Arthritis is a disorder causing joint inflammation. Joint inflammation includes inflammation of joint lining or synovium, surrounding tissues, eroding of bones and cartilages. Arthritis is a very common ailment, and chronic in nature. Once attacked by arthritis, it is not possible to eradicate the disorder completely, but remission of the disorder is possible through medications, changing of lifestyle and habits, simple home remedies involving natural herbal massage oil and herbal supplements.

Pain is the most torturing symptom of arthritis. Pain is often accompanied by swelling, joint stiffness, tenderness, redness of skin around joint, crepitus or crunching sound while moving affected joints, deformity, anemia, constipation, colitis, limited range of motion, fatigue. Many symptoms occur together making the disease debilitating, and the patient almost crippled. Life activities and mobility becomes quite difficult. Ankles, wrists, neck, back, shoulder, knee and hip are the joints commonly invaded by arthritis. Arthritis can inflict people of all ages. Osteoarthritis is noticeable in elderly people while rheumatoid arthritis is common among youths. Of the many forms of arthritis, the above two forms are the most widespread.

Causes of Arthritis

1. Age is one factor causing arthritis. With advancing age, the bone protecting cartilages become weak and brittle. The fluid content in the cartilages rise, the protein make up starts breaking up, leaving crevasses on the cartilages, the cartilages start flaking, and in no time are lost exposing the bones to friction. The result is arthritis.

2. Obesity also causes arthritis. The extra load on joints due to weight gain causes the wearing out of cartilages and rubbing of one bone against the other.

3. High impact sports and activities like wrestling, boxing, gymnastic, ballet dancing etc cause much wear and tear of cartilages, and often lead to arthritis in future.

4. Certain occupations trigger arthritis. Occupations like cotton processing, carpentry, shipyard work, the work of a construction worker etc involve frequent kneeling and squatting. Such occupations easily wear out joints, thereby leading to arthritis.

5. Arthritis is an inherited disorder, and seems to run in the family. In other words, heredity or genes is an arthritis causing factor.

6. Tobacco smoking and stress also may initiate or aggravate arthritic conditions.

7. Infection by viruses or bacteria may also lead to arthritis. For instance, the bacterium that causes gonorrhea or Lyme disease or the bacterium causing diarrhea is also responsible for causing arthritis.

8. High levels of urate or uric acid in blood lead to an arthritis called gout. Alcohol intakes, high blood pressure, fasting, over eating, taking diuretic medications are risk factors in case of this form of arthritis.

9. Previous history of traumatic joint injury or bone fracture may in future cause arthritis.

10. Also past history of septic joint may later cause arthritis.

11. Immune system abnormalities also cause arthritis.

12. Preponderance of calcium pyrophosphate in the body also causes arthritis.