What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints in the body. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which normally get worse with age. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is usually caused by normal wear and tear, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. Other types of arthritis can be caused by uric acid crystals, infections or even an underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus.
The most common symptoms of arthritis occur around the joints.
Depending on the type of arthritis you have, your symptoms may include:
What Causes Arthritis?
To understand what causes arthritis we need to take a look at the joint and how it functions. The joint is where one bone moves against another bone. Ligaments hold the two bones together. The ligaments are like elastic bands, while they keep the bones in place your muscles relax or contract to make the joint move. Cartilage covers the bone surface to stop the two bones from rubbing directly against each other. The covering of cartilage allows the joint to work smoothly and painlessly. Osteoarthritis involves wear-and-tear damage to your joint’s cartilage — the hard, slick coating on the ends of bones. Enough damage can result in bone grinding directly on bone, which causes pain and restricted movement. This wear and tear can occur over many years, or it can be hastened by a joint injury or infection.
Treatment of arthritis generally includes rest, physical therapy, exercise, drugs, and sometimes surgery to correct joint damage. Treatments for osteoarthritis generally can help relieve pain and stiffness, but the disease may continue to progress. Protecting your joints is an important part of arthritis treatment.
Arthritis treatment will depend on the nature and seriousness of the underlying condition. The main goals are to reduce inflammation and improve the function of affected joints before more serious problems occur. In addition to treatments at Weston Medical Health Center, we recommended you use dry heat from a heating pad or moist heat in the form of a hot bath or a hot-water bottle wrapped in a towel to help relieve pain and stiffness. Heat and rest are very effective in the short run for most people with the disease. Regular exercise is also important to keep the joints mobile.