EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ARTHRITIS

 Overview

Arthritis is a condition of joints which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in one or more joints in the body.

It's mainly seen in the knees, elbow, back(vertebrate) and legs. The symptoms of arthritis can be seen suddenly or they may appear over time with age.

Anyone can have arthritis, but it's more common in adults between the age of 40 to 60 years. It's common for people above 60 to have arthritis. More than 10 million people get affected by arthritis every year. 

Arthritis is of more than 100 types but it's mainly of 3 types.

1. Osteoarthritis

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis

3. Spondyloarthritis

Causes

To know about the causes of arthritis we first need to know about our joint structure.

Our joints are connected to the muscles with the jelo of tendons and one bone is connected to another bone with the help of a cartilage. Cartilages are the muscles that help in movement of the joint. 

The bones and cartilage are present in a hollow ball-like structure called a joint capsule. There is a thick fluid like substance present in our joints, called the synovial fluid that acts as a lubricant and helps in smooth movement of the joints. When due to some reason this fluid is not produced or produced too much, that causes inflammation in the joints causing Arthritis.

The major causes of Arthritis are as follows.

1. Genes

If you have genes that can cause arthritis then no one can stop you from getting the condition. There is a specific set of genes that can cause rheumatoid arthritis.

2. Excess Weight

When you are obese and have a high BMI, then you are more prone to have arthritis, especially in the knees. Our legs take our complete body weight and if the weight is too much, our knees get misshapen causing arthritis.

3. Not Exercising

When we exercise our joints become strong and their strength increases that helps in fighting problems like arthritis. If joints are not well moved they can get the condition quicker than the others.

Types of Arthritis

1. Osteoarthritis

It is the most common type of arthritis which causes inflammation in the joints. It starts with the roughening of the cartilage and low production of synovial fluid. This triggers the body to repair the damage and small osteocytes(bone cells) start growing on the bones causing the joint capsule to deshape. This causes the joint to deshape hence pain and swelling.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis

This is an autoimmune condition. In this our body starts generating antibodies against the synovial fluid of the joints. It sends a lot of antibodies in the form of fluid to fight the synovial fluid cells. This causes excessive fluid in the joint capsule. This can cause disfiguring of the joint capsule, bone and muscle damage, joint movement painful and irritation of the nerve endings causing a lot of pain.

3. Spondyloarthritis

In this the bones and joints of the spine or vertebrae are affected. The inflammation in the connecting tissues of the spine cause back pain and hammers upper body movements 

Symptoms

The symptoms of all three types of arthritis are common, difference is that they happen in different areas. The symptoms are as follows.

1. Prolonged joint pain that came unannounced. You didn't suffer any injury but still your joint hurts.

2. Swelling in the joints

3. Stiffness in the joints

4. Movement of joint is painful

5. Decreased range of movement of joints

6. Redness of the skin around the joints

7. People with rheumatoid arthritis also feel tired and have a loss of appetite. They might also get anaemic.

When to see a doctor?

If you see any of the above symptoms contact a doctor immediately. Arthritis can't be cured but it can be controlled and managed if identified in the beginning stages. So don't wait for your joints to pain like hell. Go to a doctor on the first sign.

Treatment

Treatment of arthritis should be strictly medical. No homemade remedies are useful in arthritis. You should consult and follow the doctor's prescription for treating your arthritis. The possible treatments of arthritis that are available world wide are as follows.

1. Medication

Pain meds or pain killers can be used to reside the pain in the joints. There are various varieties of painkillers available and your doctor will prescribe you the one that's best for you.

2. Physiotherapy

Performing exercises in the expertise of a physiotherapist might help you in making your joint movement fluid again. It helps in strengthening the muscles around the affected joint.

3. Surgery

It is the last option people take for treating arthritis. It includes surgical replacement of your natural joints or bones with the artificial ones. 

4. Weight Loss

If you are suffering from arthritis because of being overweight, losing weight can possibly help you in reducing the severity and pain of arthritis.

Conclusion

Arthritis is a non-curable disease of joints.

But it can be controlled and treated if diagnosed before it's too late. If you have any of the above symptoms and have been ignoring it, please don't. Go to a doctor and get yourself created.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and fit and Stay tuned for more.

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