adovr_d87389c80da99bef8f38776d3f905184 Articles medical and health: How To Treat Arthritis Pain

How To Treat Arthritis Pain

By Roberta Smith


Arthritis is a joint disorder that causes inflammation in one or several joints. It has been found that there are more than different kinds of this disease in humans and animals. This disease is characterized by pain in the affected regions as the main feature. Arthritis pain is a serious condition that affects many people in the world, especially the elderly and people within middle ages.

Generally, there are more than 100 varieties of this disease in existence today. Major types are gout, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, septic, and juvenile idiopathic. Most people suffer from the osteoarthritis variety. Arthritis occurs as the primary cause of aching in joints in many cases. However, it also occurs as a secondary cause with some other disease being the major cause of discomfort. Celiac disease, sarcoidosis, hemochromatosis, psoriasis, hepatitis, Lyme disease, systemic lupus erythematous, wipple disease, and familial Mediterranean fever are some example of diseases that may occur as the primary causes of aching in joints.

Statistics indicate that there was a 45 percent increase in disability caused by musculoskeletal disorders within the period between 1990 and 2010. Osteoarthritis was found to be the fastest growing cause of disability of all the disorders. Data from Africa was not conclusive and was hugely underestimated. The huge increase in disabilities was attributed to several different factors.

The condition can be identified by the many symptoms that accompany it. Symptoms usually differ from one variety to another. However, pain characterizes virtually all the arthripides. The pains are characterized differently in each variety. Aching, stiffness, and swelling of joints are the other common symptoms patients experience. Other symptoms usually results if the condition is one that affects other organs.

In addition to the abovementioned symptoms, patients lose mobility due to stiffness and they often feel very fatigued. They experience pains and aches around joints, have poor sleep, and lose weight. The affected areas develop tenderness and inflammation. As advancement of the condition continues, secondary symptoms become manifest. For instance, loss of mobility causes inflexibility, reduced aerobic fitness, and weakness in muscles.

Clinical examination by a medical practitioner is how the condition is diagnosed. Blood tests and radiology may also be used together with clinical examination to diagnose the problem. Diagnosis is done depending on which variety one is suffering from. Medical practitioners strongly base on disease history for diagnosis.

Diagnostic results are needed in order to decide what treatment plan is used. A treatment plan can only be decided after the specific type of arthritis is determined. Treatment varies with the type of the disease one is suffering from. Major treatment options available include medications, orthopedic bracing, lifestyle changes, and physical therapy. Eroding forms of the disease may require joint replacement surgery to be done.

Medications that reduce inflammation help to relieve pain. Besides relieving pains, reduction in inflammation also slows the rate at which joint damage occurs. In some varieties, pain may be relieved by taking a shower or mild exercise. No known cure has been found for Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.




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