Friday, February 2, 2018

Doctor What Is Arthritis, Brief Answer

By Ann Parker


Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that manifests in a range of symptoms depending on the part of the body that is affected. This disease affects people of all races, sex, gender and social status regardless of their age. In America, this is the main cause of disability, with more than 50 million adults affected and 300,000 children being arthritic. This begs the question, doctor what is arthritis?

The early manifestation of the common osteoarthritis is pain around joints. When it is of rheumatic nature, the entire body will be in pain. The degeneration of cartilages separating bones is stated as the cause of pain. The adjacent bones thus rub on each other because their ends are exposed. As the cartilage wears out, fluid accumulates at the joint leading to a lot of pain.

Arthritic pain can appear at any age and time. This is because of a number of reasons that cause the cartilage to wear out. It may result from a disease, a heredity issue or even an injury. However, the symptoms become more common in people as they age, with women being the most affected. Initially, the wearing out cartilages do not cause any pain. Some people may experience an itching soreness or stiffness that will only be noticeable during movement.

Abnormally painful joints are an indicator of early stages of arthritic attack. The discomfort is usually recurring as the affected joints begin to swell. The severity of attack will depend on several factors, including how healthy you are and the management steps you are taking to relief pain.

Arthritic pain is best diagnosed by your physician who you should seen whenever you experience any of the symptoms above. Schedule an appointment with your doctor or rheumatologist to get a confirmatory test. The levels of inflammation around your joints and blood will be examined. There are antibodies that will also be tested to confirm the actual type of inflammation afflicting your joints or body.

There is no cure for arthritis yet but the condition can effectively be managed. Management will depend on the type affecting your body. Among the recommended management tips is resting after work, cold and hot therapies, regular exercise, maintaining healthy weight and strengthening joint muscles through additional support. Pain can be managed through over-the-counter drugs. You should also avoid excessive repetitive movements.

There are extreme cases where surgery is provided as a solution. Artificial parts are used as bone replacements. Surgery is common around the hip and knee, which provides a permanent solution. This is done through hip and knee replacement surgery, relieving you of pain. Another option is joint fusion which involves fusing adjacent bones to eliminate movement. Fusion causes two bones to lock and become one. In the absence of movement, there will be no pain.

Management of arthritis is important in relieving the pain. You need such lifestyle changes as reducing your weight, eating a healthy diet as well as choosing foods with more antioxidants. These foods include fresh fruits, vegetables and wild herbs. There are foods like fish and nuts that are known to reduce inflammation. Avoid dairy products, processed foods, fried foods and a lot of meat to reduce the pain.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment