Is arthritis hereditary?

How can arthritis be stopped,and cured,especially of the knees?no drugs please.Also how can it be prevented?

• Can we do something,diet,or other to not develope .arthritis?Is there anything that a person can do if they have arthritis already,to eliminate it from the body? Is there a complete and lasting cure,without any drugs.something now in the findings to save us from arthritis.I want to be able to wear heels again,without,pain or worry.I want to be able to dance,as much as I would like to again.I need to save my knees,and my hands ,fingers,feet.toes.neck from this.Please help.Has medical findings traced,and cured arthritis?I really do need to stop it especially in my knees. I HAD FALLEN ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO IT SEEMED TO AGGRIVATE THE ONSET OF ARTHRITIS IN MY TWO KNEES.Where did arthritis come from?Some say hereditary ,can it be reversed,or close to reversing the effects ? I want to prevent further pain,I do not want to deteriorate,Im still young enough to want to have a long full life,there has to be a way, a cure.a breakthrough. I await your response.

• Answer:

  There are a few different types of arthritis but the one you have is probably "osteoarthritis". Osteoarthritis is inflammation due to degenerative changes from excessive loading of the articular surfaces of the joint. In your case, this has most likely occured due to your prior injuries, which places more stress on the cartilage in your knee, leading to degeneration and pain. There is no true cure for this disease, however various surgical and medical means exist that may relieve your symptoms or slow progression. Surgery: If ligaments or the meniscus were torn in your old injury, surgical repair can restore some measure or congruity to the articular surfaces thereby reducing the progression of osteoarthritis. More drastic surgical measures include total knee replacement or osteotomies. Medical: Various types of anti-inflammatory drugs are worth trying and can relieve pain as well as reduce swelling. Newer drugs called glucosamines have come into the market which claim to slow the degeneration or even promote repair of the joint lining, although concrete evidence for these claims is controversial. The best thing you can do now is to avoid straining your knees too much. Exercise can strengthen the muscles around the knee and improve your condition. However, take care to avoid high impact activities such as long-distance running etc. Swimming and cycling are very good alternatives to consider.