Common Types of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative arthritis, often called wear and tear arthritis. It commonly only affects a single joint at a time and, in some cases, can be linked to a previous injury in the joint or a a repetitive motion. For example, a farmer that regularly bends over during the course of thier life would be at an increased risk of developing hip osteoarthritis.

In addition to age, use, and injury, obesity is a major risk factor of this type of arthritis. The added weight of an individual that is over-weight can dramatically increase the risk for developing this kind of arthritis.

Joint pain is the most common symptom of this type of arthritis and will often be an early warning sign. Later, deformity is common, especially when the disease is not treated.

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, but weight bearing joints are the most common, along with the smaller joints in the hands and foot.

While osteoarthritis is typically related to physical factors, like an injury or obesity, the exact causes of rheumatoid arthritis are not as clear. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, which is a type of disease that causes the body's defense network to attack itself. As a result, the cartilage around the joint is broken down by enzymes in the body.

It is thought that infection is the most likely source of this disease, but there is still a great deal that is not know about this kind of arthritis.

Generally, this kind of arthritis affects similar joints at the same time, as an example, if rheumatoid arthritis was found in one knee, it would commonly be found in the other.

Many of the general symptoms of arthritis are present, including joint pain and difficulty moving around.

Seeking treatment is very important for those with arthritis, as when it is left untreated, the risk for deformity and serious disability is very high.

A good place to start, after speaking with a doctor, is to stay healthy, maintaining a safe weight and preforming regular exercise. This has been found to not only help reduce the risk of certain types of arthritis, like osteoarthritis, but also reduce arthritis pain in those with the disease. This includes a healthy diet, but most importantly, low-impact exercises. Swimming and walking can be quite effective.

However, for many, simply healthy living is not enough and often medications and, in some cases, surgeries are required. It is common for the medications used, which are often designed to reduce inflammation in the joints, to have a number of side-effects. So, like exercise, it is important to discuss all treatments with a physician.

Unfortunately, no there is currently no cure for arthritis. There is also not a way to reverse the effects of the disease.

It is very important to be wary of anyone who claims otherwise, as there are numerous scam products out there, like magnetic or copper bracelets, as well as many nutritional supplements that claim a miracle cure. However, the only nutrient that has really shown to help is fish oil.

This is why it is essential to ALWAYS speak with your doctor before attempting any treatment!

As a result, quickly diagnosing and treating the disease is essential, as it can prevent it from getting worse.

Since there is not a cure for arthritis or a way to roll back the effects of the disease on the body, promptly treating the disease is very important.

Another important step in treating arthritis is alleviating arthritis pain throughout the day and making life easier for the patient.

Often, this involves take a step back and looking at what sorts of activities the patient preforms each day. Then, identifying when arthritis pain is worse and trying to link it to daily life activities.

Once an activity or action has been identified as causing arthritis pain, it is often possible to find alternative and less painful ways of doing it.

This process is referred to as living with arthritis and can significantly improve the daily life of those with arthritis, by reducing arthritis pain.