COMMON TYPES OF ARTHRITIS

OSTEOARTHRITIS IS A  BREAK DOWN OF THE JOINT CARTILAGES WHICH  IS MOST COMMON IN WOMEN AND MEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 45 AND 90. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE PAIN, STIFFNESS AND SWELLING. IT IS COMMONLY FELT IN THE  FINGERS, HIPS AND KNEES.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS- THIS IS THE INFLAMMATION OF THE MEMBRANE  LINING THE JOINT. IT IS MORE COMMON IN WOMEN AND OCCURS  BETWEEN THE AGES OF 30 AND 40. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY  PAIN, STIFFNESS AND  SWELLING IN MULTIPLE JOINTS . JOINTS MAY ALSO BE HOT AND RED AND THESE ARE COMMON IN THE HANDS, WRISTS AND FEET.

GOUT IS A BUILD UP OF URIC ACID CRYSTALS IN THE JOINT FLUID. SYMPTOMS MANIFESTS AS A SUDDEN ONSET OF BURNING PAIN, STIFFNESS AND SWELLING  COMMON IN THE BIG TOE, ANKLE, KNEE, WRIST AND ELBOW.

 ARTHRITIS REFERS TO A VARIETY OF JOINT PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE PAIN, SWELLING AND STIFFNESS.ARTHRITIS SIMPLY MEANS INFLAMMATION OF THE JOINTS. IT CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE BUT IS MORE COMMON AMONG THE OLDER FOLKS.

PREVENTING ARTHRITIS

*MODIFY  YOUR ACTIVITIES THAT CAUSE  REPEATED JARRING SUCH AS HIGH-IMPACT AEROBIC ACTIVITIES TO  LOW IMPACT ACTIVITIES IF THEY CAUSE PAIN.

*CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT.

*EXERCISE REGULARLY.REGULAR EXERCISE CAN RELIEVE OR EVEN PREVENT JOINT PAIN. EXERCISE IS NEEDED TO NOURISH THE JOINT CARTILAGE AND REMOVE WASTE PRODUCTS. IT ALSO STRENGHTENS THE MUSCLES AROUND THE JOINT .STRONG MUSCLES SUPPORT THE JOINTS AND REDUCES  INJURIES CAUSED BY FATIGUE.

* A WARM BATH OR SHOWER HELPS RELIEVE MORNING  STIFFNESS. DO NOT SIT STILL AFTER A WARM BATH OR SHOWER.

*APPLY MOIST HEAT  BUT NOT IF THE JOINT  IS ALREADY  INFLAMMED.

* REST SORE JOINTS. AVOID ACTIVITIES THAT PUT WEIGHT  OR STRAIN ON THE JOINTS.

*REGULAR EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT TO HELP MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY IN THE MUSCLES AND JOINTS.

STRENGHTENING EXERCISES PREVENT THE MUSCLE  DECLINE THAT LEADS TO LOSS OF FUNCTION. TRY LOW IMPACT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SWIMMING, WATER AEROBICS, BIKING OR WALKING.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING, YOU NEED TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION

·         IF YOU HAVE FEVER OR SKIN RASH ALONG WITH SEVERE JOINT PAIN.

·         IF THE  JOINT IS SO PAINFUL THAT YOU CANNOT USE IT.

·         IF THERE IS SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED SWELLING, REDNESS OR PAIN IN ANY JOINT.

·         IF THERE IS SEVERE PAIN AND SWELLING IN MULTIPLE JOINTS.

·         IF YOU EXPERIENCE SUDDEN BACK PAIN THAT OCCURS WITH WEAKNESS IN THE LEGS OR LOSS OF BOWEL OR BLADDER CONTROL.

·         IF PAIN CONTINUES AFTER  TAKING PREVENTIVE AND RELIEVE  MEASURES.