Arthritis

Arthritis is the swelling and sensitivity of one or more joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which usually worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.Osteoarthritis causes the decomposition of cartilage, the hard and slippery tissue that covers the ends of the bones where it forms a joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, starting from the lining of the joints.

Uric acid crystals, which form when there is too much uric acid in the blood, can cause gout. Infections or basic diseases, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis.

Symptoms of Arthritis

The most common joints and symptoms are arthritis. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, you may symptoms may include

• Pain
• Rigidity
• Redness
• Reduced motion range

Types of Arthritis

The two main types of arthritis - osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis - affect the joints in different ways.

Osteoarthritis

The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis involves damage to the joint cartilage: hard and smooth coverage at the ends of the bones, where a joint is formed. The cartilage moistens the ends of the bones and allows the almost frictional movement of the joints, but sufficient damage can cause a bone grinding directly on the bone, which causes pain and limited movement. This wear can occur for several years or can be accelerated by joint injuries or infections. Osteoarthritis also affects the entire joint. It causes bone changes and damage to the connective tissues that bind the bone muscle and hold the joint together. It also causes inflammation of the joint lining.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsule, a hard membrane that includes all parts of the joint. This lining (synovial membrane) becomes inflamed and swollen. The disease process can eventually destroy the cartilage and bone in the joint.

Complications of Arthritis

Severe arthritis, especially if it affects the hands or arms, can make daily activities more difficult. Arthritis of the load-bearing joints can prevent you from walking comfortably or standing. In some cases, the joints can become deformed and deform.

Diagnosis of Arthritis

Visiting your primary care physician is a good first step if you are not sure who to consult for a diagnosis of arthritis. They will perform a physical exam to check for fluid around the joints, hot or red joints and a limited range of joint movements. If necessary, the doctor can consult a specialist.

If severe symptoms occur, you can first choose to make a rheumatologist appointment. This can lead to faster diagnosis and treatment.

Extracting and analyzing the levels of inflammation in the blood and joint fluids can help your doctor determine what type of arthritis you have. Blood tests that check specific types of antibodies such as anti-CCP (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide), RF (rheumatoid factor) and ANA (antinuclear antibody) are also common diagnostic tests.

Doctors routinely use imaging scans like X-rays, MRIs and CT scans to produce an image of the bones and cartilage. This so that it can rule out other causes of symptoms, such as bone spurs.

 Treatment of Arthritis

Arthritis treatment focuses on improving symptoms and improving joint function. You may need to try several different treatments or combinations of treatments before determining which one works best for you.

Drugs

The medicines used to treat arthritis vary depending on the type of arthritis. The drugs commonly used for arthritis include:

• Painkillers. These drugs help reduce pain but have no effect on inflammation. An over-the-counter option includes paracetamol (Tylenol, others).
• Counter-irritants. Some varieties of creams and ointments contain menthol or capsaicin, the ingredient that makes chilies spicy. Rubbing these preparations on the skin over the painful joint can interfere with the transmission of pain signals from the joint itself
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD). Often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs slow or prevent the immune system from attacking joints.
• Biological response modifiers. Typically used in combination with DMARDs, biological response modifiers are genetically modified drugs that target various protein molecules involved in the immune response. There are many types of biological response modifiers. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are commonly prescribed.

Therapy

Physical therapy can be useful for some types of arthritis. Exercises can improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints. In some cases, splits or straps can be guaranteed.

Surgery

If conservative measures do not help, the doctor may suggest surgery, such as:

• Common repairs. In some cases, joint surfaces can be smoothed or redirected to reduce pain and improve function. These types of procedures can often be performed arthroscopically - through small incisions above the joint.
• Joint replacement. This procedure removes the damaged joint and replaces it with an artificial one. The most commonly replaced joints are the hips and knees.
• Joint fusion. This procedure is often used for smaller joints, such as wrist, ankle and fingers. It removes the ends of the two bones from the joint and then locks the ends together until they heal into a rigid unit.

Home Remedies

In many cases, the symptoms of arthritis can be reduced by the following measures:

• Weight Loss If you are obese, weight loss will reduce stress on weight-bearing joints. This can increase mobility and limit future joint injuries.
• Exercise. Regular exercise can help keep joints flexible. Swimming and water aerobics can be a good choice, since the buoyancy of the water reduces stress on the load bearing joints.
• Hot and cold. Heating sets or ice packs can help relieve arthritis pain.
• Assistive devices. The use of poles, shoe inserts, guides, raised seats and other assistive devices can help protect the joints and improve the ability to perform daily activities.

Alternative Treatments

• Acupuncture. This therapy uses fine needles inserted at certain points on the skin to reduce many types of pain, including those caused by certain types of arthritis.
• Glucosamine. Although the results of the study were conflicting, some studies have found that glucosamine does not work better than placebo. However, glucosamine and placebo improved arthritis pain better than taking nothing, especially in people with moderate to severe pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee.
• Chondroitin. Chondroitin may offer a slight change in osteoarthritis pain, although the results of the study are conflicting.
• Yoga and Tai Chi.
  
  The slow and elongated movements associated with yoga and tai chi can help improve joint flexibility and range of movement in people with certain types of arthritis.
• Massage. Slight relief and muscle disruption can increase blood flow and warm affected joints, temporarily relieving pain. Your massage therapist must know that which joints are affected by arthritis.