Arthritis is usually tenderness or swelling in one of your joints. Arthritis can cause a lot of pain and stiffness in your joints, which gets worse as you get older. The two common types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in the joints to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease, and in this disease, the immune system starts to attack the joints.
If there is too much uric acid in your blood, then uric acid crystals will start to form, and this can cause gout. There are many types of arthritis, and your treatment will change based on your arthritis.
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Symptoms Of Arthritis
The symptoms do vary slightly depending on the type of arthritis you have. In general, you will see redness, pain, swelling, stiffness, and a lesser range of motion when you have arthritis. All the symptoms will be related to your joints, which can be a good indicator that you might have arthritis.
When people have rheumatoid arthritis people will experience more tiredness and fatigue. You may see some redness around the affected joint. There is also a risk of you becoming anemic, your red blood count might reduce, or you might get a slight fever.
What Causes Arthritis?
A reduction in your cartilage can cause arthritis. Cartilage is a connective tissue in your joints. It is flexible but firm as well. A major function of cartilage is to absorb any shock or pressure that might come on the joints when you move. If the cartilage reduces more than normal, then it can cause arthritis. Any injury or infection can also increase the likelihood of arthritis.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the body’s immune system attacks the synovium in the joints. Synovium is a soft tissue that produces a fluid that nourishes the joints’ cartilage and lubricates the joints as well.
The RA can destroy your cartilage and the bone in your joints. It can be very painful, so you should treat it as fast as possible.
The exact cause for these immune system attacks is unknown, but many scientists suspect it has something to do with genetics.
How Is Arthritis Diagnosed?
If you are unsure who to go to and who to see when you have arthritis, you can see your regular doctor, and they can tell you if you need to see a specialist.
The doctor will look at the fluid around your joints, red or warm joints, and check the range of motion in your joints.
You can visit a rheumatologist directly if you feel that the symptoms are very severe, and this doctor can help you get the treatment you need quickly. The doctor will look at the inflammation in your joints and blood and then decide which type of arthritis you have.
To get a good look at your cartilage and bones, the doctor will do a CT scan, C Ray, and MRI so that they can get a good idea of your condition.
How Is Arthritis Treated?
When people get arthritis, a lot of people will experience pain. The main goal initially would be to remove as much pain as possible. You will have to figure out the best ways to reduce your pain because different people have different things that work for them. Some people like ice packs, and others like heating pads. There are other devices like walkers or canes, and these devices can help take pressure off the sore joints. It might be important that you improve the function of your joints as well.
Medication 
Many different types of medication can treat arthritis.
- Immunosuppressants
- Menthol or capsaicin creams
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Analgesics
Many times, if you have Rheumatoid arthritis, you might have to take some medicine to reduce and suppress your immune systems.
Surgery
There are options to use surgery and replace your affected joints with an artificial joint. If you find the most severe part of your arthritis in your wrists or fingers, you might have to go for a joint fusion. This procedure might make your bones heal together and get locked till they become one part. The pain lasts for very long when you have arthritis, and surgery is a good solution.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a very effective way to treat arthritis. You can strengthen the muscles around the joints, and it can help to make dealing with arthritis much better. The strong muscles will stabilize your legs and hands better, and there will be less pressure on the affected area, which can help you improve a lot faster.
Lifestyle Changes To Help With Arthritis?
Being at a healthy weight can be very useful to reduce the symptoms of arthritis. The diet that you follow is also very useful for your health. A diet that is high in vegetables and fruits can help a lot to reduce inflammation. Some other foods that you can eat to reduce inflammation in the body are nuts and fish. If you have arthritis, then try your best to stay away from those foods which are fried and processed. You should also avoid high amounts of meat and dairy products. Try and stay away from gluten as well if you have arthritis.
Exercise is a great way to keep your joints flexible. Try and opt for exercises that do not put too much pressure on your joints. Exercises like swimming are perfect for those people who have arthritis because it is a low-impact exercise. Running and walking can put a lot more pressure on your points. If you are overweight, try to avoid running and walking because this can flare up arthritis a lot more. Stick to swimming as it is the safest form of exercise that you can choose to keep your joints healthy.
Conclusion
There is no cure for arthritis. However, you can reduce the symptoms to a large extent. You can make many changes in your lifestyle, which can manage arthritis that you have. There are things like migratory arthritis that you should be aware of. This is when arthritis spreads from the joints. You can look for the symptoms mentioned in this article, and you can try and prevent and treat them as much as possible.
