Disease Blog: Arthritis

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of your joints. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints, the space in which two bones meet. There are many types of arthritis. For example, there is osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis. It usually happens as a result of an injury or old age. 

Symptoms of arthritis include fatigue, joint pain, joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint redness, joint warmth, and joint stiffness. You will also experience decreased range of motion. Some types of arthritis can be caused by uric acid crystals, infections, or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus.


If you have these risk factors, then you are susceptible to getting arthritis: family history of arthritis, old age, are a women, past joint injury, and obesity.

The treatment depends on the type of arthritis you have. For all arthritis in general, analgesics help reduce pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help control both pain and inflammation. There are also many over the counter counterirritants that help with pain, as well. Physical therapy can be helpful for improve range motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. 

Alternative remedies with little evidence include acupuncture, glucosamine, electrical nerve stimulation, yoga, and massages. These remedies have only been reported to work but is not scientifically proven to help.

Weight loss, exercise, heat and cold application, and assistive devices can improve your lifestyle if you have arthritis.

Reference:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/basics/definition/con-20034095