Arthritis: Types, Symptoms & Treatment

Arthritis is, unfortunately, a very common illness that affects some or all the joints in your body. This condition causes pain and inflammation in the affected joint and can only get treated with medicine. A lot of people - both men and women - suffer from this illness every day, and almost every case is different because there are many types of arthritis and all these types have different symptoms and different treatments. You might not believe it, but 1 in 4 Americans - that's 58.7 million Americans, including 300,000 children - are diagnosed with the disease. This makes it a nationwide problem, and that's why it's so important to recognize its types and their symptoms and treatments. Types & Causes of Arthritis Arthritis is a collective term for about 100 different joint problems. Of these, the following types are the common types: Osteoarthritis; is the most common type and develops when your joint cartilage breaks down from repeated stress. Rheumatoid arthritis ; causes the immune system to attack synovial membranes in the joint Psoriatic arthritis; is a joint inflammation that develops in people who suffer from Psoriasis Gout ; which causes hard crystals of uric acid to form in the joints Juvenile arthritis (JA); causes the immune system attacks tissue around the joints, and affects mostly children younger than 16 Ankylosing spondylitis; arthritis that specifically attacks the spine/lower back How Is It Caused? Arthritis is a very common illness in the United States, which sounds quite logical when you now know that it's a collective term for 100+ joint conditions. There are a number of causes that make you more likely to develop it. The first reason is that the condition runs in the family, or in other words, it can be hereditary. It may also be that you play a sport or have a labor-intensive job so that your joints are under stress every day for longer periods. The last reason is that you suffer from an autoimmune disease or viral infection, for example, Psoriasis. These are the most common causes of arthritis, do you not fall into one of these groups, you are still at risk. Continue reading on the next page and discover how you can recognize arthritis. There are more risk factors for developing arthritis. Your age can be a reason, the older you get, the higher the risk of getting the condition. Your lifestyle - like smoking and a lack of exercise - and your weight can also be a factor. The heavier you are, the more your joints have to endure, which in turn increases the likelihood that you will develop arthritis. And last, but definitely not least, gender is also a big risk factor, because most types are more common in women. That's why it's super important to recognize the symptoms. As this condition consists of 100+ different joint disorders, it is also quite logical that many symptoms are associated with it. Every type has its own symptoms, and they can vary from mild to very severe. The symptoms may come and go, but there are also many cases where the symptoms won't go away. Common symptoms are: Joint pain Redness around the joints Stiff joints Swollen joints Tender joints Warmth in and around the joints These symptoms are most prevalent in the feet, hands, hips, knees, and lower back. Continue reading on the next page and find out what kind of treatment options are available when you suffer from arthritis. Continue reading on the next page and discover what possible treatment options are. Arthritis Treatment Options Once you get diagnosed with a type of arthritis, there are different ways to treat the symptoms. Your healthcare provider will make a treatment plan that is based on the severity of the condition, what type of arthritis you have, its symptoms, and your overall health. Treatment options are: Medication: anti-inflammatory and pain medication may relieve your symptoms. In case you've rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, doctors probably recommend biologics, this will attack your immune system's inflammatory response. Physical therapy: improving your strength, range of motion and overall mobility will help your rehabilitation and will keep your joints smoothly. This is important because if you skip physical therapy, your joint will get stiff, which makes it more and more painful to use it. Which will eventually cause you to be unable to use the joint at all or to apply force to it. Therapeutic injections: cortisone shots will help relieve short-term pain and inflammation in your joints. Another injection, which is a good option as you struggle with arthritis in your knee, is, viscosupplemention. This will treat the pain and help your joints move smoothly. Surgery: this involves fusing two or more bones together or replacing a joint, like a knee or hip replacement, because the original is too badly damaged. Don't panic yet, your healthcare provider will only recommend surgery for severe cases. They will always treat the symptoms first, if this is really no longer possible, surgery will really be necessary. Lifestyle changes Unfortunately, there is not yet a cure for all types of arthritis, but as you can read, there are many great ways to treat the symptoms and live "pain free." Of course, changing your lifestyle, thinking of enough sleep, drinking enough water, quitting smoking & drinking, changing your diet, and taking vitamins will help you live a better life if you suffer from this disease. It is always a good idea to do your own (online) research. We love to help you with this, so start your search here:

Arthritis: Types, Symptoms & Treatment

Categories