Arthritis

Overview

Arthritis is Joint Inflammation causing Joint pain. It causes swelling, tenderness, pain, stiffness of one or more joint, also reduces range of motion. Arthritis can worsen with age. Arthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults. Osteoarthritis & rheumatoid arthritis are most common types of Arthritis among different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is related to wear & tear of Cartilage, Rheumatoid arthritis is related to Misdirected/ Auto immune system. Gout, Ankylosing spondylitis, Psoric arthritis, septic arthritis etc. are other types of arthritis.

Sign & Symptoms

• Joint stiffness, swelling, redness, pain, and warmth are commonest symptoms.
• Range of motion may also decrease.
• Chronic & Severe forms of Arthritis can lead to Joint Deformity.
• Acute arthritis can present with chill & fever.
• When arthritis affects the small joints in fingers, there can be bone growth and loss of hand grip and grip strength of the hand associated with stiffness.

Causes & Risk factors

• Injury, leading to degenerative arthritis
• Abnormal metabolism, leading to gout and pseudogout
• Inheritance, such as in osteoarthritis
• Infections, such as in the arthritis of Lyme disease
• Immune system dysfunction, such as in Rhematoid arthrits and SLE
• Risk of developing most types of arthritis increases with age.
• Most types of arthritis are more common in females, and 60 percent of all people with arthritis are female. Gout is more common in males than females.
• Overweight and obesity are common risk factors.
• Occupations that involve repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Prevention & Management

• The main goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of pain, patient is experiencing and prevent additional damage to the joints.
• Physical therapy involving exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the affected joint is a core component of arthritis treatment. Regular exercise will keep  joints flexible.
• Weight loss & dietary changes can reduce the risk, as some of the arthritis like Gout is completely Diet related.
• Self care like Yoga, heating pad, Ice packs, Cold compress may help to reduce the pain.
• Hydrotherapy, Acupuncture, Massage, Stretching may also help.
• Homeopathy medication can give you long lasting relief.