Arthritis: Everything You Need To Know
Have you ever experienced any kind of stiffness, swelling, or pain in your joint? Is the pain severe or mild? Do you feel you can cope with this pain with your daily activities? Regardless of the intensity of the pain, no one deserves the inconvenience of swollen or stiff joints.
Arthritis is one of the most common health issues that affect many people. About 24% of adults in the US have arthritis. Even children also have this condition, which shows that arthritis respects no one.
You need to know how to take care of yourself regarding arthritis. You have to understand every concept, from prevention to treatment and maintenance. This article will teach you everything you need to know about arthritis pain and stiffness.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a common condition where you experience stiffness or swelling in your joints. It is usually associated with pain, which can be severe or mild. The patient experiences this pain at or around the joint.
Arthritis pain usually lasts for days before it wears off. Patients can also experience arthritis symptoms occasionally. If you are experiencing this joint pain, you will need to visit the doctor to help you out.
Pain and swelling usually accompany arthritis. To prevent yourself from this condition, you will need to know the causes of arthritis and abstain from them.
Causes of Arthritis
There are several causes of arthritis. You need to know these causes for you to know the ideal treatment for the condition. Here are some causes of arthritis:
- Wear and tear: Bones need to move over one another for movements to occur. The constant movement of this bone causes cartilages to wear off. Cartilages are connective tissues in the joints. They create a cushioning effect for the movement of bones over one another. Once the cartilage wears off, you will start experiencing pain and stiffness at the joint. Wear and tear are one of the most common causes of arthritis pain.
- Injury: Injury is also another common cause of arthritis. You become prone to arthritis when you have an injury in your joint. There is a high chance of success when treating arthritis caused by injuries. It makes this type of arthritis one of the easiest to cure.
- Old age: Old age is also an ally to arthritis. Old age stands as the most common cause of arthritis. This is why arthritis is common among adults over age 50. Most people experience arthritis due to weak bones and joints.
- Muscle weakness: When your muscles are weak, you will start experiencing arthritis pain. The muscles are attached to the bones to aid movements. When these muscles become weak, bone movements become more difficult, causing pain and swelling. Weak muscles can cause pain and stiffness during movements. It can also cause joint damage, all of which supports arthritis.
- Obesity: We all know obesity is characterized by being overweight. Having extra weight on your bones and joints can be a great cause of arthritis. This is why losing weight is advised for people with obese stature to reduce the risk of arthritis.
- Genetics: You should not be surprised that arthritis can be a genetic disorder. You can experience the symptoms if you have any arthritis-related family history. This is very common as many adults have a family history prone to arthritis.
There are also several other causes of arthritis, but the above are some of the most common. Now that you know the causes, let’s talk about the symptoms of arthritis.
Symptoms of Arthritis
Do you want to be sure you have arthritis? Is there a way you can check this? Yes, there is a simple way to go about it. To know if you have arthritis, you need to check for certain symptoms.
The most common symptoms of arthritis are stiffness, pain, and swelling. Aside from these symptoms, there are also several other arthritis symptoms you can check out. They include:
- Fatigue
- Clicking and popping in the joints
- Muscle weakness around the joints
- Inflammation
- Grating feeling around the joints
You can watch for other symptoms, depending on the form of arthritis you have. If you experience other severe symptoms, do not hesitate to visit the doctor.
How You Can Treat Arthritis
Knowing the causes and symptoms of arthritis is not enough. You also need to know how to treat it. Although there is no cure for arthritis, treatment can improve it. There are several ways to treat arthritis, and this depends on the form of arthritis and the intensity of the condition.
The use of pain relief is one of the most common ways of treating arthritis. Although pain relievers do not stop the condition’s progression, they reduce pain and make you feel better. However, our physician offers stem cell therapy as an effective pain management treatment. It’s a fast, effective treatment for injuries, pain, and damaged tissues. Stem cell therapy helps repair damaged tissues and relieve pain.
You can also treat arthritis through occupational or physical therapy. You will need a professional to help you with the physical therapy treatment.
Arthritis can also be treated with cold or hot compresses, drugs, joint protection, exercise, and even rest. You might need to include one or all of these for the treatment of arthritis. With these treatments, you can proceed with your day-to-day activities with no issues.
Home Remedies for Arthritis
There are several home remedies for arthritis. They include:
- Regular exercise
- Acupuncture
- Healthy diet
- Massage
- Meditation and yoga practices
You may also consider the use of herbal supplements. Before starting, be sure to speak with your physician about the best supplement to use to ease your arthritis pain.
What Should You Do?
Having arthritis does not mean you cannot carry on with your daily activities. You only need to learn certain facts about arthritis pain. You can also learn more about general pain and how to handle it.
Nevertheless, we have a team of professionals that can help you resolve and treat all forms of arthritis. You can book an appointment now for your treatment. At Advanced Sports & Spine, we offer arthritis treatment in Charlotte.