Living with Arthritis

by: AimyD
Total views: 22 | Word Count: 429

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a condition that affects the health of the joints in your body. This causes inflammation around your joints or will produce heat and redness around the joint. This condition can be caused by a nerve impairment which will increase or decrease the function of the endocrine glands and may be caused by aging.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited use or movement of the joints. Inflammation of the joints will cause stiffness, swelling, and redness in that particular area of the joint. Many times tenderness may also be present, this is due to inflammation.

Types of Arthritis include but are not limited to:

Fibromyalgia
Osteoarthritis
Lupus disease
Carpal tunnel syndrome

Each type of arthritis may be located in different areas of the body attacking different joints in the body. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. Symptoms of carpal tunnel include a frequent burning or itching numbness in the palm of your hand and will progress into the fingers.

Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread musculoskeletal pain, severe fatigue, and disturbed sleep. Many people suffering from fibromalgia complain of stiffness all over the body.

Osteoarthritis is a clinical syndrome in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints, caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints and destruction or decrease of synovial fluid that lubricates those joints.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can be fatal. Meaning the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. Most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lings, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness or flares alternating with remissions.

Arthritis attacks more elderly people than those of younger ages; this is due to the joints in the elderly being more susceptible to injury. If you feel pains around your joints you should contact a doctor. Many times pain may be connected to the weather; if the weather is colder than usual you may experience sharp pains in the upper back or even your knees. This could be arthritis or it could be considered a coincidence, in either case you should have it checked out so you will not have to live with this pain any longer.

As arthritis is not curable many medications will lower the amount of pain and inflammation due to this condition. Also, taking vitamins on a regular basis will help lower the amount of pain and inflammation on the joints.