | | | they reach the age of 40. |
| eroded and the cartilage can become thin, the | | | | Often the most common form of treatment is |
| lubricating fluid around the joint can be lost, which will | | | | anti-inflammatory medications. However this doesn't |
| cause the cartilage to become dry and eventually | | | | really treat the problem, it just masks the symptoms. |
| wear away. | | | | This is a very common problem with what most |
| Cartilage is the connective tissue that exists in many | | | | people call "conventional" medicine. |
| of the joints in the body including the shoulders, | | | | One of the best ways to maintain balance is to visit |
| elbows, knees, ankles and more. Cartilage is much | | | | a chiropractor regularly. A chiropractor can manipulate |
| more rigid than muscles or ligaments but is more | | | | the joints in the body to relieve undue pressure that |
| flexible than bone. Cartilage does not cover the entire | | | | can cause cartilage damage. |
| end of the bones in the joint, but exists only at the | | | | Drugs and nutrition do not treat the cartilage |
| points of contact. This is why when there is damage | | | | damage; they only treat pain and inflammation. This |
| to the cartilage, joints don't move as smoothly. The | | | | can cause acidity to the stomach. This acidity finds |
| grinding feeling that this creates can be very painful | | | | it's way into the body and the joint and can actually |
| and is actually the joint wearing down. Over time this | | | | make the inflammation and pain worse, not better. |
| can lead to a whole host of problems, including | | | | Some exercise is actually helpful to treating cartilage |
| arthritis or facilitating the need for joint replacement | | | | damage. Things like yoga, tai chi, or swimming are a |
| surgery. | | | | great way to strengthen muscles and ligaments and |
| It is possible to reverse damage to cartilage in joints, | | | | maintain good overall health, but without the stress |
| but unlike muscle, cartilage contains no blood vessels, | | | | on joints, which will allow the cartilage to heal without |
| which means that it takes a much longer period of | | | | further damage. To help rebuild the cartilage in the |
| time for damage to repair itself. | | | | joints it is recommended to take daily1 teaspoon of |
| There are a number of reasons that cartilage erodes. | | | | Gelatin and melt it in a 1 / 2 cup water or juice and |
| One of the most common reasons is aging. Over | | | | drink. This will help lubricate the damaged joint and |
| time, cartilage simply wears out. This is one of the | | | | prevent further damage, thus allowing the cartilage |
| primary reasons that the elderly often require joint | | | | to heal naturally. Even if you are recovering from |
| replacement surgery. | | | | joint surgery, this drink will help your rehabilitation. |
| Cartilage damage can occur in the spine as well, as a | | | | Gelatin is a substance that naturally occurs in the |
| result of an injury such as a car accident or from | | | | joints in the body and it aids in joint lubrication and |
| misalignment of other joints. For instance, if hip joints | | | | cartilage formation. |
| are out of alignment, it can cause pressure on spinal | | | | There are also essential oils that can be used to treat |
| discs. This can, over time, cause cartilage to | | | | pain and inflammation. Although the treatment can |
| deteriorate. | | | | take between 3 months to 6 months, the results are |
| People involved in sports like running, tennis, or martial | | | | much more effective. |
| arts are particularly susceptible to cartilage damage | | | | The above is not meant to treat or diagnose any |
| due to the increased impact on the joints. Over time | | | | condition, and is not a recommendation for any |
| this will cause the joints to wear down even more | | | | treatment. |
| quickly than most. This is a large part of the reason | | | | |