Arthritis

Arthritis is a very common disease that many of our elderly face. However, it has been growing and affecting many different ages due to their unhealthy lifestyles. Arthritis is a severe disease and can lead to many more complications that are life-threatening. It causes inflammation in your joints, which eventually leads to excessive pain and stiffness. These symptoms usually make it difficult for you to walk freely.

If you want to learn more about arthritis and want to know if you are suffering from it, you should definitely go through this article as it will give you a clearer insight into Arthritis.

What Causes Arthritis?

There are a few reasons mentioned below that lead to Arthritis:

§  Diet and Lifestyle

Unhealthy eating habits and lifestyles are one of the main causes that lead to arthritis. The less movement your body attains and the more pressure it gains, the higher the chances there are of you developing arthritis. There are certain types of fatty foods and high-purine foods that also pave the way towards arthritis.

§  Genetic

You can also genetically inherit arthritis, especially if your family members experience osteoarthritis.

§  Immune System Dysfunction

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that causes the immune system to disrupt the lining of your joints. This leads to excessive inflammation and swelling in your joints and might result in a disability to walk or perform different tasks.

§  Additional Factors

Certain incidents and bad habits can also aggravate your arthritis, such as smoking, a bad injury, type of infection or too much activity that involves constant physical movement.

Symptoms of Arthritis

There are different types of symptoms you may experience during arthritis; however, these symptoms vary on the type of arthritis you have:

• Excessive Swelling
• Sudden pain in Knees
• Redness
• Stiffness- unable to walk or move your leg
• Body pace slows down

Treatments for Arthritis

Mentioned below are the treatments for arthritis that will help you deal with it and may also lessen the pain and stiffness.

1.     Self Treatment

Before you opt for medications or surgery, you should always try and improve your sickness on your own by changing your lifestyle. For arthritis, you have to take care of:

·       Diet

There are certain foods that you should avoid to lessen the inflammation. This includes foods that contain a lot of sugar, red meat, high-dairy products, and tomatoes.

Three are some types of foods that will give you energy and help to reduce inflammation in your joints, such as beans, fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil.

·       Physical Activity

Staying physically active helps you to keep your arthritis under control and also helps with your overall health. Participate in activities such as cycling, swimming, and walking. These activities help you to boost your energy and increase your heart rate allowing more blood to flow throughout your body.

·       Physical Therapy

There are certain amounts of exercises that help to loosen up your joints. The doctor will recommend most of these therapies for you to do it on your own, or sometimes a specialized body therapist helps you with it. Physical therapy also involves warm water therapy which you have to carry out in a swimming pool.

2.     Medications

There are many types of medications for arthritis, depending on the type of arthritis you have.

o   Creams

There are some creams and ointments that help to relieve pain, such as creams that specifically include capsaicin and menthol.

o   Painkillers

You can take painkillers such as tramadol, acetaminophen, and narcotics. These painkillers help to relieve excessive pain; however, it does not reduce inflammation.

o   NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) help with both pain and inflammation. These include ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. You can get some in gels or creams as well.

o   Biologics

These drugs help to target various protein molecules that get in the way of our immune system. You can avail biologics such as infliximab and etanercept.

3.     Surgery

If your arthritis worsens, your doctor may recommend surgery for your joints. This surgery will involve replacing your joint with an artificial one.

Conclusion

If you feel like you might suffer from arthritis or need help with the excessive symptoms. You can head on over to Dr. Grimm as he will give you the best help and advice for your arthritis. Visit our website and contact us today!