Arthritis refers to a range of conditions that may involve pain or inflammation in your joints. It is a degenerative condition, meaning the symptom and your condition may worsen. There are commonly two types of arthritis, i.e., osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis, one of the most common types of arthritis, is caused by normal wear and tear. Cartilage is a tough but flexible connective tissue found in your joints. It protects the joints by absorbing the pressure and shock caused by movement and stress. A decrease in the normal amount of this cartilage tissue causes some arthritis. An infection or joint injury can aggravate the natural breakdown of cartilage tissue.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis, another common type of arthritis, is an autoimmune disorder. It happens when your body’s immune system attacks the tissues, causing inflammation in joints and other body organs.
In the joints, this inflammatory response affects the synovium, a soft tissue that nourishes cartilage and lubricates the joints, eventually destroying bone and cartilage.
Facts Related To Arthritis
Following are some of the facts that are related to arthritis:
- Arthritis usually refers to about 200 rheumatic conditions that generally affect the joints, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
- It can lead to causing various symptoms which may impair a person’s ability to perform daily tasks.
- Physical activity can have a very positive effect and improve pain and function.
- The factors that can affect the development may include injury, genetic makeup, abnormal metabolism, infections, and other infections in the immune system.
Treatment Of Arthritis
The treatment for arthritis leads to controlling the pain, minimizing the joints’ damage, and improving the functioning and quality of life. A range of medications and various lifestyle strategies can help you achieve your goals and protect your joints from further damage. The activities you must avoid doing include running, jumping, tennis, high-impact aerobics, etc. You must also avoid repeating the same movements again and again.
The treatments may involve the following:
Physiotherapy
Your doctor may refer you to a physiotherapist to help you provide relief from pain. The type of treatment that the physiotherapy may provide includes:
- Warm Water Therapy – It refers to several exercises done in a warm water pool. The water helps by supporting your body weight and putting less pressure on your muscles and joints.
- Physiotherapy – These exercises are tailored to various conditions and individual needs. There are specific pain-relieving techniques, such as ice packs or hot packs, that a physiotherapist can use to provide you relief from the problems.
- Occupational Therapy – It refers to practical advice provided by a physiotherapist for pain. It may include specialized aids and equipment to protect the joints from further damage.
Self Management
Self-management of the body if you suffer from certain conditions such as arthritis is essential. The key strategies may include the following:
- Being Organized – It refers to keeping track of your levels of pain and symptoms and possible side effects to be consulted with your doctor.
- Management of Pain And Fatigue – Medication can be combined with various non-medical pain management techniques. It would help if you also learned about fatigue which is key to living comfortably with arthritis.
- Staying Active – Exercise is very beneficial for managing overall health and arthritis.
- Balancing The Activity With Rest – Besides remaining active, it is also essential to take ample amounts of rest to manage properly.
- Eating A Healthy Diet – A balanced diet is very useful in helping you achieve a healthy weight and control inflammation. You should avoid refined and processed foods; and also pro-inflammatory animal-derived foods. Instead, you must choose to eat whole plant foods that are highly antioxidants and contain various anti-inflammatory properties.
- Sleep Improvement – Poor sleep can lead to aggravating arthritis pain and fatigue. So you must improve your sleeping hygiene to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep for a longer time.
Conclusion
Arthritis is a very common cause of pain and disability in your body. There may be plenty of tips available for easing pain and improving mobility in various ways, such as exercise, medications, stress reductions, etc. You should pay attention to your joints, whether standing or sitting, or even if you may be engaged in any other activity. It would help if you did your daily gentle stretches to move the joints in the range of motion while exercising. An experienced and certified physiotherapist for arthritis pain can help by showing you the correct postures to avoid stress on your joints.
