How Can Arthritis Be Treated?
Did you know there are over 100 types of arthritis? The word “arthritis” itself means “inflammation of the joints” and is a blanket term encompassing everything from gout, hepatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus, to osteoporosis, lyme disease and still’s disease. Today, arthritis is the leading cause of disability for senior citizens over 55 and is said to afflict 70 million (1 in 3) Americans.
How do you know if you have arthritis? While symptoms and severity vary from person to person, the most common symptoms are: pain, swelling, stiffness, tenderness, redness and warmth. Osteoarthritis is characterized by progressive stiffness without swelling, chills or fever. Rheumatoid arthritis is the painful swelling, inflammation and stiffness in the fingers, arms, legs and wrists, which are prevalent on both sides of the body and are usually worse in the morning. Children with on-off fever, loss of appetite, weight loss and a blotchy rash on the arms and legs might have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. You should call the doctor if symptoms appear suddenly, or if they are accompanied by a fever or rash.
It is now believed that a number of environmental factors may trigger psoriatic arthritis. For instance, 4.6% of psoriatic arthritis patients had a rubella vaccination within the past five years, 14.9% had trauma requiring medical care, 25% had recurrent oral ulcers and 50% had a bone fracture requiring hospitalization. Further studies are needed to reveal how to prevent this type of arthritis, but the 2008 study from the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases has shed some light on a somewhat mysterious condition.
For treatment, Methotrexate slows the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and restores some function. For osteoarthritis sufferers, NSAIDs like ibuprofen are good at relieving short term pain and stiffness. Disease modifiers like Methotrexate, Leflunomide, Adalimumab, Etanercept or Infliximab can help long term effects and reduce joint damage. For people with gout, NSAIDs, Corticosteroids, Allopurinol and Probenecid are effective drugs. Be sure to see your doctor if you have been suffering with any symptom of chronic pain.
Related Articles
- Pain Management For Arthritis Back Pain and its causes Arthritis Back PainIf you woke up one morning and your back pain never stops do not think it is just from your everyday duties at your job, or the everyday
- Degenerative Arthritis - Education Is The First Important Step To Relief Degenerative arthritis, which is also referred to as osteoarthritis, is a specific kind of arthritis which is mainly the result of the breakdown as well as the total and ultimate
- Arthritis Symptoms - A Guide to Helping You Understand In reality arthritis is an all encompassing terms that is used by many to cover a large group of in excess of 100 medical conditions with the common connection within
- Different Ways The Arthritis Foundation Helps You The Arthritis Foundation is one of the most straightforward and helpful websites on the world wide web. Maybe you or a loved one has already been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid
- The Top Information For Arthritis Explained - A Resource Are you looking for an Arthritis Cure? Arthritis means pain and this could be anywhere in the muscles or the bones which the disease affects; the joints especially bear the
- Arthritis and How Exercise Helps Treat The Pain Each year over 100 billion (that's right Billion with a B) is expended each year in the treatment of arthritic conditions and the associated indirect expenses. It has been proven
- Knee Arthritis Typically Takes Place When The Kneecap Gets Unbalanced Knee arthritis is mainly considered by many to be the less grave condition of arthritis even though it is a more commonplace arthritis condition acknowledged as osteoarthritis. This is different
- Get control of Arthritis, and Get Your Life Back! Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don't want to move... that's what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all to well,
Comments
Leave a Reply