A Complementary Approach to Managing Arthritis

What is Arthritis? Pain, Stiffness, Swelling, decreased the range of motion are some of the symptoms people often encounter in their day-to-day routines. The above symptoms can seem like any other symptom, but they are some of the indicators associated with people that are suffering from arthritis. There are five common types of arthritis.

They include:

1. Osteoarthritis

2.Rheumatoid Arthritis

3.Psoriatic Arthritis

4.Gout

5.Lupus

The above list is endless, however, there exist over 100 types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that is seen in more people and is a far much common form of arthritis. It is a condition which affects the joints whenever they are overused. The above condition often comes with age; however, others occur due to joint injuries, obesity or carrying out activities that cause a lot of strain on one’s muscles thus putting extra stress on one’s joints.

Some of the most common joint areas that bear weight include the hips, knees, spine, and feet. The problem with this type of arthritis is one loss the common shock absorbers known as the cartilages which are useful in the body in reducing the amount of friction. When one damages their cartilages, their often get pain from their knees thus making the movement more painful and unbearable. Depending with the joints affected some of the symptoms include a person having troubledressing, gripping things, climbing stairs, a swollen joint which is warm to the touch or one becoming unable to move through a full range of motion.

Gout is a type of arthritis which sees a buildup of uric acid crystals in a joint which is often on your big toe or another part of one’s foot. Other illnesses are also known to trigger gout attackssuch as stress or use of drugs. The above type of arthritis results from one’s body making more uric acid or a person eating too many foods that are known to raise the uric acid levels. Often, the reason for the high number of uric acid comes down to the fact that a person’s kidneys cannot process the amount of uric acid the body of a person makes.

Most of the symptoms related to gout come from discomfort i.e. a sharp pain from one’s joint or an inflammation or redness from the said area. Mostly, the pain makes one’s joint become stiff making it hard for one to move around.

Lupus is a condition which even many of the doctors do not have a definite idea to what causes the condition which is an autoimmune disease that normally affects the joints and other organs in one’s body. Women who give birth are more likely to get lupus and studies show that it mostly affects African-American women more than their white counterparts. Some of the symptoms related to lupus include mouth sores, swollen joints, headaches, sun sensitivity, chest pain around the linings of the heart and lungs as well as fatigue.

So, is arthritis diagnosed?

A primary care physician is known to perform a physical exam and conduct somebody tests including scans to help determine whether you have the issue and the type you are suffering from. If the diagnosis is uncertain then a specialist or a rheumatologist are needed to try and manage the ongoing treatment that is being done for your inflammatory arthritis or any other complicated case. There exist other surgeons who are specialized in more areas whenever the condition is thought to have spread to other internal organs. They may include ophthalmologists, dermatologists or any other person that works in the medical profession.

What are some of the ways one can manage the condition?

One can undertake lots of ways to try and manage the condition in coming up with ways to preserve their joint function, mobility, and quality of life. Some of the possible ways one can do this are by learning about the disease, ensuring that they have a good physical lifestyle by constantly checking their weight and what intakes which is essential to their body health.