Arthritis is a very painful medical condition, which is caused by inflammation, infection, and wearing away of the joints. In the United States alone, almost 20 million people suffer from arthritis. This condition not just causes pain in the joints, but also gives way to higher risk diseases such as high blood, heart attack, and obesity due to lack of physical activity.

In order to learn more about arthritis, people should learn its nature first. Since the joints serve as the holding point where two bones move, infection, lack of synovial fluid, and old age can have massive effects on the joints causing pain.

Kinds of Arthritis

Seeing one's doctor is very important in order to diagnose what kind of arthritis he/she is suffering. Through medical attention, people will know more about arthritis, their symptoms, and the ways in order to treat the disorder. The most common kinds of arthritis include Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Infectious Arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and other conditions.

Common Symptoms

Arthritis varies from one kind to another since there are almost 100 diagnosed conditions in the medical world. The most common symptoms include swelling and stiffness of the joints, redness of the affected areas, different levels of pain, tenderness of the muscles, weight loss, occurrence of rashes, brittleness of the joints, difficulty moving, hardness in flexibility, weakness of the affected area, and hardness in walking.

Certain kinds of arthritis like infectious arthritis is caused by bacterial, fungal, and viral infection may even cause infect tissues and the bloodstream which can be manifested through a fever.

Treatment

Although current medicine cannot permanently eradicate arthritis, there are so many ways in order to lessen the pain. Medical treatments to arthritis include physical therapy, occupational therapy, proper diet, and taking of medicines.

Through physical therapy, patients undergo physical activities designed to lessen the pain in muscle areas affected by arthritis. Physical movements, use of hot and cold compress, and special exercises which develops muscle strength, balance, and coordination are also good forms of physical therapy which greatly helps patients with arthritis.

On the other hand, occupational therapy teaches patients to lessen the pain of arthritis while they continue everyday chores through the use of special splints and tools. The modification of the house and workspace is also an important phase in occupational therapy because the therapists design the space in order to lessen the patient's exerted energy, which also lessens the pain.

Diet also plays a vital role in treating arthritis. People who are overweight are required to lose some pounds in order to lessen the body's pressure which adds to the pain. Since some people with arthritis have difficulty in doing physical activities, proper diet is also necessary to avoid weight gain which may lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart attack.

Lastly, the most important thing in treating arthritis is proper medication. People should consult their doctors first before purchasing drugs in order to ensure the success and safety of the treatment. A lot of things about arthritis are written in books and on the internet, but the most important way to treat the disorder is to ask help from medical personnel who have better knowledge and expertise in dealing with the condition.