An Introduction to Arthritis

If your joints are painful after a mild workout or you find it difficult to move in the morning, you may have arthritis. However, if you know what you should do about it, you need not worry.

One of the first symptoms of arthritis is pain and stiffness- especially in the morning and after exercise. There are several different types of arthritis. In this article, the two most common types will be explained- osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis – this is caused when the surrounding cartilage, due to it wasting away, no longer protects the bones. This can happen either through injury, old age or simple wear and tear. Also known as degenerative arthritis, this usually affects the knees, back and hips, although the knuckles of your hands can be affected too. This type of arthritis is most common amongst people over the age of sixty, and can start from age forty onwards.

Rheumatoid arthritis – this can happen at any time of your life, even childhood. It's a defect in the immune system that causes this kind of affliction, and is a result of your body's defences attacking the synovial membrane by wrongly identifying it as a foreign object within your body. When this happens, your joints swell and cause cartilage damage as well as tissue damage around the joint itself. It can also be caused by a poor diet, stress or even be hereditary.

If you think you may be experiencing the symptoms of arthritis, you should speak to your doctor immediately. He or she can then arrange for a serious of tests to be carried out to ascertain whether you are afflicted or not. These tests include checking your blood for any presence of arthritis; an X-ray or MRI scans; and a bone scan to determine how far advanced the arthritis is if you have it.

Alternate medicines have been found to be quite beneficial for arthritis. This includes physical therapy, whirlpool treatments, thermotherapy (moist heat), and joint exercises are used to increase mobility and prevent complications. Cold gel packs can relieve the pain of inflamed joints. A hot morning shower will often relieve morning stiffness.

As well as medicinal and surgical treatment, your diet can help to ease the pain and inflammation that arthritis can cause. A good source of this type of relief can be found in red cherries, asparagus, brown rice, fish and oatmeal, as well as many other ingredients. The Arthritis Society website can offer you a fuller list.

You also need to watch out for allergies; they can trigger inflammation, and aggravate arthritis symptoms. So, if you have neck and back pain you must eliminate certain foods that you are allergic to. Of course, there is nothing like regular, moderate exercise, such as walking or swimming for reducing pain and slowing the deterioration of joints. If you have excess weight, you need to work on it but when doing in any strenuous physical activity, remember to take rest in between so that you keep your strength, without damaging your joints.

Finally, when you see the first symptoms of arthritis, make an appointment with your doctor to find out for sure. Don’t ignore it or wait for surer signs. You might wait too long; the sooner you take care of your joints the better.

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