Accra, May 13, GNA - Dr. Emmanuel Osei, an orthopaedic surgeon and Head of the Accident and Emergency Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, on Friday advised Ghanaians to develop the habit of regular medical check-ups, especially for the elderly, to help in the early detection and treatment of Osteoarthritis Arthritis (OA).

He said about 60 per cent of patients who reported at the Out-Patients Department (OPD) at the Hospital had problems with their hips, joints and lower back, which is due to OA.

"Even though there is no cure for it at the advance stage early detection can help in the treatment of the disease," he said at a seminar on the health benefits of Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Omega-3 organised by Ernst Chemist.

Dr Osei said drugs and natural therapy had been developed to help reduce the pain associated with the disease. Osteoarthritis Arthritis is a disease that destroys the Articular Cartilage and results in joint degeneration, especially in older persons

Dr Osei told GNA that even though OA was mainly found in older persons due to the wear and tear of the joints as they aged, young adults in recent times were developing the disease due to sickle cell and obesity.

He asked young adults to develop the habit of regular exercises, especially obese people, who were at risk of developing OA, in order to prevent the disease.

Dr Osei charged pharmacists and medical doctors to be abreast with the new management of OA.

Dr Richard Rice, a food nutritionist, said current therapies only offered pain relief and joint replacement.

He said clinical evidence had shown that the therapy combination of Glucosamime, Chondroitin and Omega-3 offered the most logical approach to modern treatment of OA. This is a nutritional approach and it is low cost and offers no side effect.

Mr Ernest Bediako said his company was committed to providing quality drugs at affordable rates to consumers especially in rural areas.